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Quick questions re: Whiteflash data retention policies

OoohShiny

Ideal_Rock
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Apr 25, 2014
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8,228
I guess this is specifically aimed at Texas Leaguer, but as we can't PM... :lol: lol

If I may ask some annoying questions quickly... They're not specifically about diamonds but they are about the diamond buying process through a PS vendor, so hopefully this is the right forum to ask them?! :???:


So, if that's okay, please may I check...

- if and when copies of photo ID and credit cards and signatures are submitted by Fax or email during an order process, may I ask if these are stored electronically in a secure filing system? Or are they stored in a paper format in a suitably secure filing arrangement?

- are the electronic / paper copies of the documents destroyed when the order is complete and receipt confirmed? Or after a period of time? Or are they never destroyed?


Apologies for the annoying questions :oops: I'm doing my damnedest to purchase something from WF but technology is doing its very best to stop me from doing so :wall: :( so the 'old school' method may be my only option, but I have my own annoying personal principles (paranoia? :???: :lol: ) that means sending photographic or any other identifying material electronically or otherwise to any given third party is a very last resort measure only! :lol:


Many thanks in advance for any assistance anyone can give! :))
 

marcy

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Feb 27, 2007
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26,275
Oooh Shiny, good question. I'll be interested to see the answer. I sure hesitated to send WF copies of my credit card and driver's license as well and then they called and had me answer questions. I tried Paypal on later purchases and had problems getting it to go through and then ended up paying twice so had to call WF and get that charge reversed. After that I did wire transfers; they are a pain to go to the bank and you have to pay a fee but it was easier for me.

What are you trying to buy (unless it's a secret)? :bigsmile:
 

Snowdrop13

Ideal_Rock
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Aug 27, 2011
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2,960
If you have online banking you can do the wire transfer from the comfort of your own home. I'm guessing the fees depend on the bank as the only one I had to pay was a nominal one to convert the currency to dollars.
 

tyty333

Super_Ideal_Rock
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27,198
Texas Leaguer probably wont see this until Monday...so keep bumping till you get an answer.
 

Texas Leaguer

Ideal_Rock
Trade
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Jul 27, 2009
Messages
3,760
OoohShiny|1478364966|4094105 said:
I guess this is specifically aimed at Texas Leaguer, but as we can't PM... :lol: lol

If I may ask some annoying questions quickly... They're not specifically about diamonds but they are about the diamond buying process through a PS vendor, so hopefully this is the right forum to ask them?! :???:


So, if that's okay, please may I check...

- if and when copies of photo ID and credit cards and signatures are submitted by Fax or email during an order process, may I ask if these are stored electronically in a secure filing system? Or are they stored in a paper format in a suitably secure filing arrangement?

- are the electronic / paper copies of the documents destroyed when the order is complete and receipt confirmed? Or after a period of time? Or are they never destroyed?


Apologies for the annoying questions :oops: I'm doing my damnedest to purchase something from WF but technology is doing its very best to stop me from doing so :wall: :( so the 'old school' method may be my only option, but I have my own annoying personal principles (paranoia? :???: :lol: ) that means sending photographic or any other identifying material electronically or otherwise to any given third party is a very last resort measure only! :lol:


Many thanks in advance for any assistance anyone can give! :))
OooShiny,
Thank you for the question. It's not at all annoying. Rather, it's a legitimate concern many people have. The short answer is this:
The information is stored electronically in a secure filing system. It is never printed out. Once the time required to keep the (electronic) paperwork by our credit card processor has passed, the information is deleted from our system.

Because we are all so accustomed to hassle-free transactions online for all of our daily business and shopping, it is natural to be somewhat taken aback by a process that requires much more than typing in a credit card number. Unfortunately, we are in a business that requires extra procedures to insure that all the t's are crossed and i's dotted.

If you have further concerns do not hesitate to contact me.
 

diamondseeker2006

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Jan 11, 2006
Messages
58,547
I have always wired money, but I am in the US. There was no fee at my credit union.
 

OoohShiny

Ideal_Rock
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Joined
Apr 25, 2014
Messages
8,228
Texas Leaguer|1478472152|4094622 said:
OooShiny,
Thank you for the question. It's not at all annoying. Rather, it's a legitimate concern many people have. The short answer is this:
The information is stored electronically in a secure filing system. It is never printed out. Once the time required to keep the (electronic) paperwork by our credit card processor has passed, the information is deleted from our system.

Because we are all so accustomed to hassle-free transactions online for all of our daily business and shopping, it is natural to be somewhat taken aback by a process that requires much more than typing in a credit card number. Unfortunately, we are in a business that requires extra procedures to insure that all the t's are crossed and i's dotted.

If you have further concerns do not hesitate to contact me.

Many thanks for your reply, TL, it is much appreciated :)

I do appreciate the additional security required for such high-value transactions on such small and desirable goods :) and I completely trust that you and your staff will take good care of any data that you are holding - I just have a tin foil hat :shock: :???: :lol: and do my very best not to transmit or post any personally identifiable pictures or similar across the interweb or on email, just because of who else might be listening... I think I must be able to count on two hands the pictures that I'm aware of, and those are out of my control, unfortunately! I really don't understand this whole facebook thing, posting your entire life online so any random stranger could walk up to you in the street and know your entire life story! :shock:

But anyway, my paranoia aside... lol

Would I be correct in thinking that payment through a verified Paypal account would negate the need for the photographic identification verification? Or is it standard operating procedure on all payments, both wired and non-wired?

I understand if you would rather not discuss the details on a public board, of course!


All this would be less of an issue if my computer was up-to-date enough and actually let me pay through your website or paypal, but both websites fail to load the required sections when I try, hence needing to try the 'old school' method! :wall: lol

Still, I should have access to a brand new, Windows 10 laptop in about a week, so I think that should hopefully resolve the issues on that front! :))
 

Paul-Antwerp

Ideal_Rock
Trade
Joined
Sep 2, 2002
Messages
2,859
Obviously not Whiteflash, but I do have some additional, general info.

On a global scale, it is important to realize that our industry is regarded as a high-risk-sector for potential money-laundering. Many countries with important diamond-centers have had very strict anti-money-laundering-regulations for years.

Over time, this has led to further scrutiny of our sector by banks. Given the hefty fines banks face when they do not thoroughly check compliance of their diamond-dealing-customers, we regularly get questions from our bankers about the transaction leading to a payment, and the people having paid. Until recently, that stayed on the Business-to-Business-level only.

But recently, we hear the same on the Business-to-Consumer-level, banks asking for more info on an international transaction where a consumer wires funds to a retailer.

Given our love of privacy, it kind of rubs us the wrong way, but on the wholesale-level, it has not been uncommon for a bank to ditch a diamond-business for non-cooperation with these questions. In Belgium and Israel, we even have seen banks leaving the diamond-industry completely.

For that reason, however inappropriate one may feel about detailed identity-question coming from a diamond-retailer, please understand that they are indirectly forced by the international banking-community to ask.

Live long,
 

OoohShiny

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 25, 2014
Messages
8,228
Paul-Antwerp|1478536515|4094797 said:
Obviously not Whiteflash, but I do have some additional, general info.

On a global scale, it is important to realize that our industry is regarded as a high-risk-sector for potential money-laundering. Many countries with important diamond-centers have had very strict anti-money-laundering-regulations for years.

Over time, this has led to further scrutiny of our sector by banks. Given the hefty fines banks face when they do not thoroughly check compliance of their diamond-dealing-customers, we regularly get questions from our bankers about the transaction leading to a payment, and the people having paid. Until recently, that stayed on the Business-to-Business-level only.

But recently, we hear the same on the Business-to-Consumer-level, banks asking for more info on an international transaction where a consumer wires funds to a retailer.

Given our love of privacy, it kind of rubs us the wrong way, but on the wholesale-level, it has not been uncommon for a bank to ditch a diamond-business for non-cooperation with these questions. In Belgium and Israel, we even have seen banks leaving the diamond-industry completely.

For that reason, however inappropriate one may feel about detailed identity-question coming from a diamond-retailer, please understand that they are indirectly forced by the international banking-community to ask.

Live long,

Many thanks for your reply, Paul :)

It sounds like banks might be asking for copies of purchasers' ID for their own records in some instances?

I always forget that some people in this world are up to no good; their antics are the sort of thing that leads to loss of privacy for all 'just in case', which is incredibly frustrating for those of us who just want to live their lives in peace and privacy! :|


Roll on Star Trek, where there is no need for money or greed because people can create whatever they want from replicators, and where people can instead lead their lives for their own and others' betterment.
 
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