Disclaimer |

Disclaimer - Terms, Privacy and Safety

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING TERMS OF USE AND DISCLAIMER CAREFULLY BEFORE USING THIS WEB SITE. BY ACCESSING OR USING THE SITE, YOU AGREE TO THE DISCLAIMER AND ALL OTHER TERMS PROVIDED BELOW. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THE DISCLAIMER AND ALL OF THESE TERMS, DO NOT ACCESS OR USE THIS SITE.

Terms

Objectives/Content:

The bitgazetteer.com web site ("Site") contains content that is provided as a service to users who agree to abide by the following acceptable conduct terms. Your right to use the Site is governed by these Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy (collectively, "Terms") and you should take the time to review both carefully before you use the Site. By using the Site in any way, you are agreeing to comply with these Terms.

The Site reserves the right to change the Terms at any time and for any reason. Updated versions of the Terms will be posted to the Site at bitgazetteer.com and you should visit this page periodically to keep apprised of any changes. By continuing to use the Site after any such change, you accept and agree to the modified Terms. The Site reserves the right to modify or discontinue, temporarily or permanently, the Site, any site features, benefits (including without limitation blocking or terminating your Account), rules or conditions, all without notice, even though such changes may affect the way you use the Site. You agree that the Site will not be liable to you or any third-party for any modification or discontinuance of the Site.

User Conduct:

Without limitation, you agree to refrain from the following actions while using the Site:

Harassing, threatening, embarrassing or causing distress or discomfort upon another individual or entity or impersonating any other person or entity or otherwise restricting or inhibiting any other person from using or enjoying the Site;
Transmitting any information, data, text, files, links, software, chats, communication or other materials that is unlawful, false, misleading, harmful, threatening, abusive, invasive of another's privacy, harassing, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, hateful or racially or otherwise objectionable, including without limitation material of any kind or nature that encourages conduct that could constitute a criminal offense, give rise to civil liability or otherwise violate any applicable local, state, provincial, national, or international law or regulation, or encourage the use of controlled substances;
Posting advertising or solicitation in categories that is not appropriate, or posting the same item or service in more than one category or more than once every 7 days, or posting the same ad in multiple cities on the Site;
(a) Posting adult content or explicit adult material unless: (i) such material is specifically permitted in designated adult categories and permitted under applicable federal, state, and local law; and (ii) you are at least 18 years of age or older and not considered to be a minor in your state of residence;
(b) Posting, anywhere on the Site, obscene or lewd and lascivious graphics or photographs which depict genitalia or actual or simulated sexual acts, as determined in the sole discretion of bitgazetteer.com;
(c) Posting any solicitation directly or in “coded” fashion for any illegal service exchanging sexual favors for money or other valuable consideration;
(d) Posting any material on the Site that exploits minors in any way;
(e) Posting any material on the Site that in any way constitutes or assists in human trafficking.
Posting any ad for products or services, use or sale of which is prohibited by any law or regulation;
Sending mail, e-mail, voice messages or faxes for solicitation of any other product, or service to a user of the Site unless the user has granted permission in their ad or otherwise allowed contact for solicitation;
Deleting or revising any material posted by any other user;
Interfering with or infringing the patents, copyrights, trademarks, service marks, logos, confidential information or intellectual property rights of others;
Using any automated device, spider, robot, crawler, data mining tool, software or routine to access, copy, or download any part of the Site unless expressly permitted by the Site;
Taking any action creating a disproportionately large usage load on the Site unless expressly permitted by the Site:
Sending messages or engaging in disruptive or damaging activities online, including excessive use of scripts, sound waves, scrolling, or use of viruses, bots, worms, time bombs, Trojan horses or any other destructive element;
Gaining or attempting to gain unauthorized access to non-public areas of the Site. In addition, if you have a password to a non-public area of the Site, you may not disclose to, or share your password, with any third parties and/or use your password for unauthorized purposes;
Attempting to decipher, decompile, disassemble or reverse engineer any of the software comprising or in any way making up all or any part of the Site; modifying any meta data, copying or duplicating in any manner any of the content; framing of or linking to any of the Site, its content or information available from the Site without the express written consent of agents of the Site;
Discriminating on the grounds of race, religion, national origin, gender, disability, age, marital status, sexual orientation, or refers to such matters in any manner prohibited by law;
Posting any employment ads violating the anti-discrimination provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act or messages which violate any law or regulation;
Using the Site to engage in or assist another individual or entity to engage in fraudulent, abusive, manipulative or illegal activity.
Posting free ads promoting links to commercial services or web sites except in areas of the Site where such ads are expressly permitted;
Posting any material advertising weapons the use, carrying, or advertising of which is prohibited by applicable federal, state, or local law. You are solely responsible for complying with any and all laws and/or regulations applicable to the transfer of firearms under both applicable local, state and federal laws. The transfer of firearms is heavily regulated and restricted, and failure to strictly comply with all such laws is a serious crime and may result in criminal prosecution. All transfers of firearms, whether by sale, lease or loan, including private transactions, must go through a licensed firearms dealer. Any exception to these laws, such as air guns, knives, accessories, certain antiques, and some gun parts that may not require transfer by a licensed dealer, should be first confirmed by you prior to purchase. It is your responsibility to comply with all such laws, including any and all city, county, state and Federal laws when accessing or using this site. It is also your responsibility to locate one or more licensed firearm dealers in your area and/or the area of any buyer or seller listing here who are able and willing to assist you with any such transfer. We do not offer any assistance with respect to locating a licensed dealer for your transaction or otherwise with respect to your transaction. By listing any firearm, you represent and warrant to us that you legally own and possess the item you wish to list here and have fully complied with and will continue to fully comply with all laws and regulations applicable to your listing, transfer and/or sale. By agreeing to purchase any firearm, you represent and warrant to us that you are of legal age, and are not otherwise prohibited by law from purchasing, transferring, owning, or possessing the firearm listed, and that you have fully complied with and will continue to fully comply with all laws and regulations applicable to your transfer or purchase;

Please report any violations of these Terms to: abuse@bitgazetteer.com

You agree to comply with all applicable laws, statutes, regulations, and ordinances concerning your use of the Site.

Use of Materials:

Any ads or messages that you post, transmit, or otherwise make available for viewing on public areas of the Site will be treated as non-confidential and non-proprietary to you. You understand and agree that any such ads and messages may be used by the Site or our affiliates, without review or approval by you, for any purpose whatsoever, and in any medium, including our print media, if any. You grant the Site (and our affiliates) the irrevocable right to use and/or edit your ads and messages, without review or approval by you, for any purpose whatsoever, including, without limitation, reproduction, disclosure, transmission, publication, broadcast, posting, and advertising in any media in perpetuity without notice or compensation to you.

Fair Housing:

All real estate advertising is subject to Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Fair Housing Act), as amended. Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Fair Housing Act), as amended, prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of dwellings, and in other housing-related transactions, based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status (including children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women, and people securing custody of children under the age of 18), and handicap (disability). The Site will not knowingly accept any real estate advertising which is in violation of any applicable law. Users are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised on the Site are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain of discrimination call HUD toll-free at 1-800-669-9777. The toll-free number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275.

You acknowledge and agree that you will not submit or post any ad which discriminates based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, familial status and /or handicap/disability. If you see any ad or posting which discriminates based on any of the above factors, you are encouraged, in addition to contacting HUD, to report such ad or posting by clicking on the “Report this Ad” link located on the ad page. You understand that we shall have the right, but not the obligation, to remove, edit or delete any ad.

Termination of Access:

The Site has the right terminate your access for any reason if we believe you have violated these Terms in any manner. You agree not to hold the Site liable for such termination, and further agree not to attempt to use the Site after termination.

No Third Party Beneficiaries:

You agree that, except as otherwise provided in this Terms of Use, there shall be no third party beneficiaries to these Terms.

Copyright and Trademarks:

All materials on the Site, including without limitation, logos, images, text, illustrations, audio and video files are protected by copyrights, trademarks, service marks, or other proprietary rights which are either owned by or licensed to the Site or owned by other parties who have posted on the Site. Materials from the Site and from any other web site owned, operated, controlled, or licensed by the Site may not be copied, reproduced, republished, uploaded, posted, transmitted, or distributed in any way.

In posting content on the Site, you grant the Site, and its owners and licensees, the right to use, reproduce, distribute, translate, modify, adapt, publicly perform, publicly display, archive and create derivative works from the posted content.

Notification of Infringement

If you believe that your work has been copied in a way that constitutes copyright infringement, or your intellectual property rights have been otherwise violated, please provide the following information to the Site’s Copyright Agent:

An electronic or physical signature of the person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the copyright or other intellectual property interest;
A description of the copyrighted work or other intellectual property that you claim has been infringed;
A description of where the material that you claim is infringing is located on the Site;
Your name, address, telephone number and e-mail address;
A signed statement by you that you have a good faith belief that the disputed use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law; and
A statement by you, made under penalty of perjury, that the information provided in your Notice is accurate and that you are the copyright or intellectual property owner or authorized to act on the copyright or intellectual property owner’s behalf.

Our copyright agent can be reached as follows:

Email: abuse@bitgazetteer.com (Please put Copyright Infringement in the subject line)

The Site may, under appropriate circumstances and at our own discretion, disable and/or terminate the accounts of users who may be repeat infringers.

Privacy Policy:

The Site has created a Privacy Policy setting forth how information collected about you is collected, used and stored. Your use of the Site constitutes acknowledgment and agreement with our privacy policy. You further acknowledge and agree that The Site may use your personal information in the manner described in our Privacy Policy .

Posting of Ads:

You understand that each time you post an ad on this Site or otherwise use the Site, you agree to these Terms. By agreeing to these Terms, you acknowledge that the Site may send you e-mail messages telling you about products and services offered by the Site (or its affiliates and partners) You understand and agree that such communications are part and parcel of your registration for and use of the Site; if you do not wish to receive further communications from the Site (or its affiliates and partners), you must cancel your registration by sending a cancellation notice to support@bitgazetteer.com.

Fees:

The Site may impose a fee on the posting of Content in certain areas of the Site. Users uploading Content to fee-based areas are responsible for such Content and for compliance with these Terms. Under no circumstances will the Site provide a refund in the event that Content is removed from fee-based areas for violation of these Terms.

Links:

The Site has no control over and is not responsible for the content of or claims made on websites that may be linked to or from the Site, whether or not they may be affiliated with the Site. Any websites linked to or from the Site are for your convenience only, and you access them at your own risk.

Release:

The Site assumes no responsibility for the accuracy, currency, completeness or usefulness of information, views, opinions or advice in any material contained on the Site. In addition, it does not endorse any opinions or recommendations posted by others. Any information posted on the Site is the responsibility of the person or persons posting the message. Any user who violates the Terms may be permanently banned from posting ads or using the Site. You understand that all postings, ads, messages, advertisements, photos, sounds, images, text, files, video or other materials (collectively "Content") posted on, transmitted through, or linked from the Site, are solely the responsibility of the person from whom such Content originated. You understand that the Site does not control, and is not responsible for Content available on the Site. You agree that the Site does not pre-screen, monitor or approve any Content, but that the Site shall have the right, but not the obligation to remove, move (including moving an ad or posting to another section or category within the classifieds), refuse, edit or delete any Content for any reason whatsoever. The Site shall not be responsible for any interaction between you and the other users of the Site. Your dealings with others through the Site are solely between you and such other parties. Under no circumstances will the Site be liable for any goods, services, resources or content available through such third party dealings or communications, or for any harm related thereto. The Site is under no obligation to become involved in any disputes between you and other users of the Site or between you and any other third parties.

You agree that our service is a venue for posters and users of the Site. In the event that you have a dispute with any user of the Site, you agree that the Site is under no obligation to become involved. You further agree to release the Site from any and all claims, demands, and damages arising out of or in connection with such dispute.

You are entirely responsible and liable for any ad content you post or any ad that is posted through your Account.

The Site does not offer any refunds for the early cancellation of paid sponsor ads or paid print ads. We do not issue credits or refunds due to our extremely low rates and minimal administrative staff.

You acknowledge, consent and agree that the Site may access, preserve and disclose your account information and Content you upload, post, or otherwise make available on the Site if required to do so by law or in a good faith belief that such access, preservation or disclosure is reasonably necessary to: (i) comply with legal process; (ii) comply with legal requirements imposed by Federal, State or Local law or authorities (iii) enforce these Terms; (iv) respond to claims that any Content violates the rights of third parties; (v) respond to your requests for customer service; or (vi) protect the rights, property or personal safety of the Site, its users and the public.

Disclaimer of Warranties for Site:

YOU EXPRESSLY AGREE THAT USE OF THE SITE IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. THE SITE SHALL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY CONTENT FOUND ON THESE CLASSIFIEDS. THE SITE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. THE SITE MAKES NO WARRANTY THAT ITS CLASSIFIEDS OR USE OF THE SITE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, TIMELY, SECURE, WITHOUT DEFECT OR ERROR FREE. THE SITE IS PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS.

YOU ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE THAT ANY MATERIAL, AND/OR DATA DOWNLOADED OR OTHERWISE OBTAINED THROUGH THE USE OF THIS WEB SITE IS DONE AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION AND RISK AND THAT YOU WILL BE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGES TO YOUR COMPUTER SYSTEM OR LOSS OF DATA THAT RESULTS FROM THE DOWNLOAD OF SUCH MATERIAL AND/OR DATA.

SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN WARRANTIES, SO SOME OF THE ABOVE EXCLUSIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

Limitation of Liability:

The information, services and products available to you on this Site may contain errors and are subject to periods of interruption. While the Site does its best to maintain the information, services and products it offers on the Site, it cannot be held responsible for any errors, defects, lost profits or other consequential damages arising from the use of the Site.

IN NO EVENT SHALL THE SITE OR ITS AFFILIATES, OWNERS, AGENTS, DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, REPRESENTATIVES, SPONSORS, SUPPLIERS, OR PARTNERS (COLLECTIVELY "INDEMNIFIED PARTIES") BE LIABLE TO YOU OR ANY THIRD PARTY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY DAMAGES, OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER, ARISING FROM OR IN ANY WAY CONNECTED OR RELATING TO (i) THE USE OF (OR INABILITY TO USE), OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SITE, (ii) ANY INFORMATION, SERVICES OR PRODUCTS PROVIDED THROUGH THIS SITE, OR (iii) ANY INTERACTION BETWEEN YOU AND OTHER PARTICIPANTS OF THE SITE, EVEN IF ANY OF THE INDEMNIFIED PARTIES HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. YOU ACCEPT ALL RESPONSIBILITY FOR, AND HEREBY AGREE TO INDEMNIFY AND HOLD HARMLESS THE INDEMNIFIED PARTIES FROM AND AGAINST, ANY ACTIONS TAKEN BY YOU OR BY ANY PERSON AUTHORIZED TO USE YOUR ACCOUNT, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, DISCLOSURE OF PASSWORDS TO THIRD PARTIES. BY USING THE SITE, YOU AGREE TO DEFEND, INDEMNIFY AND HOLD HARMLESS THE INDEMNIFIED PARTIES FROM ANY AND ALL LIABILITY REGARDING YOUR USE OF THE SITE OR PARTICIPATION IN ANY SITE'S ACTIVITIES.

IF YOU ARE DISSATISFIED WITH THE SITE, OR ANY PORTION THEREOF, OR DO NOT AGREE WITH THESE TERMS, YOUR ONLY RECOURSE AND EXCLUSIVE REMEDY SHALL BE TO STOP USING THE SITE.

If you are a California resident, you waive any rights you may have under California Civil Code § 1542, which states: “A general release does not extend to claims which the creditor does not know or suspect to exist in his favor at the time of executing the release, which if known by him must have materially affected his settlement with the debtor.”

Indemnity:

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Indemnified Parties from any claim or demand, including reasonable attorneys' fees, made by any third party due to or arising out of your use of the Site, the violation of these Terms by you, or the infringement by you, or other users of the Site using your computer, of any intellectual property or other right of any person or entity. The Site reserves the right, at its own expense, to assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter otherwise subject to indemnification by you.

Jurisdiction and Choice of Law:

These Terms shall be governed by, construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Arizona without regard to its choice of law provisions. Any action you or any third party may bring to enforce these Terms, or in connection with any matters related to the Site, shall be brought only in either the state or Federal courts located in Arizona, and you expressly consent to the jurisdiction of said courts. You also agree that regardless of any statute or law to the contrary, any claim or cause of action arising out of or related to use of the Site or the Terms must be filed within one (1) year after such claim or cause of action arose or be forever barred.

General:

These Terms constitute the entire agreement between you and the Site and govern your use of the Site, superseding any prior agreements between you and the Site. You also may be subject to additional terms and conditions that may apply when you use affiliate services, third-party content or third-party software, or visit another site linked to by this Site. The section titles in these Terms are for convenience only and have no legal or contractual effect.

Violations:

Please report any violations of these Terms to: abuse@bitgazetteer.com

Severance and Waiver:

You acknowledge and agree that if any provision of these Terms shall be unlawful, void, or for any reason unenforceable, then that provision shall be deemed severable from these Terms and shall not affect the validity and enforceability of any remaining provisions. Furthermore, if any provision of these Terms is found by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, the parties nevertheless agree that the court should endeavor to give effect to the parties' intentions as reflected in the provision.

The Site's failure to exercise or enforce any right or provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision unless acknowledged and agreed to by the Site.

Privacy

Privacy Policy

bitgazetteer.com and its affiliates (collectively, the “Site”) respect your privacy. Here is our Privacy Policy for this Site:

Acceptance of Privacy Policy

Each time you access, use, post, submit a post or reply, or browse the Site, you signify your acceptance of the then-current Privacy Policy. If you do not accept this Privacy Policy, you are not authorized to use the Site and must discontinue use of the Site immediately.

Collection and Use of Personal Information

We collect personal information about you whenever you engage in commerce transactions on the Site, use the Site’s products or services, request information or materials, create or update account information, place orders or make purchases, communicate with us, or visit the Site. The personal information we collect and store about you may include without limitation your first and last name, email address, credit or debit card number,billing and shipping information, order history, and other non-public information about you.

We may use the information we collect to:

Provide superior services;
Keep you apprised of information and developments that you may find of interest;
Alert you to new features, terms, content, products or services;
Contact you regarding your posts, replies, and/or account information;
Process and respond to your inquires;
Improve the Site;
Administer, monitor and control use of the Site, including posts, replies, and account information; and
Enforce the Terms of Use (collectively, the “Activities”).

You authorize the Site to transmit email to you to respond to your communications and administer Activities.

Disclosure of Personal Information to Third Parties

We may disclose your personal information to agents and operators under confidentiality or similar agreements, including shippers, vendors, payment processors, and advertisers, who we believe reasonably need to come into contact with that information: (i) to provide products or services to you; (ii) to administer our business or the Site, including fulfilling and shipping orders; (iii) to provide customer service; (iv) to update account information; (v) to forward updates, announcements, and newsletters; (vi) to respond to your communications, and communicate with you about the Site and other activities related to the Site; (vii) in the event of any reorganization, merger, sale, joint venture, assignment, transfer or disposition of all or any portion of the Site’s business or operations (including without limitation in connection with bankruptcy or any similar proceedings); or (viii) as otherwise authorized by you.

Disclosure in Special Circumstances

We may disclose also your name, email address, or other information about you, including personal information, if (i) required to do so by law, court order or subpoena, or as requested by other government, law enforcement, or investigative authority, (ii) we in good faith believe that such disclosure is necessary or advisable, including without limitation to protect the rights or properties of the Site, (iii) we have reason to believe that disclosing your personal information is necessary to identify, contact or bring legal action against someone who may be causing interference with our rights or properties, or has breached an agreement, or if anyone else could be harmed by such activities or interference, (iv) if we determine an ad posted violates our Terms of Use or the rights of a third party, or (v) there is an emergency involving personal danger. We may also provide information about you if we believe it is necessary to share information in order to investigate, prevent or take action regarding illegal activities, suspected fraud, situations involving potential threats to the physical safety of any person, or as otherwise required or permitted by law.

Please note that if you post any of your personal information on the Site, such information may be collected and used by others over whom the Site has no control. The Site is not responsible for the use by third parties of information you post or otherwise make public.

Collection of Non-Personal Information Using Cookies

We automatically receive and record non-personal information on our server logs from your browser as well as through other analysis of the Sites. Non-personal information includes without limitation your Internet Protocol (“IP”) address, cookie information (as described below), the pages you request, type of computer operating system you use (e.g., Microsoft Windows or Mac OS), the type of browser you use (e.g., Firefox, Chrome, Internet Explorer), the domain name of the Internet service provider, your activities while visiting the Site, and the content you accessed.

“Cookies” are small text files that allow Web sites to store and retrieve information about you from your computer system. The Site does serve cookies to track individual site usage for later aggregation. But we do not use cookies in order to retrieve any information from your computer other than information originally sent in a Site cookie, such as a user code. We have no control over whether and how our advertisers use cookies that originate from their website.

Communication from the Site/Opt-Out

From time to time, we may send you information with announcements and updates about the Site and your account. You may elect to opt-out of ongoing e-mail communication from us, such as newsletters, subscriptions, account information, promotional materials, contest results, survey inquiries, etc. by using a simple “opt out” procedure. You need only reply to the communication with the word “unsubscribe” (without the quotation marks) in the body of your e-mail response and your name will be removed from that mailing list. However, if you opt-out of receiving our announcements and updates about your account, you may no longer have access to areas restricted to account members.

Correction/Update of Personal Information

If your personal information changes, you may review/correct/update your personal information previously provided at any time by sending us an email at support@bitgazetteer.com. You may also have your personal profile data deleted from our database by sending us an email to support@bitgazetteer.com. However, if you have your personal profile data deleted from our database, you may forfeit entrance rights to areas restricted to account members and certain benefits for account members.

Notice of Privacy Rights of California Residents

If you are a California resident and have provided personal information to the Site, you are entitled by law to request certain information regarding any disclosure by the Site to third parties of personal information for their direct marketing purposes. To make such a request, send an email to support@bitgazetteer.com, specifying that you seek your “California Customer Choice Privacy Notice.” Please allow thirty (30) days for a response. The Site is required to respond to only one request per customer each year, and is not required to respond to requests made by means other than through the above email address.

We will not share your personal information with third parties for their direct marketing purposes if you request that we do not do so. You may make such a request by sending us an email at support@bitgazetteer.com

When contacting us, please indicate your name, address, email address, and what personal information you do not want us to share with third parties for their direct marketing purposes. Please note that there is no charge for controlling the sharing of your personal information or for processing this request.

Children

The Site is not intended for children under the age of 13 nor does the Site knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. The Site does not orient this Site toward children or target them as an audience, nor does it screen them from using the Site. Some of the material on this Site is for mature audiences, and parents and guardians should take responsibility for monitoring their children’s use. The Site does not collect or distribute information indicating whether a user is a child.

Links to Other sites

This Site provides links and pointers to Web sites maintained by other organizations. The Site provides these links as a convenience to users, but it does not operate, control or endorse such sites. The Site also disclaims any responsibility for the information on those sites and any products or services offered there, and cannot vouch for the privacy policies of such sites. The Site does not make any warranties or representations that any linked sites (or even this Site) will function without error or interruption, that defects will be corrected, or that the sites and their servers are free of viruses and other problems that can harm your computer.

E-Commerce and Our Secure Server

We understand that storing data in a secure manner is important. We store personal information using industry standard, reasonable and technically feasible, physical, technical and administrative safeguards against foreseeable risks, such as unauthorized access. All commerce transactions that take place on the Site are processed through our secure server in order to make every reasonable effort to insure that your personal information is protected.

Please be aware that the Site and data storage are run on software, hardware and networks, any component of which may, from time to time, require maintenance or experience problems or breaches of security beyond the Site’s control. We cannot guarantee the security of the information on and sent from the Site.

On our Site, you may have the opportunity to follow a link to other sites that may be of interest to you. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites or the content provided thereon. We disclaim any responsibility for transactions conducted on those sites and cannot vouch for the security of the information submitted in those transactions.

Policy Changes and Acceptance

The Privacy Policy may be revised from time to time as we add new features and services, as laws change, and as industry privacy and security best practices evolve. We display an effective date on the upper left corner of the Privacy Policy so that it will be easier for you to know when there has been a change. Accordingly, you should check the Privacy Policy on a regular basis for the most current privacy practices. Each time you access, use or browse the Site, you signify your acceptance of the then-current changes to the Privacy Policy applying to your personal information collected by us on and from the effective date of such changes.

Any changes in the Privacy Policy will take effect upon posting and apply only to information collected from you on and after Last Revised date, unless we provide notice or have other communications with you.

More Questions?

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, e-mail them to abuse@bitgazetteer.com, and be sure to indicate the specific site you’re visiting and the nature of your question or concern.

Safety

We are committed to creating a user-friendly environment, where our users can post and reply to ads and other messages freely and without concern. What follows are a number of tips and techniques you should keep in mind to protect yourself and your privacy online, whether you are using our site or some other site on the Internet. (Some of these suggestions "repeat" because they apply in multiple situations.) This list is not exhaustive and you should not use it as a substitute for your own common sense. As always, the best protection is to use good judgment and trust your instincts.

Responding to an Ad

Online ads help us find all kinds of different goods and services easily and quickly. It is important to remember that whether you are responding to a rental ad, a job posting, personal or "for sale" ad, you have never met the person behind the ad before. Use caution.

Do not wire money, or send a check, for an apartment you have not seen to a person you have never met.
Do not give out personal information about yourself, such as your social security number, without verifying that a job posting is legitimate.
Meet people in a public place.
Do not go check out furniture in someone's house alone. Bring a friend.

Placing an Ad

Online advertising allows us to quickly and effectively reach as many people as possible that are interested in what we are selling or offering. It is important to remember that you may not know the people responding to your ad, so be careful.

Do not include personal information in an ad, such as your full name or address, and do not post images or content that are prohibited by our Terms of Use or Privacy Policy, like nudity or messages relating to illegal activities.
Talk to people on the phone before giving them information, like your address, and trust your instincts.
If someone is coming to check out the sofa you advertised, make sure you are not alone when they arrive.
If you are selling something portable but expensive, such as a DVD player or a digital camera, consider showing it to people in a coffee shop instead of your home.
If you are selling a car, make sure you are meeting the person somewhere public for a test drive, bring a friend, and be careful driving home.
Meet people in a public place.

Safety Tips

Be careful when purchasing gift cards through auction sites or classified ads; they may be empty or fraudulent.
Be careful when bidding on auctions for products; they may be stolen.
Be careful when replying to mystery or secret shopper jobs; you may end up owing all the money to the bank you thought you were getting paid.
Be cautious when it comes to work-from-home opportunities, especially ones that do not require experience or time.
Do not give money to an individual claiming to be the victim of a disaster if you do not know them.
Do not give money to an organization if you have not heard of it.
Do not wire money, or send a check, for an apartment you have not seen to a person you have never met.
Do not give out personal information about yourself, such as your social security number, without verifying that a job posting is legitimate.
Meet people in a public place.

Scams and Fraud

No matter where we are or what we are doing, a handful of people can make it difficult for everyone. This is true in the online advertising area as well. Use the same common sense you would use in the real world when reading an ad. If it is too good to be true, it is a scam. Please read about these common scam types to educate yourself.

Resources:

Work From Home Scam

How it Works

Someone places a job ad online looking for a rebate or payment processor.
You respond and get the job.
You are asked to provide your bank account info to your new employer to facilitate direct deposits; might sound like a good idea, but it could be dangerous.
Funds are put into this account and you are told to wire the money to a third account. This account is often international, but not always.
You get to deduct a percent of the wired amount as your commission or payment.
You are actually laundering stolen funds through your own account.
Whether you know you are laundering money or not, you can still be prosecuted.
The people you gave your bank account info to can also take money from you or steal your identity.

Tips

Be cautious when it comes to work-from-home opportunities, especially ones that do not require experience or time.
Be cautious of opportunities that require you to pay for materials or supplies.
Figure out if the company is legitimate through the Better Business Bureau (for US-based companies) or WHOIS/Domain Tools (for international companies). Also look at the FTC's recommendations: Email Scams - OnGuard Online.
Never give your bank account details to anyone unless you know and trust them.
If you think you may be a victim of one of these scams, contact your financial institution immediately. --Report any suspicious work-from-home offers or activities to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)

(Above information about "work from home" scams is compiled from IC3 PDF.)

Mystery/Secret Shopper Scam

You see a job posting for a mystery shopper.
You are asked to send a resume and told you will undergo a background check.
You are sent a check that will cover purchases and money wire transactions, with the remaining balance as your payment.
You are given instructions to shop at a specified retailer for a specific length of time and spend a specific amount on merchandise from the store.
You are told to take note of the store's environment, color, payment procedures, gift items, and shopping/carrier bags and report back to the employer.
You are then told you will be checking the ease and accuracy of wiring money from the retail location.
After the merchandise is purchased and money is wired, the bank tells you that the check cashed was counterfeit, and you are responsible for the money lost in addition to bank fees incurred.
Occasionally, you will be asked to submit your bank account information so that money can be deposited into your account. The fraudster will then have access to your accounts and be able to withdraw your money.

Rental and Real Estate Scam

If you are posting the rental ad:

Someone will respond to your ad with an interest in renting or buying the property.
They will send you a check that is in excess of the amount you indicated, and request you send them the difference.
They will send you a check that is the exact amount, but back out at the last minute.
You will think all of the above checks are legitimate and potentially begin using the funds.
The check(s) will turn out to be counterfeit and the bank will hold you responsible for all losses.

If you are reading the rental ad:

A scammer will duplicate postings from legitimate real-estate websites and place them on classified advertisement websites.
The scammer will often use the real-estate agent's real name to create a fake email address.
When you respond to the ad, the scammer will reply, claiming to be the owner. S/he will say he is out of the country (often on mission work) so you cannot see the property. They will ask you to mail the check (often to a foreign address). They may also ask you to wire money.
Your check will be cashed or money received, and you will not be able to recover your losses.

Gift Card Fraud

Be careful when purchasing gift cards through auction sites or classified ads. It is safer to purchase gift cards directly from the merchant or retail store. The seller may claim the card holds a certain value, but they may be lying. If you are purchasing a gift card, make sure you meet the seller at the store and have the gift card run through for verification. Additionally, if the gift card merchant discovers that your card is fraudulent, the merchant will deactivate the gift card and refuse to honor it for purchases. Victims of this scam lose the money paid for the gift card purchase.

Auction Sales Fraud

Be careful when bidding on auctions for products. Fraudsters will post ads for items they do not have. They will charge your credit card (or debit your account) for the item and then use a stolen credit card to buy the actual item and have it shipped to you. They keep your money and you may be liable for receiving stolen products. Buy directly from the product merchant or make sure you research who you are buying products from.

Disaster Scams

Some fraudsters will prey on your desire to help others. Make sure you are only donating to organizations you have heard of, and make sure you are donating directly on their official website. Do not give money to an individual claiming to be the victim of a disaster if you do not know them.

Human Trafficking

Over the past 15 years, "trafficking in persons" and "human trafficking" have been used as umbrella terms for activities involved when someone obtains or holds a person in compelled service.

The United States government considers trafficking in persons to include all of the criminal conduct involved in forced labor and sex trafficking, essentially the conduct involved in reducing or holding someone in compelled service. Under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act as amended (TVPA) and consistent with the United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (Palermo Protocol), individuals may be trafficking victims regardless of whether they once consented, participated in a crime as a direct result of being trafficked, were transported into the exploitative situation, or were simply born into a state of servitude. Despite a term that seems to connote movement, at the heart of the phenomenon of trafficking in persons are the many forms of enslavement, not the activities involved in international transportation.

For more information on Human Trafficking, please visit Office To Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons.

To report a potential victim of Human Trafficking, or if you are a victim yourself or you know someone whom you suspect may be, please call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) hotline at 1-888-3737-888, or visit: Report a Tip | Polaris Project | Combating Human Trafficking and Modern-day Slavery.

Child Exploitation

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children helps not only locate missing kids, but also helps children that are victims of sexual exploitation of any kind.

If you have seen a missing child, or a child that is being victimized, please take action and make a report to the CyberTipline: National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

For more information on the National Center, please visit: National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Resources