Everyone knows that labeling a transaction 'secure' over the Internet is a sure thing, right?

Wrong! Not all online security companies are alike, and as financial professionals, it is up to us to advise our clients on the why and how of online security if the client conducts any kind of e-Commerce transaction.

Education is the best policy. A new survey conducted by Enonymous found that an overwhelming 75 percent of 30,000 well-visited Web sites did not have any kind of privacy policy in place.

Do the research and present the client with a list of possible companies. In addition to Enonymous, there is TRUSTe (and this is the oldest organization, formed in 1997), the one run by the Better Business Bureau called BBBOnline and Secure Assure. Users should remain aware whether a security company has a policy not to sell or trade information on its customers. Secure Assure, for example, has such a policy in place.