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What is BondRewardsŪ ?
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BondRewardsŪ was formed to put money in your pocket by providing a simple and unique way to increase savings. While other programs reward you with discounts, coupons or gift cards, BondRewardsŪ strives to be different. Our vision is to help our members save for the future while shopping for the things you want and need.
In 2000, we formed BondRewardsŪ to help families of all income levels increase their savings and reach their Personal Savings goals. We chose U.S. Savings Bonds as our signature reward to honor America and her tradition of savings and self-determination. And just as your savings goals change over time, so has our program. Starting in 2008, we added a new way for you to save for the future ? cash rewards.
Through BondRewardsŪ , you earn while you shop. Our shopping partners contribute a percentage of all your purchases into your BondRewardsŪ account that you can redeem for U.S.Savings Bonds or cash.
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How do I become a member of BondRewardsŪ?
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To join BondRewardsŪ simply fill out our short online membership enrollment application, which is located at www.BondRewards.com. Once you are enrolled, start earning BondRewards™ immediately when you shop through our store links.
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Is registration with BondRewardsŪ free?
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Enrollment in BondRewardsŪ is completely free. There is never any cost to you as an Account Holder for being a part of BondRewardsŪ.
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Why U.S. Savings Bonds?
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Savings Bonds are a safe, effective and convenient way to save. They are backed by the United States Treasury and have tax advantages when used for education. Currently US Savings Bonds pay 5.8% pre-tax equivalent yield with many tax advantages, and are also free of state and local taxes. See your tax advisor for complete rules of tax exemptions and your eligibility. U.S. Savings Bonds are also a great way to invest in our country while investing in your future.
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Are you a government-sponsored program?
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No. BondRewardsŪ is a private entity. We are the only private company trying to do our part to help reduce the National Deficit with the help of BondRewardsŪ members. We do not align or endorse any political party or agenda. We are here only to help Americans save.
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What is a series EE bond?
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Series EE bonds mature to face value over time at an interest rate determined every six months, accrue interest for up to 30 years and can be worth more than the face value. The interest earned on U.S. Treasury Savings Bonds are tax deductible when used for education (consult your tax advisor regarding your income qualifications). A $50 Series EE Savings Bond can be purchased with 50 BondRewards™.
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What are BondRewards™?
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BondRewards™ are the currency used on the BondRewards™ site. By making purchases through our site, our shopping partners contribute a percentage of every transaction to your BondRewards™ account that you can redeem for U.S. Savings Bonds or cash deposited directly to your checking account.
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How do I get BondRewards™?
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Easy. When you are ready to make a purchase log on to www.BondRewards.com and link over to one of our many stores to complete your purchase. The percent located next to the store link is the amount credited to you in BondRewards™. For instance, if you see 10% next to the store's name, link over to that store and spend $100, you'll earn 10% of your purchase amount, or 10 BondRewards™. Every time you reach BondRewards™, you can redeem them for a $50 U.S. Savings Bond or $25 in cash. You also earn by reading emails, answering surveys and accepting personalized offers created just for you.
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Can I get BondRewards™ and use the BondRewardsŪ site even if I live outside the United States?
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Owners of U.S. Savings bonds must be U.S. citizens, non-citizen residents of the U.S., residents of Canada or Mexico working in the U.S., or non-citizen employees of U.S. Organizations abroad. To receive cash rewards, you must have a checking account drawn from a U.S. bank.
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Can I start saving as soon I've registered with BondRewardsŪ?
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Absolutely. As soon as you register you begin saving.
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What stores are affiliated with BondRewardsŪ?
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BondRewardsŪ hosts a catalog of over 5 Million consumer products and services from 500 Top-Rated Stores, many of the brands you know and trust, and from whom you are already buying. Click here to see our full list of stores.
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Why are some stores there and then they disappear?
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We are always adding more shopping opportunities and negotiating with existing stores for better discounts so that you can accumulate more BondRewards™. Occasionally stores will stop participating in affiliate programs, and when this happens we are usually able to quickly replace the store with another suitable choice.
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How do I know I have linked through properly and will get credit for my purchase?
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When you click on one of our partner's links, you should see a BondRewardsŪ bar at the top of your screen along with your name and a BondTicker™. If your name is correct, you will get credit. If it isn't, simply log in with your username and password and link back to the merchant. In a few cases, merchants don't support the BondTicker™. - in which case you will not see the bar at the top, but you will still get credit. After you are done shopping, click on the BondTicker™. to get back to the BondRewardsŪ site, or just go to www.BondRewards.com
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Do all purchases qualify for BondRewardsŪ?
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Nearly every item or service you purchase through BondRewardsŪ qualifies for rewards. When determining the amount of your reward, taxes, shipping and handling, or any portion of a purchase that is paid for with coupons, gift certificates or a store credit is excluded. The purchase of products and services which are completed by phone do not qualify for rewards. In some cases, merchant specific exclusions apply as well (the majority of which can be viewed by reading each store's expanded listing under the Shopping tab).
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Do purchases made with gift certificates or gift cards qualify for rewards?
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No. BondRewardsŪ can't give rewards for the portion of a purchase that is made with gift cards or certificates.
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Do purchases of gift certificates or gift cards qualify for rewards?
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In general, no. With the exception of certain stores (see each stores individual listing under the Shopping tab), most merchants exclude gift certificates and gift cards from their list of products eligible for rewards.
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Can I use special offers and coupons and still get BondRewardsŪ ?
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When using coupons and special offers at any of our stores, we can only guarantee your rewards with the use of coupons or codes that are listed on the BondRewardsŪ site or which were received in our promotional mailings. In cases where you have a code or coupon not issued by BondRewardsŪ , you have the option of either using the code and receiving your discount, or not using the code and receiving credit to your BondRewardsŪ account.
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What if I want to return or cancel an order?
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Returns are subject to the return policy of the merchant from whom you made your purchase. If you return or cancel an item, we will reverse any rewards received from that sale.
Returns (or exchanges) can render an entire order ineligible for rewards (not just the portion of the order which was returned). When you make a return or exchange, the merchant cancels your original order and initiates a new one. When this happens, BondRewardsŪ also loses the commission for the sale and the order is deemed to have been placed directly at the merchant?s site. Since the merchant does not pay us the commission, we are unable to offer rewards for the purchase.
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How can I avoid losing my rewards if I need to make a return or exchange?
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If you need to make a return and want to keep your rewards for the remainder of your purchase, your return will need to be final (not an exchange). Ask the merchant to refund your bank or credit card and then place the order through BondRewardsŪ again, in order to receive the remaining reward.
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Can I earn BondRewardsŪ without spending money?
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In order to reward our members for participating in BondRewards, we offer ways for you to earn points without spending money. These bonus BondRewards are paid to you when you answer surveys or click on an offer in our promotional email messages. However, according to our program rules, these bonus rewards are not valid until you have made at least one purchase from one of our shopping partners where you earn a minimum of 5.0 BondRewards. Although there is no limit to how many bonus BondRewards you may earn through our program, you cannot request a savings bond if your account balance contains only bonus rewards.
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How does the referral program work?
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We know that once you see how easy it is to earn by shopping with BondRewards, you?ll want to share this program with all of your family and friends. Click the Tell a Friend link on the My Account page and enter the name and email address for each person you?d like to refer to BondRewards. Each referral entered will earn 0.25 BondRewards that will be deposited directly into your account. And as an added bonus, you?ll earn an additional 5 BondRewards for each of your referrals that registers for the program and makes a purchase.
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When will I receive my referral BondRewardsŪ?
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We verify each referral you submit in order to ensure that the contact information is valid. If it is, you will receive 0.25 bonus BondRewards deposited into your account within 48 hours. A referral may be invalidated for several reasons, to include the following:
(1) The referred email address is not a working address
(2) The referred email address is listed on our email opt-out list
(3) The referred email address is already a member of BondRewards
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How long does it take for a transaction to post into my account?
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Depending on the store, it takes from 2 to 45 business days after your product(s) have been shipped before we receive a report from the store. Once we do, an entry will be posted to your account within five days. Note that credit for travel arrangements is not posted until after the booking is completed, while credit for services (IE, wireless services, etc.) is not posted until the service has been activated. If it has been more than 45 days and your transaction has not posted to your BondRewardsŪ statement, please Click here.
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How do I see my account information?
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Log in and then go to "My Account" and select Statement. All your transactions should be reflected in this section - as soon as our partners report your purchase to us which may take as long 60 days.
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How do I change my account info?
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Log in to your account, click on the "My Account" tab at the top of the page, and then select "My Profile".
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Will you send my referrals any more e-mail besides the letter?
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No. We won't correspond with them any further unless they become a member. And we don't store referral e-mail contact information for any purpose other than to send the letter.
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What do I do if I forgot my password?
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If you forget your password please click here and enter the email address you used to create your account. Your current password will be sent automatically to you at that email address.
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How do I cancel my account?
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If you wish to cancel your account, you can do so by clicking here.
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How do I unsubscribe from receiving e-mails from BondRewardsŪ?
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Click here to unsubscribe from BondRewardsŪ E-mails. You can do this and remain a member. Unsubscribing from periodic statement e-mails is only possible by canceling your BondRewardsŪ account.
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I have not received my activation email or I have accidentally deleted my activation email. How do I get it again?
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Please click on this link to have the activation email resent to you.
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What are pending Rewards?
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Pending rewards are BondRewards that are awaiting completion of a 30 day period. BondRewards must vest for 30 days to allow for returns or cancelled orders to process.
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What is a "BondRewardsŪ Ticket ID"?
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The BondRewardsŪ Ticket ID verifies that you clicked an offer link on BondRewardsŪ (or used the BondRewardsŪ Shopping links) to get to one of our stores. It provides you with a number to refer to should you need to contact us with a question about a specific purchase. Ticket ID's are recorded to your account each time you visit a store from the BondRewardsŪ site regardless of whether or not you make a purchase during that visit. BondRewardsŪ Ticket ID's are recorded to your account, under the My Ticket IDs tab, for your future reference.
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Will the U.S Savings Bonds arrive in an envelope from BondRewardsŪ?
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No, the U.S. Treasury will issue your bond and send it directly to the address you provided during the redemption process. It will not be marked with any BondRewardsŪ logo.
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What should I do if my bonds get lost, damaged or stolen?
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If your bonds are ever lost, damaged or stolen, you can use the serial numbers to identify the bond when you contact the Bureau of Public Debt to have your bonds replaced.
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Can I still get a Savings Bond without my Social Security Number?
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When you buy a bond, the owner's Social Security Number is required. If you're buying a gift and don't know the person's number, you can use your own Social Security Number (you will not incur a tax liability).
Although most bonds are issued to individuals, they may also be issued in the names of corporations, associations, public and private organizations, fiduciaries, and other entities as single owners. If bonds are purchased for non-individuals, the owner's Employer Identification Number is used. No organizations of any type (except the U.S. Treasury) can be named on a savings bond as a co-owner or beneficiary.
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How long does it take once you've redeemed your BondRewards™ for a Savings Bond to be received?
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It takes approximately 4-6 weeks to complete the bond redemption process provided that your request is eligible for fulfillment, though at times it can take a bit longer. A redemption request may be placed on hold if your balance contains orders that have not yet aged past 30 days (since those purchases could still be within a merchant's return period), or you do not have sufficient transactional rewards. Transactional rewards are earned by making one or more purchases at a participating merchant. If your account balance contains only bonus BondRewards™ (rewards earned by taking our surveys or reading our emails), you will still receive an email confirming your redemption request, but the request will remain on hold until you have met the minimum 5.00 transactional rewards requirement. Requests which are placed on hold are automatically fulfilled once the hold period has expired.
If you haven't received your U.S. Savings Bond after 45 days from your redemption date, please contact us using the form provided with the following link. Click here and we will promptly research and rectify your situation. Click here and we will promptly research and rectify your situation.
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How do I redeem my BondRewards™?
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You can redeem your BondRewards™ by using the Reward area of our site. Simply select the type of redemption you want, submit your selection, and you will be redirected to an online order form that will verify your account information.
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What can I get with the BondRewards™ that I earn?
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Redeem your BondRewards™ for U.S. Savings Bonds or cash and Start Saving for Your Future Today!
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What do I do if my statement balance seems wrong?
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If you believe there are errors in your account statement, please contact Member Services
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What is direct deposit?
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Direct deposit is a convenient way to electronically deposit funds into your bank account using an automated financial system called the Automated Clearing House (ACH). With direct deposit, payments are available the same day they are deposited in your account.
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What are the requirements to redeem?
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BondRewards™?
There are two requirements you must meet in order to redeem your BondRewards™. First, you must have at least 50.00 BondRewards™ available in your account at the time of your request. Second, you must have made at least one purchase from one of our 500+ shopping partners and earned 5.00 or more BondRewards™.
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Can I request a both a direct deposit reward and a U.S. Savings Bond?
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Yes. When you visit the Rewards page, you are presented with all of the redemption options for your available balance. You can select any combination of U.S. Savings Bonds and cash deposit options for redemption as long as you have BondRewards™ available.
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Is my bank information secure?
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Entirely. Feel confident when you enter your bank information on BondRewardsŪ using our secure server since we encrypt all submitted information. We use industry-standard secure socket layer (SSL) technology and firewalls to prevent illicit access of your personal information.
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How long does it take for direct deposit funds to become available in my account?
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Once your redemption request is submitted, it normally takes 3-5 business days for the funds to become available in your bank account. If your deposit does not appear after (#) days, please contact Member Services.
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Do I have to provide my bank information each time I request a direct deposit reward?
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No. Once you have completed your first direct deposit reward request, your bank information is securely stored with BondRewardsŪ. To ensure that your account is protected, you will be asked to provide the answer to your secret question each time you submit a redemption request.
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Why is my redemption transaction pending?
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When you request a direct deposit reward, BondRewardsŪ electronically sends the deposit information to the bank. While the bank is processing the request, your transaction will appear as pending in your BondRewards™ account. It normally takes 3-5 business days for the funds to become available in your bank account.
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How often can I submit a redemption request?
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As long as you have available BondRewards™, you can submit a redemption request for U.S. Savings Bonds or cash directly deposited to your checking account.
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How will a direct deposit reward appear on my bank statement?
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A deposit from UCBNetwork will appear on your statement when your reward transaction has been processed.
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Do you monitor what I do online?
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In the course of crediting our member's accounts with BondRewardsŪ, we collect data regarding shopping patterns. Beyond generalized shopping behavior, we DO NOT monitor where you go or what you do online. Please see our Privacy Policy for additional information.
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Will you sell my information?
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No. BondRewardsŪ takes your privacy very seriously. We will not rent, sell or lease your personal information to any third party. Please visit our Privacy Policy for more information.
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What will you do with my survey/questionnaire answers?
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BondRewardsŪ believes your time is valuable. We hope to match your needs with tailored offers that are relevant and useful to you. This allows you to reach your savings goals faster and get product and service information that you will actually use.
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What type of security does BondRewards.com use?
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BondRewardsŪ uses SSL 3.0, RC4 with 128 bit encryption (High); RSA with 1024 bit exchange. This is the most secure connection available on the Internet today. In order to use our website you will need to use either Microsoft Internet Explorer version 5.01 or higher, Netscape version 7.1 or higher, and FireFox 1.06 or higher. If you need to upgrade your browser, click on the correct link for your browser below:
Internet Explorer
Netscape
Firefox
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Is my Social Security Number safe?
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Absolutely! BondRewardsŪ uses high levels of security to ensure your information is protected. We do not store your number on our web-servers once the redemption process is completed.
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Questions not covered in this FAQ
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If you have a question that was not answered here please pose your question
in the form found by clicking here.
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