These materials have been created by the Secure Payments Task Force and are intended to be used as resources. Views expressed herein are not necessarily those of, and should not be attributed to, any particular Secure Payments Task Force participant or organization. They are not intended to provide business or legal advice, nor are they intended to promote or advocate a specific payment strategy or product. The materials provided on this website do not necessarily reflect the position or views of the Federal Reserve Banks or the Federal Reserve Board. The Readers should consult with their own business and legal advisors.
By using this Web Site or the information, data or materials provided on this Web Site, you acknowledge and agree to the following terms and conditions. If you do not agree to these terms and conditions, do not use this Web Site. The Federal Reserve Banks reserve the right to change the terms and conditions at any time without notice. You understand and agree that your continued use of this Web Site after the date on which these terms and conditions have changed constitutes your acceptance of the new terms and conditions.
Disclaimers and Limitations
The Federal Reserve Banks may periodically update the information made available on this Web Site, but make no commitment to do so. Any conclusions that users draw from the information presented here are theirs and are not to be attributed to the Federal Reserve Banks. The views expressed on this Web Site may not necessarily reflect the views of any Federal Reserve Bank or of the Federal Reserve System.
This Web Site may provide relevant links to web sites outside of the Federal Reserve Banks (hereafter “External Web Sites”) as an additional resource for our users. External Web Sites may also link to this Web Site (External Web Sites that are linked to this Web Site or to which this Web Site links shall be referred to as “Linked Web Sites”). Linked Web Sites are not under the control of the Federal Reserve Banks. Linked Web Sites may contain material that is protected under copyright or other laws with restrictions on use. The Federal Reserve Banks make no warranty, express or implied, nor assume any liability or responsibility for any information that is available on any Linked Web Site. The Federal Reserve Banks also will not monitor External Web Sites, are under no obligation to monitor External Web Sites, and are not liable in any way for not monitoring External Web Sites. Neither inclusion of links to External Web Sites nor External Web Sites’ inclusion of links to this Web Site imply the Federal Reserve Banks’ sponsorship, endorsement, recommendation or approval of the External Web Sites, the entities or organizations managing the External Web Sites, any views expressed on the External Web Sites or any products or services offered.
This Web Site may also publish information made available from third parties. The Federal Reserve Banks make no warranty, express or implied, nor assume any liability or responsibility for any third party information. The Federal Reserve Banks do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, timeliness of third party information or endorse the views or opinions given by any third party content provider, even if such content may include input from one or more Federal Reserve Banks. The provision of third party information is for general informational purposes only, does not constitute a recommendation and is not intended to provide legal or business advice.
The Federal Reserve Banks do not warrant that any information contained on this Web Site does not defame any individual or entity or infringe upon any individual’s or entity’s rights of privacy or publicity.
THE FEDERAL RESERVE BANKS PROVIDE NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO THE ACCURACY, TIMELINESS, COMPLETENESS, MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, QUALITY AND NON-INFRINGEMENT OF ANY INFORMATION ON THIS WEB SITE. ALL INFORMATION, DATA AND MATERIALS ARE PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS” BASIS WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. THE FEDERAL RESERVE BANKS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT OR INDIRECT, SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY OTHER KIND OF DAMAGES WHATSOEVER (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, LOSS OF INFORMATION, OR ATTORNEY’S FEES) THAT ARE IN ANY WAY DUE TO, RESULTING FROM, OR ARISING IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF, OR INABILITY TO USE INFORMATION AVAILABLE FROM THIS WEB SITE, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE FEDERAL RESERVE BANKS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE, INCLUDING LIABILITY FOR ANY VIRUSES WHICH MIGHT INFECT A USER’S COMPUTER SYSTEM.
To the maximum extent permitted by law, you release and waive all claims against the Federal Reserve Banks and their officers, directors, employees and agents from any and all liability for claims, damages, costs and expenses (including litigation costs and attorney’s fees) of every kind and nature, arising from or in any way related to your use of this Web Site. You agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Federal Reserve Banks and their officers, directors, employees and agents from and against all claims, damages, costs and expenses (including litigation costs and attorney’s fees) of every kind and nature, arising from or in any way related to your use of this Web Site.
Applicable Law
This Web Site is controlled and operated by the Federal Reserve Banks from their offices in the United States of America. By entering this Web Site, you acknowledge and agree that this Web Site will only be construed and evaluated according to the laws of the United States, and in the absence of controlling federal law, with the laws of the State of Illinois. When using this Web Site you agree to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws. If you use this Web Site from locations outside of the United States, you are responsible for compliance with any and all applicable laws of that or any other applicable location.
Appropriate Use
This Web Site contains copyrighted material, trademarked material and other proprietary information, including but not limited to text, software, graphics, logos and button icons that are the property of the Federal Reserve Banks or third parties. Users may not reproduce, modify, publish, transmit, participate in the transfer or sale of, create derivative works from or in any way exploit any of the content, in whole or in part, of any copyrighted, trademarked or proprietary information owned by Federal Reserve Banks, except as expressly authorized by the Federal Reserve Banks. The Federal Reserve Banks cannot grant permission to use copyrighted material, trademarked material or other proprietary information owned by third parties.
Any unauthorized attempts to upload or change information, to defeat or circumvent security measures or to utilize this Web Site for reasons other than its intended purposes are prohibited.
The Federal Reserve Banks do not permit the use of their name in advertising, as an endorsement for any product or service, or for any other commercial purpose.
Reference to Third Parties and Third Parties’ Products and Services
The Federal Reserve Banks do not sponsor, endorse or recommend any third party or any third party products and/or services used on or by this Web Site or referenced on or by this Web Site.
Consent to Monitoring
The Federal Reserve Banks monitor this Web Site. By using this Web Site you expressly agree to such monitoring and you are advised that any evidence of criminal activity may be provided to law enforcement officials.
Accessibility
The Federal Reserve Banks are working to make every page on its public web server accessible to the widest possible audience, including people with visual disabilities using screen-reading software.
Many of the documents on our web server are in HTML and are usually accessible to screen-reading software. We also have a large number of documents in Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (PDF) and PostScript (.ps), types that reproduce the exact look of a printed page. PDF documents are displayed through Adobe’s free Acrobat Reader, but may require additional steps to become accessible to screen readers. PostScript files can be saved electronically and sent directly to a printer.
Download Adobe’s free Acrobat Reader (Off-site).
Digital Millennium Copyright Act
The Federal Reserve Banks undertake to obey all relevant copyright laws, and do not permit copyright infringing activities and infringement of intellectual property rights on this website. The Federal Reserve Banks will review all claims of copyright infringement received and remove content deemed to have been posted or distributed in violation of any such laws.
The Federal Reserve Banks will promptly terminate without notice any registered user’s access to the limited access website if that user is determined by the Federal Reserve Banks to be a “repeat infringer.” A repeat infringer is a registered user who has been notified by the Federal Reserve Banks of infringing activity violations more than twice and/or who has had their content or any other user-submitted content removed from the Federal Reserve Banks website more than twice. The Federal Reserve Banks may also at their sole discretion limit access to any limited access site and/or terminate the registrations and/or memberships in any limited access site of any users who infringe any intellectual property rights of others, whether or not there is any repeat infringement.
(a) If you are a copyright owner or an agent thereof and believe that any user content or other content infringes upon your copyrights, you may submit a notification pursuant to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (“DMCA”) by providing the Federal Reserve Banks with the following information in writing (see 17 U.S.C 512(c)(3) for further detail):
- A physical or electronic signature of the copyright owner or the person authorized to act on its behalf;
- A description of the copyrighted work claimed to have been infringed; or, if multiple copyrighted works at a single online site are covered by a single notification, a representative list of such works at that site;
- A description of the infringing material and information reasonably sufficient to permit the Federal Reserve Banks to locate the material;
- Your contact information, including your address, telephone number, and email;
- A statement by you that you have a good faith belief that use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law; and
- A statement that the information in the notification is accurate, and, under the pains and penalties of perjury, that you are authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner.
(b) If you believe that your user content that was removed (or to which access was disabled) is not infringing, or that you have the authorization from the copyright owner, the copyright owner’s agent, or pursuant to the law, to post and use the content in your user content, you may send a counter-notice containing the following information:
- Your physical or electronic signature;
- Identification of the content that has been removed or to which access has been disabled and the location at which the content appeared before it was removed or disabled;
- A statement that you have a good faith belief that the content was removed or disabled as a result of mistake or a misidentification of the content; and
- Your name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address, a statement that you consent to the jurisdiction of the federal court in Chicago, Illinois, and a statement that you will accept service of process from the person who provided notification of the alleged infringement.
If a counter-notice is received by the Federal Reserve Banks, the Federal Reserve Banks may send a copy of the counter-notice to the original complaining party informing that person that they may replace the removed content or cease disabling it in 10 business days. Unless the copyright owner files an action seeking a court order against the content provider, member or user, the removed content may be replaced, or access to it restored, in 10 to 14 business days or more after receipt of the counter-notice, at the Federal Reserve Banks sole discretion.
(c) Claims and counter-notices can be sent via e-mail to webmaster or physical mail to Webmaster – Customer Relations and Support Office, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, 230 S. LaSalle Street, Chicago, Illinois 60604. You acknowledge that if you fail to comply with all of the above requirements of this Section, your DMCA notice or counter-notice may not be valid.
Comment Submission Policy
If you submit comments or responses to information posted on this website (“User Submission(s)”), you understand and agree that such submissions are not confidential and, in the interest of transparency, may be posted to this public website, along with your name and organization and you agree to the following terms and conditions.
You are solely responsible for your own User Submissions and the consequences of having them posted or otherwise published.
In connection with User Submissions, you affirm, represent, and/or warrant that:
- You own or have the necessary licenses, rights, consents and permissions to use and authorize the Federal Reserve Banks to use all patent, trademark, trade secret, copyright, other intellectual property rights or proprietary rights in and to any and all User Submissions to enable inclusion and use of the User Submissions in any manner contemplated by the Federal Reserve Banks and these terms and conditions.
- Your User Submission is not confidential and does not and will not: (a) infringe, violate or misappropriate any third-party right, including any copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, moral right, privacy right, right of publicity or any other intellectual property or proprietary right; (b) contain slanderous, defamatory or libelous material; (c) violate any contractual restrictions or other third-party rights; (d) contain obscene, abusive, harassing, threatening, vulgar, profane or other illegal material; or (e) violate the terms and conditions contained herein; and
- Your User Submission does not contain any viruses, adware, spyware, worms or other malicious code.
You retain all of your ownership rights in your User Submissions. However, by submitting User Submissions to the website, you hereby grant the Federal Reserve Banks a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, sublicenseable and transferable license to use, reproduce, transmit, excerpt, publish, index, modify, distribute, prepare derivative works of, display and perform the User Submissions in connection with the website and the Federal Reserve Banks’ business, including without limitation for promoting and redistributing part or all of the website (and derivative works thereof) in any media formats and through any media channels without acknowledgment or compensation to you. You understand and agree that the Federal Reserve Banks may retain server copies of User Submissions that have been removed or deleted.
You agree that you will not submit material that is contrary to these terms and conditions, which may be updated from time to time, or contrary to applicable local, national and international laws and regulations.
The Federal Reserve Banks do not endorse any User Submission or any opinion, recommendation or advice expressed in User Submissions, and the Federal Reserve Banks expressly disclaims any and all liability in connection with User Submissions. The Federal Reserve Banks reserve the right to use any User Submission as they deem appropriate, and to remove or modify any User Submissions without prior notice. The Federal Reserve Banks reserve the right not to post any User Submission for any reason. The Federal Reserve Banks may terminate a user’s access for uploading material at any time, without prior notice.
The Federal Reserve Banks are not responsible for a user’s misuse or misappropriation of any content or information you post.
The following restrictions and conditions apply specifically to your use of content on this website.
- You agree to not engage in the use, copying or distribution of any of the content of this website, including any User Submissions, other than as expressly permitted in these terms and conditions.
- You understand that when using the Federal Reserve Banks’ website, you may be exposed to User Submissions from a variety of sources, some of which you may find inaccurate, offensive, indecent or objectionable. The Federal Reserve Banks are not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, usefulness, safety or appropriateness of or relating to such User Submissions.
- You are solely responsible for your interactions with other users that provide User Submissions.
The Federal Reserve Banks may refer any suspected fraudulent, abusive or illegal activity to appropriate law enforcement authorities. These remedies are in addition to any other remedies the Federal Reserve Banks may have at law or in equity.
Privacy Policy
This is the online Privacy Policy for the Federal Reserve’s FedPayments Improvement websites (which includes but is not limited to fedpaymentsimprovement.org, fasterpaymentstaskforce.org, securepaymentstaskforce.org, chicagopaymentssymposium.org, and businesspaymentscoalition.org, as well as any other Federal Reserve website linking to this online Privacy Policy), and is managed by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago on behalf of the Federal Reserve Banks. The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago (sometimes referred to as “our” “us” or “we”) respects your privacy. This Privacy Policy provides information about the Federal Reserve Banks’ collection and use of your personal information (sometimes referred to as “user” “you” or “your”) obtained via this website or other means that refer to this Privacy Policy as being applicable. You understand and agree that your continued use of this website constitutes your acceptance of any changes to this Privacy Policy.
Information on the General Reserve Bank Data Privacy can be found here (Off-site).
Monitoring
The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago monitors this website for unauthorized attempts to upload or change information, to defeat or circumvent security measures, to monitor and collect information on usage and interactions on the website, and to enhance user experience. By using this website, you consent to such monitoring and are advised that if our monitoring reveals possible evidence of criminal activity, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago may provide such evidence to appropriate law enforcement officials.
Collection and Use of Personal Information
Personal information is specific information that helps us to identify and contact you, such as your name, e-mail, telephone number, and postal address. Personal information may also be used to help us tailor our website, publications, marketing and services to you and others. We collect and use your personal information for a variety of purposes, including but not necessarily limited to the following:
- Advancing marketing and advertising initiatives, such as online behavioral or interest-based advertising.
- Conducting internal and external administrative tasks.
- Enhancing your user experience.
- Complying with legal requirements.
- Emailing you content in which you may have indicated an interest
- Communicating with you and responding to inquiries related to support, employment opportunities, or other requests.
- Sharing publications and newsletters, including announcements about newly published works or updates to existing research.
- Sending and responding to inquiries related to marketing and promotional materials, including event information and surveys.
- Registering you for a conference or other event.
- Performing analytics to improve consumer relations and operating systems.
- Sending you a token of appreciation for your participation in selected activities.
Although the examples above describe our primary purpose in collecting and using your information, in many situations we have more than one purpose.
Cookies
A “cookie” is a text file sent by a web server to your browser which may then be stored on your hard drive. This website uses cookies for limited purposes. Cookies are a common technique used to track a specific identifiable user’s activity online. For example, cookies may be used on the Federal Reserve FedPayments Improvement website to personalize a user’s experience. In addition, sometimes third-party contractors will use cookies on websites they manage and operate for us. For example, the website linked to our job opportunities page is operated by a third-party contractor that uses cookies. Since that website is not operated by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, this Privacy Policy does not apply to the collection, use or maintenance of personal information or any other information from or by that site.
This website makes limited and specific use of permanent cookies. First, we use cookies to track user traffic patterns on this website. The cookie contains an alphanumeric string to identify your computer as having visited the Federal Reserve website. When you return to the website, we will know that you have visited before and that will give us information about what you found valuable on our website.
We may make occasional use of the same kind of cookie for user research, such as to administer user surveys, so that as a visitor to the website, you will be invited to participate in the survey only once. In this example, the cookie’s presence on your computer will indicate to the website, that you are a returning user and that you have already responded to the invitation.
This cookie does not record any other information about you, nor can it be used to gather or correlate information about your activities elsewhere on the World-Wide Web.
Your participation will help us meet our goal of providing you with easy-to-use, high-quality content. You can set your browser to notify you before you receive a cookie, giving you the opportunity to decide whether to accept it or not. You can also set your browser to not accept cookies at all. If you do so, however, some areas of some websites may not operate properly.
We may use cookies on this website to collect statistical information about our users in aggregate. We use this statistical information to determine, among other things:
- Our website’s most popular pages.
- The browsers and operating systems most often used by our visitors.
- The websites and search engines that have referred visitors to our website.
- The domains from which our users visit us.
These analyses are used only for the purpose of helping us understand and better meet our audience’s needs. Such analyses do not involve personal information. Some aggregate website analysis is performed for us by Google Analytics (Off-site) and may involve the use of cookies set by Google. For Google’s Privacy Policy, see https://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/?fg=1 (Off-site).
Disclosure of Personal Information
Personal information may be shared for any reason with affiliates and agents of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, other Federal Reserve Banks, and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. We may also share personal information about you to others:
- When we have your permission.
- When we retain the services of other outside agents or third-parties that are performing services under contract with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago or other Federal Reserve Banks.
- When we are required to disclose personal information about you, or a company with which you are associated, to government officials or otherwise as required by subpoenas, court orders, legal process or other legal obligations or to establish or exercise our legal rights or defend against claims.
- When we investigate, prevent or take action against illegal activities or suspected fraud.
Social Media Applications and Third-Party Tools
We may use third-party social media websites and mobile applications (“Social Media Applications”) as well as other third-party tools (“Third-Party Tools”) to interact with customers, depository institutions, researchers and the general public. The use of the information you submit to a given Social Media Application is governed by that Social Media Application’s applicable policies, e.g. its terms of service, privacy policy and other relevant policies. We may use a Third-Party Tool to distribute e-mail communications or to identify a target audience for marketing purposes. The Third-Party Tool may collect analytics information at an individual e-mail address level, such as identifying whether an e-mail communication has been opened and what links have been clicked. This information enables us to gauge the effectiveness of certain communications and enhance marketing campaigns so that we may improve our communications.
Safeguarding Personal Information
The safeguarding of personal information is important to the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. While we use reasonable efforts to protect the security of your personal information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure, we cannot guarantee the security of your personal information. The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago is in no way responsible for the security of personal information or any other information provided by you or collected by us via this website, through e-mail, or otherwise. The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago is not responsible for safeguarding information that you provide to a third party.
When you fill out our online forms, they may be delivered to a Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago e-mail address or database. Your online communications may not be encrypted and, therefore, we cannot guarantee the security of any information sent electronically, whether submitted via an online form or an e-mail. If your communication is sensitive, or includes personal information that you do not wish to send us electronically, such as your bank account number, credit card number, or social security number, you may send it by postal mail to:
Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
Attention: Customer Relations and Support Office
230 South LaSalle
Chicago, Illinois 60604
Electronic Communications
The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago takes your privacy very seriously. It is important to know that we never send e-mail requesting customers to reply in the body of an e-mail with personal information such as password, social security number, account numbers, or mother’s maiden name.
Types of E-Mail Communications
We strive to send you e-mail communications that are informative and relevant, but also appreciate that you are in the best position to evaluate the appropriateness of our communications to you.
Generally, the types of e-mail communications the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago will send to you include, but are not limited to, transactional, relationship, and marketing e-mails.
You may also receive separate electronic communications from other Federal Reserve Bank entities. Any modifications you make to your subscription preferences for communications received from the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago or Federal Reserve Financial Services will not change or otherwise impact your subscription preferences for communications from other Federal Reserve Bank entities. Please respond as directed by the sending entity to modify your subscription.
How We Collect Information through E-mail Communications
E-mail communications sent to you by the Federal Reserve Banks may contain web beacons within the e-mail messages. The web beacons are one-pixel transparent images that collect identifiable information to determine information, such as which e-mails are opened and acted upon so we can provide more relevant content or offers in the future.
Children’s Online Information Privacy
This website is not directed toward children under the age of 13, nor does the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago knowingly collect, maintain or use personal information obtained via this website about children under the age of 13. We are committed to comply with applicable laws and requirements, such as the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. If a child whom we know to be under the age of 13 sends personal information to us online, we will only use that personal information to respond directly to the child, notify parents or seek parental consent. Minor children should always obtain parental consent before releasing information to this or any website.
Links
This website contains links to other websites. The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of such websites.
Other Considerations
If you register for an event online, we may hold onto your registration information for additional purposes, such as contacting you in the future about similar events and for marketing and administrative purposes. If you do not want us to keep your registration information, you must notify us of your request by referring to the Contact Information section below.
We may from time to time provide a discussion group, Web log “blog” or forum. Please remember that information you submit in connection with such a feature will be publicly viewable and not confidential, and you agree to abide by our
Policy Changes
We reserve the right to make changes to this Privacy Policy at any time without notice. Therefore, we recommend that you check back periodically to review this Privacy Policy so that you always know how we collect, use, and share your personal information. The effective date denotes the date that we publish this Privacy Policy.
Contact Information
Questions or comments about your personal information or this Privacy Policy for Federal Reserve Financial Services, as managed by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago on behalf of the Federal Reserve Banks, may be directed by e-mail to comment@fedpaymentsimprovement.org or by postal mail to Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, Attention: Customer Relations and Support Office, 230 South LaSalle, Chicago, Illinois 60604