Safe Computing and Safe Transactions

Planet Students provides free registry services to students. We do not 'police' transactions made as a result of our registry putting together buyers and sellers of goods and services. It is thus up to the parties in the transaction to protect their interests and ensure that they are not dealing with someone attempting to defraud them.

To assist you in completing transactions satisfactorily as either a buyer or seller, Planet Students has compiled the below information and tips. Before we get to that, however, we are compelled to remind you of some relevant terms from our user agreement:

Planet Students does not control the information provided by other users that is made available through our system. You may find other user's information to be offensive, harmful, inaccurate, or deceptive. Please use caution, common sense, and practice safe trading when using the Site. Please note that there are also risks of dealing with underage persons or people acting under false pretense. Additionally, there may also be risks dealing with international trade and foreign nationals. By using this Site, you agree to accept such risks and acknowledge that the Company and its representatives are not responsible for the acts or omissions of users on the Site.

As a buyer, you are obligated to complete the transaction with the seller if you make arrangements to purchase a good or service listed on the Site. By purchasing a good or service you agree to be bound by the conditions of sale included in the item's description so long as those conditions of sale are not in violation of our User Agreement or unlawful. Purchases are not cancelable except in exceptional circumstances, such as: a clear typographical error is made; you cannot authenticate the seller's identity; or when the seller does not confirm your purchase. The Company is not party to any purchase contracts formed between Buyer and Seller and cannot enforce the terms of said contracts.

Table of Contents:

Bank Money Orders, Bank Drafts, Postal Money Orders, and Certified Cheques
The Hand-Off
Overpayments
Virus Prevention
Spoof Protection
Password Protection
OnGuard Online
Item Description
Instant Cash Transfer Services
Escrow

Bank Money Orders, Bank Drafts, Postal Money Orders, and Certified Cheques

You've sold the goods or agreed to rent the property out, now it's time to get paid. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and your bank have a message for you: while the check may be in the mail, it doesn't always mean money in the bank. Scammers using counterfeit checks, fake commercial money orders, and fake postal money orders to 'pay' for items are leaving sellers empty handed. ALL paper financial instruments CAN be faked. Avoiding this scam is as simple as crossing a street � if sellers apply the same three basic principles: Stop. Look. Listen.

• Stop. Never accept an overpayment for any item. Buyers should be advised to make payment in the correct amount. One of the most common signs of a fraud about to occur is the request to accept an overpayment and provide "change".
• Look. Familiarize yourself with the security features offered by various forms of payment. Postal Money Orders offer easy to recognize security features that counterfeiters have been unable to replicate.
• Listen. Make certain you understand your bank's funds availability policy before you release merchandise to the buyer or allowing a move-in. Take any of these financial instruments to your bank and ask how long they need to allow the funds to clear--depending on whether the instrument came from your country or not, it could take anywhere from 5 to 25 days to clear. Let any buyers know that you need their cleared funds in hand before they get the goods or get to move in! Thus, someone from a foreign country that wants to send you a rental deposit and security deposit drawn on a foreign bank or post office would have to get it into your hands at least 25 days in advance of their arrival. Note: Some checks may appear to be from a US or Canadian bank but, upon closer inspection, include foreign country or city names.

The only safe ways for you to get paid without a clearing period being required are: bank wire transfers, Interac Money Email, Western Union, Moneygram, and good old cash. If the payment is to be cash, please note that you have not been paid until the cash has been successfully deposited to your account at your bank to ensure the payment did not include counterfeit cash. If you desire to use any of the aforementioned methods, take the time to familiarize yourself with what information a sender of payment will really need, and do not provide them with any personal information over and above that requirement. If you want to accept bank wire transfers, you may want to consider a low fee or no fee bank account that you use only for that purpose and empty as soon as a payment is received. The purpose of this is to have a bank account number for senders of funds to use that cannot do any damage to you because others know that account number.

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The Hand-Off

A common method of transferring books or other small items between students living in the same city is an in-person meeting to exchange funds and goods. There are several things you should do to make sure that 'the hand-off' is safe for you: � Bring a friend to the meeting.

• Meet in a public place at a time when there will be lots of other people around (shopping mall, on-campus at a busy place like the main cafeteria.)
• Trust your instincts! If something doesn't feel right, opt out of the transaction. You can find someone else to buy/sell with.
• DO NOT share any more personal information that absolutely necessary. The other party to a transaction does not need to know your home address or anything of the like if you are meeting on campus. Tell them up front that you do not want to share your personal information if asked (i.e. so they understand why you aren't sharing.)

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Overpayments

Virus Prevention

Stay safe online by safeguarding your computer against viruses and spyware.

There are numerous viruses in circulation that threaten to damage your computer or spy on your Internet activities. While there is no foolproof way to protect your computer, you can minimize your risk by installing virus and spyware protection software. Take full advantage of virus and spyware protection by:

• Keeping the virus protection software up-to-date.
• Set the virus protection software to install updates on a regular basis.
• Use the virus protection software to scan your computer frequently.
• Running spyware removal monthly. Spyware can drastically affect the speed that your computer accesses the Internet.

Virus and spyware protection software is available from such vendors as:

Symantec
McAfee

Spoof Protection

Password Protection

Stay safe online by protecting your account password.

Whether you're on- or offline, care for your password as you would care for the key to your house. If your password falls into the wrong hands, your identity may be stolen and someone else may access your account.

You can take a few simple steps to help ensure that your password is protected:

• Make sure to create a different password for each online account you hold.
• Create a more secure password by using a combination of letters and numbers.
• Change your password often.
• Don't share your password with anyone.
• If you're signing in to Planet Students, only enter your password at this Internet address: http://www.planetstudents.com/user/account/login.aspx

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OnGuard Online

Item Description

Instant Cash Transfer Services

Escrow