"Baidu" (pronounced BUY-du) is a Chinese name that represents a persistant search for the ideal...

...To many travelers, tourists, and vacationers, the name "Baidu Hotel" represents "a search for the ideal stay at the right price."

Baiduhotel.com is the best site on the web to find awesome travel deals, hotel information, rates and availability. Our site features unique bid-and-buy auctions that are part reverse auction and part "Buy it Now." It also offers search results from the world's most popular hotel reservation sources -- allowing instant comparison of hotel rates, taxes and availability information on one simple web page. 

If you're a first time visitor, please invest some time familiarizing yourself on how Baiduhotel works. On these help pages you'll find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about using Baiduhotel, as well as details that can help you learn how to bid for bargains and purchase items for less than face value.

You'll then have at your disposal the tools that can revolutionize your hotel travel planning, resulting in significant savings for you.

Quick Links

Want to change your mailing address? Forgot your password? Confirm a won auction? On the left under "Quick Links" you'll find information on how to make changes to your Baiduhotel account.

Email Baiduhotel

Can't find what you're looking for in our help pages? Contact us through Baiduhotel Customer Support by clicking on the blue button found on the right, and we'll do our very best to answer your questions. 

If you want to "bid for bargains" and buy products for less than face value on Baiduhotel, you'll first need to register as a member. Once you've successfully registered you can buy some bids, available in the BidPack of your choice. After that, all you need to do is pick an auction that features an item you'd like to have and start bidding!

If you would like more detailed information, feel free to search our other help topics to the left of this page.

Registration on Baidu Hotel is fast, FREE and easy!

1. Click on any registration link on our site
2. Fill in the registration form
3. Confirm your registration through our Verification email.

That's all there is to it!

What if I don't get my Verification email?

Although this can be caused by many things, we recommend the following:

1. If it's not been 20 minutes please wait as our system may be operating a little slower than normal. This could be the case if alot of new customers are signing up all at once.
2. Check your spam filter or junk folder in your e-mail account.

** IMPORTANT ** 

Try having us resend your Verification email -- you may get an error that says your e-mail address is not found in our system. If this happens then your e-mail address was entered incorrectly when you originally registered. You should email Baiduhotel Support right away and we'll delete the account so that you can re-register. Requests can take up to 24 hours. However, we won't delete accounts that have been activated.

The automated BidBuddy bids for you when you haven't got the time to follow a live auction. Simply choose your price range and the maximum number of bids that you want the BidBuddy to use. Once activated, it will then bid automatically for you within your price range.

How does the BidBuddy know when to bid?

If there is just one BidBuddy booked to bid in an auction, the bids will be placed automatically within your range until your BidBuddy runs out of bids. If the countdown timer goes below the final 60 seconds, each bid placed by the BidBuddy will increase the countdown timer to a maximum of 20 seconds per bid.

If there are two or more BidBuddies bidding against each other, all the consecutive BidBuddy bids are placed immediately and the price will drop. If the countdown timer reaches the final 10 seconds, the timer will then increase to a maximum of 20 seconds with each BidBuddy bid placed.

What happens when my BidBuddy overlaps with someone elses?

There are occasions when BidBuddies from different users overlap in their price ranges. If this happens, they will start bidding immediately. Any bids in the overlapping range will be placed by the BidBuddies immediately. The price will drop accordingly, based on the number of bids placed.

Overlapping BidBuddies Example - Let's say that you have a BidBuddy set up to place bids for you on an auction from $90.50 to $88. Meanwhile, someone else has a BidBuddy set up to place bids from $95 to $90.

When the price of the auction drops to $95, their BidBuddy will be activated and begins to place bids. Meanwhile, your BidBuddy is still waiting for the price to drop to $90.50.

When the price reaches $90.50, both BidBuddies will immediately place bids because their price ranges overlap. This will continue until one of the BidBuddies runs out of bids or reaches its price limit.

Why did the auction end before my BidBuddy bids were placed?

An auction can end before your maximum BidBuddy range has been reached. This is because any user can purchase a product at a price higher than the given price range. Remember, the BidBuddy can only join an auction while the auction is still going. All unused bids will be returned to your account.

What happens to bids that are not used by my BidBuddy?

Unused bids will be returned to your account. This can happen when your BidBuddy isn't able to use all of your bids within the given price range or the auction ends at a higher price than you instructed your BidBuddy to bid between. All unused bids are returned to your account as soon as the auction ends.

** IMPORTANT **

w You must book a minimum of 2 bids for the BidBuddy to be able to bid. 
w You can only book one BidBuddy at a time. As soon as the first BidBuddy is no longer active, you can book the next BidBuddy. 
w Your maximum price has to be at least $1 lower than the current price for the BidBuddy to be able to bid. 
w You can book a maximum of 50 bids on the BidBuddy. 
w A BidBuddy can be deleted at any point. All unused bids at the time the BidBuddy is deleted will be returned to your account. 
w In order to delete a BidBuddy, please click the small black cross in the "BidBuddy Overview" which you can find next to the BidBuddy.

Bids can be bought easily with a credit card, debit card, or with PayPal.

Each bid costs just $0.25, available in "Bid Packs" of 60, 120, 240, 480, 960, 1920, and 3840. Just pick the size of Bid Pack you want and decide how you want to pay.

At Baiduhotel, our goal is to keep it simple for you. Using our secure checkout, you can conveniently pay for your bids using any of the following methods: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover. Your payment information is secured via SSL because we take great caution to make sure your data is secure.

Should you have any issues with payments or any questions at all, please contact Baiduhotel Support and we'll be more than happy to assist you.

We've created a “My Baiduhotel” page for registered users so that you can keep track of all the auctions you’ve bid on that are still running, as well as those you’ve chosen to watch.

Simply click on "'My Baiduhotel" and select the "My Auctions" tab for all auctions that you've placed a bid on, or "Watched Auctions" for auctions that you've chosen to watch.

You can view the bids that you've placed most recently under "Bid History" on the right hand side of the auction detail page, just below the BidBuddy section. Click on the "My Bids" tab to view the last 10 bids placed.

You can also see a full bid history by going to "My Baiduhotel" and selecting the "Bid Account" tab. On the page, go down to "My Baiduhotel - Placed Bids" and click on the '+' sign on the right alongside every auction.

To view placed BidBuddy bids on a live auction - You can view placed BidBuddy bids by selecting "My Bids" on the right hand side of the auction details page, just below the BidBuddy section.

To view all active BidBuddies - You can view all active BidBuddies by selecting "BidBuddy Overview" on the right hand side of the auction details page in the BidBuddy section. 

You can also view an overview of all active BidBuddies when you go to "My Baiduhotel" and click on the "My BidBuddy" tab on the left. In this overview, all active BidBuddies are shown.

** IMPORTANT ** 

A BidBuddy is classified as active until (1) all BidBuddy bids are placed, (2) the minimum price range of a BidBuddy is met or (3) if you delete the BidBuddy.

You can always see how much you've spent in a single auction by looking at "Placed Bids" in the "Savings" section on the auction details page. This section is located just below the "Bid" button.

You can also see how much you've spent on bids by going to "My Baiduhotel" and selecting the "Bid Account" tab on the left. From there, go down to "My Baiduhotel - Placed Bids."

When bidding on an auction through the details page of the product, look under "Bid History" on the right to view the last ten bids that were placed, including the names of the members placing them. You'll also be able to see what type of bid was placed -- either a single bid or a BidBuddy bid.

Due to the fact that future auctions have not yet begun, it's impossible to place a bid on them. We'd ask you to wait until the auction goes live after the countdown has begun. These auctions are shown in the drop down menu under "All Live Auctions."

Entertainment shopping activities are becoming increasingly popular as they become recognized as a fun and exciting way of purchasing. We at Baiduhotel want you to enjoy your use of the site and we want to do everything we can to help you have a positive experience.

At Baiduhotel we too like to have fun and we also get excited about great deals. But we understand that there is risk, although very remote. Taking part in online auctions can lead to personal and social distress if, for example, excessive time being spent on the site reduces time left to be spent with family and friends.

To help, Baiduhotel offers the following helpful information to ensure that our auctions contribute to your experience in a positive way.

Please take time to observe the following guidelines:

w Decide on a monthly budget in advance as your own personal limit. Do not increase the maximum limit which you have decided for yourself later on.

w Before you start participating in an auction, decide on the number of bids you are willing to place or determine a price at which you won't lower the bid further.

w Never participate under the influence of alcohol or medication, or if you're in a depressive mood.

w Bid only when you are fully rested and have good concentration.

w Take regular breaks between bidding activities.

Baiduhotel auctions enforce purchase limits to ensure everyone has a good chance to buy items at less than face value. Currently, the maximum auction purchase limit is $200. This number is subject to change.

You can continue to make auction purchases as long as your total cost of items purchased during any 28 day period does not exceed $200. After that, the system will prevent additional items to be bought. 

** IMPORTANT **

If you are close to the maximum auction purchase limit you may want to bid carefully and on fewer auctions. Remember, please bid responsibly and we hope you enjoy your auction experience.

Baiduhotel's unique, exciting, and innovative "Bid-and-Buy" auctions are part reverse auction and part "Buy it Now." An item is put up for auction starting at its retail value price, but unlike other online auctions, the prices do not increase by a pre-determined amount. Instead, they decrease! 

Here's how it works:

First, you must first register and buy bids. The price per bid is only 25 cents. Next, you'll need to pick the item you're most interested in and start bidding. You can either manually place a single bid at a time or use our automatic BidBuddy feature.

Once a you place a bid, three (3) things will happen:

1) The price of the item goes down by 10 cents.
2) The auction timer goes up by 20 seconds during the final minute of the auction. This allows other users to place bids which drops the price further.
3) A bid is subtracted from your account.

Once the price has reached that "sweet spot," you can buy the item at the current price before someone else does. Or you can wait for the price to be bid down further, as more users join in the auction. 

The first user to click the "Buy" button wins the item and ends the auction. The item is then sold at the final auction price displayed and accepted by the winning user.

At any given time, you can always find the different auctions and view them by hovering your mouse on the "View All Categories" tab, located at the top left of the page. The different ways for you to view the auctions are the following:

Live Auctions - This is where the action is! Click on "All Live Auctions" to see all the auctions that are currently active.

Closed Auctions - If you're interested in seeing what kind of savings other members like yourself have enjoyed, click on "Ended Auctions." You'll be able to see all the different products that have been won, the prices they purchased them for, and the winners' savings on the items.

Future Auctions - If you're curious to know what auctions are coming up soon, click on "Future Auctions" to see what items have been added and when they begin. Keep in mind you cannot bid on a future auction until it goes live and the countdown clock has begun.

Auction ID - Every Baiduhotel auction has its own unique auction ID. You'll find this ID at the top left of the auction header (just above the pictures to the left) on the auction detail page. Always state this auction ID if you have a question for Baiduhotel Support regarding a particular auction.

We do our best to offer some of the most attractive and desired travel products in the market for less than face value. All the products that we put on our auctions are brand new and fully redeemable at our listed hotels.

Some of the products being sold at auction include hotel gift cards, gift certificates and travel vouchers.

We are adding more products periodically, so check back often.

You can watch a live auction if you click on "Add auction to watchlist" in the top right hand corner of an auction detail page.

The list of your watched auctions can be found by going to "My Baiduhotel" and selecting the "Watched Auctions" tab on the right. You can also place single bids directly on the page instead of returning to the auction details page.

Live Auctions are active auctions where the countdown timer has started running.

Future auctions are auctions scheduled to start at some time in the future, so they don't yet have a countdown timer that's running.

An auction ends when any one of the following occurs:

1. A user clicks the "BUY" button to win the auction and purchase the item at its final auction price.
2. The current price of the item reaches zero ($0.00) with no buyers.
3. The auction expires after 7 days of activity with no buyers, regardless of the current price.

The Current Price or Current Auction Price is the price of the item right now based on the last bid. In Baiduhotel auctions, this price will decrease with each single bid or BidBuddy bid placed.

The Retail Value Price is provided by our suppliers as the suggested retail price. It's an indication of what these items would cost if you purchased them anywhere else.

The Final Price or Final Auction End Price is the price displayed to and accepted by the winning user. This price is a bit higher than the current auction price.  

BidPoints are FREE bids that are credited to your account. They can only be used for single bids once your account runs out of puchased bids.

You can earn Bidpoints simply by bidding in the right auction at the right time! You'll earn 1 BidPoint for each auction you've lost if your placed bid(s) was lower than the final auction end price.

Example - Let's say you placed 20 bids ($5 value) during an auction, but the item was won by another user. The final auction end price was $90.00.

If some or all of your placed bids were below $90.00, your account will be credited with BidPoints. Let's say you placed 12 of your 20 bids below the $90.00 final price. You'll earn 12 BidPoints (a $3.00 value).  These BidPoints can now be used in any other auction you choose to participate in.

** IMPORTANT **

BidPoints cannot be used to place any BidBuddy bids.

At Baiduhotel, we'll always do our best to ensure that each one of our members has an equal opportunity to buy auction items. The last thing we want is a limited few to keep buying everything up.

One way to make sure of this is by limiting the number of auction purchases a user can have within a 28 day period. In addition, certain products may have their own auction purchase limits based on the auction category they belong to.

To give everyone the opportunity to buy items at less than face value, Baiduhotel members are currently limited to $500 in auction item purchases per any 28 day rolling period. However, there's no limit to the number of Baiduhotel auctions you can participate in, since auctions you've lost bids on don't count against your monthly total.

You can easily monitor your auction purchases and track your bidding status from the "Won Auctions" section of your "My Baiduhotel" page.

** IMPORTANT **

If you are close to the maximum auction purchase limit you may want to bid carefully and on fewer auctions. Remember, please bid responsibly and we hope you enjoy your auction experience.

At Baiduhotel, we value your security and privacy and continue to take the necessary measures to ensure your protection.

When processing payments as well as other functions that include your personal information, we use high-security encryption as well as extensive security features to ensure that you can conduct your transactions in a safe, secure and private online environment.

If you're thinking about purchasing the item anytime during the auction for less than face value, here's the procedure:

1) Go to the "Buy Window" in the top right corner of the auction detail page.

2) Check the box next to the disclaimer, type in the CAPTHA, and then click GO to display the "Buy it Now" price. You’ll have 30 seconds to buy the item at the "Buy it Now" price. If you don't purchase the item within those 30 seconds, you'll lose the opportunity to buy, the auction continues and the item becomes available to the next participant.

Or, if you decide you don’t want to buy the item, click "No Thanks" to make the item available to the next participant. You can always view another "Buy it Now" price later if you want to buy the item at a lower price.

3) If you do decide to buy the item at the "Buy it Now" price, click "BUY" to win the auction and you will automatically proceed to the "Won Auctions" page in your account.

Now that I've won, how do I accept and pay for my item?

1. On the "Won Auctions" page in your profile, click where it says "Click Here" in the Accept/Denied column for that item (this will bring up a small pop-up box).

2. Select either "Accepted" or "Denied" from the pop-up box.*

3. Click the "Submit" button (this will close the pop-up box and return you to the existing page as well as update the item in your "Won Auctions" listings).

4. Click the "Make Payment" button.

5. Proceed on to the checkout page and make the payment.

Using our secure checkout, you can conveniently pay for your item using any of the following methods: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, or PayPal. Simply follow the instructions to complete the transaction.

Once you’ve finalized your purchase information, the payment method will be authorized for the total amount of your purchase. If your payment method cannot be authorized because of a lack of funds or any other reason, your purchase will be canceled. Therefore, it’s important to make your purchase(s) with a valid and active credit card.

Should you have any issues with payments or any questions at all, please contact Baiduhotel Support and we'll be more than happy to assist you; just make sure you reference the auction ID.

** IMPORTANT ** 

*  You're only given one chance to "Accept" or "Deny" an item you have won. If you hit the wrong button by mistake, we won't be able to honor the item purchase, as the item will be returned to our inventory and re-listed.

In order to ensure prompt shipping so you can enjoy your item right away, you'll be expected to accept and pay for your item within 7 days of winning the auction.

Using our secure checkout, you can conveniently pay for your item using any of the following methods: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, or PayPal. Simply follow the instructions to complete the transaction.

Should you have any issues with payments or any questions at all, please contact Baiduhotel Support and we'll be more than happy to assist you; just make sure you reference the auction ID.

** IMPORTANT **

If you don't accept and purchase your item within the 7 day period, it becomes unavailable and we won't be able to honor the item purchase. The item will be returned to our inventory and re-listed.

We realize that some people are just here to have fun and don't want to purchase anything. We also realize that some people decide after the auction that they don't want what they've won. In that case, follow the steps below:

1. Log on to your account.

2. Click on the "My Baiduhotel" tab at the top of the page.

3. Click on the "Won Auctions" tab on the left below AUCTIONS.

4. Click where it says "Click Here" in the Accept/Denied column for that item (this will bring up a small pop-up box).

5. Select "Denied" from the pop-up box.*

6. Click the "Submit" button. This will close the pop-up box, return you to the existing page, and update the item as "Denied".

** IMPORTANT ** 

*  Once an item has been denied, it will not be honored or available for purchase. The item will be returned to our inventory and re-listed.

Most of our items are shipped directly from our suppliers as soon as we’ve received your payment. Although the delivery time can vary based on the products, most of them will take between 5-10 business days to arrive. Our business days are Monday-Friday, excluding United States federal holidays.

As soon as your item has been shipped, we'll notify you by email. In the rare event that you've not received your item after the normal delay, please contact Baiduhotel Support and we will immediately take care of getting your item to your doorstep.

** IMPORTANT **

We work hard to make sure that all items are shipped in a timely manner. However there are times when an item may be temporarily unavailable. In this case we will contact you when we have an estimated ship date. Our priority at Baiduhotel is your continued satisfaction.

We'll contact you with an official tracking number as soon as the order is processed and shipped. Please check your spam folder in your email account to make sure our emails don't get lost. 

If, at any point, you're having problems with locating your tracking number or would like to find out the status of your item, contact Baiduhotel Customer Support and we'll take care of tracking it for you. Make sure you include your full name, username and auction ID of the purchased item when contacting us.

Although rare, some auctions can go on for an extended period of time and during that time, our suppliers might discontinue the item in mid-auction.

Rest assured that should you be the purchaser of this auction item, you'll be notified of any changes and Baiduhotel will replace the item for one of equal or greater value. If this is not acceptable to you, please contact Baiduhotel Customer Support and we'll take care of this rare but possible scenario. Our priority at Baiduhotel is your continued satisfaction.

If you decide you no longer want the auction item within 14 days after the order was delivered, contact Baiduhotel Support and we'll be more than happy to help you. Make sure you include your username, the auction ID of the purchased item, reason for the return and anything else that may be relevant to your situation with this specific auction. Our priority at Baiduhotel is your continued satisfaction. 

If you decide that you no longer want the item within 14 days after your order was delivered, we will gladly provide you with a refund of the final auction price of the purchased item as well as the original shipping costs.

The item must be returned unused, undamaged and returned in its original packaging to be eligible for a refund. Any refund will be credited to the payment method used for your purchase. Please allow up to two billing cycles for the refund to appear on your credit card statement. 

Before returning an item for a refund, please contact Baiduhotel Support. Be sure to include your username, auction ID of the purchased item, reason for your return and anything else that may be relevant to your situation with this specific auction. Our priority at Baiduhotel is your continued satisfaction.

** IMPORTANT **

The cost of any bids placed on the auction as well as the return shipping costs are non-refundable.

1. Please log onto Baiduhotel.

2. On the left menu go down to "DETAILS."

3. Select "Change Password" and follow the instructions.

1. Click on the "Help" option.

2. Go to the "Quick Links" box on the lower left.

3. Select the link "Lost password" and follow the instructions.

We'll send you an email that will explain what to do next - just click on the link in this e-mail.

** IMPORTANT ** 

Due to security reasons, we request that you change your Baiduhotel password.

To Subscribe:

1. Click on the "Help" option.

2. Select the link "Subscribe/Unsubscribe" in the "Quick Links" box.

3. Log onto Baiduhotel. On the left menu go down to "DETAILS" and select "Newsletter."

By typing in your email address and confirming it you'll automatically be added to the Baiduhotel newsletter.

To Unsubscribe:

1. Click on the "Help" option.

2. Select the link "Subscribe/Unsubscribe" in the "Quick Links" box.

3. Log onto Baiduhotel. On the left menu go down to "DETAILS" and select "Newsletter."

By typing in your email address and confirming it you'll automatically be unsubscribed from the Baiduhotel newsletter.

1. Please log onto Baiduhotel.

2. On the left menu go down to "DETAILS."

3. Select "My Addresses" and follow the instructions.

Please note that you can only store one billing address and one delivery address on Baiduhotel. If you don't enter a separate delivery address, we'll ship the item to your billing address.

** IMPORTANT **

Some of our suppliers request shipped items to be delivered to a credit card billing address. In addition, these items also require a signature confirmation upon delivery for verification purposes. Please make sure that your billing address on file in our system is current. If you have any questions on this topic, please contact Baiduhotel Support.

1. Please log onto Baiduhotel.

2. On the upper right you'll be able to see the number of available bids you currently have in your account.

1. Please log onto Baiduhotel.

2. On the upper right you'll be able to see the total number of BidPoints you currently have in your account.

For more details on your BidPoints, go down to "ACCOUNT" on the left menu and select "BidPoint History" You'll be shown all the BidPoints you've earned from the auctions you've lost.

** IMPORTANT **

You can only earn BidPoints if your placed bids were below the final auction end price. Please note that all BidPoints credited to your account by Baiduhotel can only be redeemed after all your available bids have run out.

1. Please log onto Baiduhotel.

2. On the left menu go down to "AUCTIONS" and select "Won Auctions."

1. Please log onto Baiduhotel.

2. On the left menu go down to "AUCTIONS" and select "Won Auctions."

3. Click where it says "Click Here" in the Accept/Denied column for that auction item (this will bring up a small pop-up box).

4. Select "Accepted" from the pop-up box.*

5. Click the "Submit" button (this will close the pop-up box and return you to the existing page as well as update the item in your "Won Auctions" listings).

** IMPORTANT **

*  You're only given one chance to "Accept" an item you have won. If you hit the wrong button by mistake, we won't be able to honor the item purchase, as the item will be returned to our inventory and re-listed.

Once you have successfully registered, we'll send you your customer ID via email. If you want us to re-send you your customer ID, just click on "Help" and select the link "Lost User Data" in the "Quick Links" box and follow the instructions. We'll then send you an email with your customer ID.

If you would like to change your email address, please contact Baiduhotel Support with the following information: your user name, customer ID, and the address and phone number saved in your Baiduhotel account (just to make sure that you are you). To contact Baiduhotel Support, please use our "Contact Us" form.

When we've confirmed that the details are correct, we'll go ahead and make the change. Please note that we require that you have a unique email address not previously registered on Baiduhotel.

Earned BidPoints credited to your account by Baiduhotel currently have no expiration date. But they can only be redeemed after all your available bids have run out.

1. Please log onto Baiduhotel.

2. On the left menu go down to "DETAILS,"

3. Select "Close Account" and follow the instructions.

In order to fully enjoy using our site, all you really need is a computer with an internet connection. We have, however, compiled a short list of PC requirements that we recommend for you to make use of our site quickly and effectively, without encountering any delays or interruptions.

Supported Operating Systems:

1. Microsoft Windows Vista / Windows XP / Windows 2000
2. Mac OS X 10.3 or higher
3. Linux

Recommended Browser:

1. Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher
2. Firefox 2.0 or higher
3. Safari 2.0 or higher
4. Opera 8.0 or higher

Recommended Internet Speed:

1. 512k DSL connection or faster

** IMPORTANT **

We do not recommend you use BaiduHotel on a dial-up or mobile connection.

If you think you've found a bug, error or odd screen behavior while surfing through this website, please report it to us. Some examples are: broken links, missing graphics, error messages, malfunctioning web applications, and spelling or grammatical errors.

With your participation, we'll correct the bugs you've informed us about. But please try to include as much information and as many details as you can in your report. The only way we can fix a problem is if we are able to re-create it. So the more information you give us, the better!

Want to report a bug?

Here are some basic guidelines that will help us resolve bugs as quickly as possible. Please include the following information when creating your report:

1)  Exact URL of the page you were viewing when the problem occurred
2)  The error message you received
3)  Your browser version and Operating System you are using
4)  Your description of the problem. Be specific and provide as much detail as possible (tell us the "what, where, how, when, and why")

When finished, use our "Contact Us" page to send your bug/error report. Be sure to include your contact information so that we can get back to you.

If you do submit a report, thanks for taking the time and for helping us to make Baiduhotel.com a better site!

Online fraud includes phishing, which is a scam where the perpetrator sends out authentic-looking emails appearing to come from a legitimate company in an effort to "phish" for personal and financial information from the email recipient.

If you receive one of these emails from what appears to be from Baiduhotel, forward the email to Baiduhotel Customer Support so we can get to the bottom of it right away and inform you whether or not it's authentic.

If you receive a suspicious message that you think may be a phishing email, remember:

•  Don't provide personal or financial information to anyone in an email. We'll never ask for your banking information to pay for anything through an email. Any payments for bids or items are always made directly on our site.

•  Be suspicious of email attachments and clickable links from unknown  sources. If you don't know or recognize the sender of the email, don't open the attachment or click on the link. A link in a phishing email will take you to a fraudulent website designed to look genuine.

•  Don't be fooled by warnings about "account changes" or "security threats." The people who send phishing emails will often make claims like these to frighten you into disclosing personal information to resolve the supposed threat.

•  Don't be tricked by offers of money or BidPoints. We'll always post your earned BidPoints in your "BidPoints History" page, located under ACCOUNT on the "My Baiduhotel" page.

If you're concerned that you have received a fraudulent email, disclosed any confidential information, or if you have any concerns about security, please contact Baiduhotel Support right away.

Your password is your key to accessing your Baiduhotel account. Employees at Baiduhotel will never ask you for your password by email or any other type of communication.

Remember:

•  Choose unique passwords that you can remember so that you don't have to write them down. A combination of letters and numbers should be used for better protection.

•  Never disclose your password to anyone, especially online, not even to the police, your financial institution or your Internet Service Provider.

•  Don't use passwords that are easy for others to guess such as birthdays, family names or telephone numbers.

•  Ensure that AutoComplete or other memorized password functions on your browser are disabled.

•  Saving passwords on your computer, on the Internet or on any software is not a good idea. It allows anyone with access to that information the ability to potentially impersonate you.

•  Change your password every 90 days, to help protect the security of your information.

If you believe that your password has been compromised, you should change it immediately and contact Baiduhotel Customer Support.

If you use a wireless connection, additional steps should be taken to protect your internet connection.

Most wireless networks are completely unprotected when you first set them up. However, in just a few minutes, you can protect your wireless network by using the same method banks use to protect your password when you log on to their web sites -- encryption.

Encryption scrambles data on your wireless network so that only computers that have the encryption key can read your communications. Even though one type of encryption may be better than another, any type will dramatically improve your network's security by making you a more difficult target.