elemint@theriver.com wrote:
> When you access a site that is https what is the best way to check their
> certificate to confirm that the site is secure and one should be willing
> to do business with that site.

Well, I worry less about the certificate and more about the honesty and 
integrity of the person behind the certificate.  Anyone with $90 can 
have a valid certificate.  And while we are on the subject following 
Craig's advice about checking the lock.

However, I address the problem on the web and in real life with a series 
of bank accounts and a policy of not using debit cards with potentially 
untrustworthy merchants.  Using a credit card (rather than an ATM/debit 
card) will prevent the merchant from actually taking money directly from 
your account.  So if there is a problem you just contest the charge and 
don't pay the CC back.  If you have to contest a charge on a debit card 
you may be given your money back, but it may take several weeks.  The 
goal is to not allow someone access to your cash.

I actually even go one step further and have two sets of 
checking/savings accounts that are not linked.  One set of accounts is 
the account where I really save money and keep a bulk of my cash, and 
the other set is the account I perform transactions with (ATM, checks 
and occasionally debit card).  They are only linked for manual 
electronic transfers and there is no automatic transfers (for overdraft 
protection) between the two sets.  Thus the place where I store my cash 
is never exposed to theft via a stolen debit card or check.

So, I am a little paranoid.  But not really, because the effort was not 
that much ... and I was going to use paypal for electronic bill pay and 
I don't trust them in particular.

Austin
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