With the arrival of the multi-payment society, credit card has long become one of the most popular payment tools among consumers. In Hong Kong & Macau market of NU SKIN, there are numerous brand affiliates and customers using credit cards to place orders. However, do you know that such a small card brings potential risks while enabling convenient transactions? Today, let us talk about the matters you need to know about placing orders with credit card from the below story.
Watson is a full-time brand affiliate. In a recent event, Watson saw several partners who joined around the same time with him have newly become Executive Brand Partners and got recognized on the stage. He felt extremely envious and started to imagine the moment when he gets on the stage. Therefore, in order to fulfil the goal, Watson tried hard to figure out a way to get more results with less effort…
One day, Watson's downline partner Nancy asked him to go to the Nu Skin Plaza to buy products. Nancy is a housewife who just started NU SKIN business last month and heavily relied on Watson's advices in all aspects of products and business. Watson introduced many best-selling products to Nancy at Nu Skin Plaza. When paying for the bill, Nancy took out her credit card, and placed the card next to the shopping bag after she took it back from the staff. Watson, who just stood beside, could easily see the credit card number. While Nancy was sorting out the products, Watson memorized her credit card number. At last, he picked up the credit card to hand it to Nancy and saw the security code on the back of the card naturally.
After returning home, Watson couldn’t wait to place an order online for a batch of products and filled in the information of Nancy’s credit card he had just memorized to pay, so Nancy has thereby become the payer of his bill. A few days have passed, Nancy seemed to have noted nothing abnormal, as she communicated with Watson as usual. Watson thought he got a wonderful idea and proudly showed it off with his wife Mary, his joint participant in business, and claimed that he was going to change the payment card of his ARO into Nancy's credit card... However, Mary got furious when she knew it...
Mary: You are so witless! Do you know you have made a big mistake?!
Watson: What's wrong?
Mary: You have violated NU SKIN Polices & Procedures and the relevant laws at the time when you memorized Nancy’s credit card information! Visit the "Regulatory Corner" of NU SKIN's official website immediately and look up the “Policies and Procedures”. What is stipulated in Section 3.9 of Chapter 2?
Watson: … "You should not use another individual’s credit card to order Products or the Company’s Business Support Materials and Services without the individual’s prior written approval ". Wow, is there such a rule?
Mary: Of course! What you did that day was using Nancy's credit card to order products, which is undoubtedly a policy violation and an illegal act. I can’t believe you still intend to take chances by continuing the mistakes. You may be faced with imprisonment if you go on like this!
Watson: What? So serious?! I was just thinking of some ways to drive the sales. I was not aware this is a policy violation and to break the law. Also, Nancy is not yet aware of it, and she should not care about such a little loss because of her affluent family, right?
Mary: You are not only witless, but also self-righteous. Signing up as a brand affiliate means we accept that we are bound by NU SKIN Policies and Procedures. We must not only comply with the contract and relevant legal provisions, but also operate our brand affiliate account in good faith. To drive the performance results, we should look for customers actively and assist the team with honesty and sense of responsibility. Only the constant efforts and operation with integrity is the right way.
Watson: Oh... I was so ignorant. I did not know anything about such an important rule. Fortunately, you reminded me today. But what should I do now?
Mary: The most urgent thing is to apologize and compensate Nancy immediately. You should admit mistakes and seek forgiveness anyway. Although Nancy has not found it this time, once she reports the matter to the company or the police, you will be necessarily faced with rigorous penalties imposed by the company and even legal sanctions, then it will be too late!
Watson: Okay, I will go to explain to Nancy now. I have really learned a lesson this time!
The relevant sections of NU SKIN Policies and Procedures are extracted as follows:
Policies and Procedures
Chapter 2 Operating Your Business
1.3 General Ethics
You must operate your Brand Affiliate Account in an ethical, professional, and courteous manner. This means, among other things, the following:
- You must comply with the Contract and with applicable law.
- You must operate your Brand Affiliate Account honestly.
3.9 Use of another Individual’s Credit Card
You should not use another individual’s credit card to order Products or the Company’s Business Support Materials and Services without the individual’s prior written approval. You must provide a copy of written approvals to the Company upon request.
Cap. 210 Theft Ordinance
9. Theft
Any person who commits theft shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction upon indictment to imprisonment for 10 years.
18. Obtaining pecuniary advantage by deception
(1) Any person who by any deception (whether or not such deception was the sole or main inducement) dishonestly obtains for himself or another any pecuniary advantage shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction upon indictment to imprisonment for 10 years.