Frequently Asked Questions
Portcard.net keeps the creeps away by authenticating the identity of the person behind a username on social networking services like AIM, MySpace, and Facebook. Portcard.net stores that information in the event there is a need to identify a particular registered user to law enforcement, but Portcard.net does not share personal information with any other entities.
Portcard.net follows a simple 3 step process:
The authentication process takes only a few minutes, and protects you from Internet predators while chatting on services like AIM, MySpace, and Facebook.
Portcard.net started as the idea of business students at USC to protect fellow students. Today, Portcard.net has partnered with industry leaders for identify verification, database management, and secure web hosting. Our advisors include professors from the University of California at Berkeley, the University of San Francisco, and industry leaders.
You cannot learn the identity of the person you are talking with through Portcard.net. They cannot learn your identity. You remain anonymous to those you chat with on the Internet.
Your information will be securely stored and made available to law enforcement or other governmental officials, in response to a verified request relating to a criminal investigation or alleged illegal activity in the event there is an issue, problem or need to learn your registration information to protect another person's rights, property, or safety.
Portcard.net verifies the information provided as to the registrant based on leading industry- available databases. Portcard.net works with a partner that can authenticate your identity in a matter of seconds while protecting against fraud and identity theft. The data sources include trusted entities such as government offices, police, and government-owned telecommunication companies.
As part of its authentication process, you will be asked unique questions based on the personal information that is used to authenticate you. The correct person answers quickly and easily without holding up the online transaction or line. An identity thief stumbles and will be unable to answer those questions simply by having stolen someone's wallet and information.
Once a parent is registered, that parent can then register children so that the Portcard.net database will have information as to the age range of someone under 18.
Portcard.net has partnered with industry leaders for identify verification, database management, and secure web hosting. Our advisors include professors from the University of Southern California, the University of California at Berkeley, the University of San Francisco, and industry leaders.
When you chat only with someone who has been "carded" by Portcard.net, you can be confident that his or her identity has been authenticated by Portcard.net, and that identity information is securely stored, just as when a caller's ID comes up on your phone.
No, there is no way to know every person who is a predator. Portcard.net is a personal information database that removes the total anonymity that predators are so readily exploiting today. This should dramatically reduce the risk of children under the age of 18 being taken advantage of, and it should give parents comfort in knowing that their child has the ability, and obligation, to "card" the people they are communicating with on these highly popular social networks.
For an adult, it is the information they currently provide for billing and verification. For children, it is the information they provide to schools, doctors, dentists, etc., including the child's name, birth date and social security number. We do not ask for a school or other information that could identify a child separate and apart from the parent's information.
Portcard.net verifies the information provided as to the registrant based on the latest in industry-accepted techniques for catching those perpetrating identity theft. As part of its authentication process, you will be asked unique questions based on the personal information that is used to authenticate you. The correct person answers quickly and easily without holding up the online transaction or line. An identity thief stumbles and will be unable to answer those questions simply by having stolen someone's wallet and information.
Portcard.net will not register any person whose information does not meet this review process. If an adult is not registered, they cannot register their children.
Your information is stored on our servers located in the United States. We treat data as an asset that must be protected and use lots of tools (encryption, passwords, physical security, etc.) to protect your personal information against unauthorized access and disclosure.
Registration with Portcard.net is not free. Our Fee Schedule is $9.95 to sign up for registration, which must be paid with by an approved credit card or PayPal. The registration is valid for a 12-month period and then your information must be verified again, and an additional fee is charged each 12 months that you are registered with Portcard.net. You are able to register up to 6 usernames and various social networking sites as part of your registration.
There is a discount for registering multiple family members, up to three family members. You are able to register up to 6 usernames and various social networking sites as part of your registration for each family member.
Your renewal, done on each 12-month anniversary, will cost $9.95. This will be a reoccurring cost that you can stop by canceling your membership. Otherwise, it will automatically be a reoccurring expense.
Your identity information is kept private from other Internet users. What we do provide is a confirmation that your registered username has been authenticated by Portcard.net.
Your information will be made available to law enforcement or other governmental officials, in response to a verified request relating to a criminal investigation or alleged illegal activity in the event there is an issue, problem or need to learn your registration information or to enforce our policies, respond to claims that a listing or other content violates the rights of others, or protect anyone's rights, property, or safety.
Please see our Privacy Policy for additional information.
Your password is the key to your registration account. You can see, review and change most of your personal information by logging into your account. You are able to register up to 6 usernames and various social networking sites as part of your registration. By registering with Portcard.net, you are agreeing to promptly update your personal information if it changes or is inaccurate.
Yes. Upon your request, we will close your account and remove you from the list of registered users. We retain the right to continue to maintain your registration information for at least 12 months in accordance with applicable law. We do retain personal information from closed accounts in order to comply with law, and to provide this information to law enforcement and government agencies in the even that any investigations, of the type discussed above, occur.