Abstract: A method and system for confidential transmissions of documents over existing telephone communications lines is disclosed that generates encrypted documents suitable for reception by a facsimile machine. The encrypted document can be received by a facsimile device (60) at a distant location and decrypted by its intended recipient with the use of a unique encryptogram (38). The encrypted document can be recognized by existing optical character recognition systems and then modified to minimize the number of characters errors. The original text document is processed to create a unique character set prior to transmission and processed again at the receiving end to convert it into its original plain language format.

Abstract: A method and apparatus that allows INternet users to purchase or order goods and services through the INternet by permitting the secured transmission of sensitive financial information. Messages are encrypted and locked with a randomly generated encryption key to which only the user has access. Furthermore, a unique customer number is assigned to each user for identification purposes. Encrypted messages are intercepted in-transmission by a switch which deencrypts the message and verifies that the request originated from an authorized customer and that the data string has maintained integrity. The request is then reencrypted with the intended recipient's unique encryption key and transmitted on the INternet to the recipient. The request may include sensitive customer credit information which may be routed to a merchant, financial institution or credit authorizer in order to make purchases or place orders through the INternet.