Visa 2008 Annual Report Download - page 327

6. Antitrust and Competition Laws
The Company is committed to competing lawfully, ethically and fairly in the marketplace based on the merits of our products and services. We believe in fair
competition and we make no attempt to restrain or limit trade. In the United States and many other countries, the Company is subject to antitrust laws and
regulations designed to preserve free and open competition and prevent anticompetitive conducts. While the Company competes aggressively and creatively
based on the merits of our products and services, the Company is fully committed to doing so in accordance with these laws at all times.
Many situations create the potential for unlawful anticompetitive conduct, or the appearance of impropriety, and should be avoided. These include:
• Discussions with competitors about pricing or pricing policy, costs, marketing or strategic plans, or proprietary or confidential information;
• Informal discussions or contacts with competitors, on competitively sensitive topics such as prices pricing policies, costs and marketing strategies in
any setting including at meetings of trade and professional associations;
• Agreements with competitors to allocate products, territories or markets, or to limit the production or sale of products or product lines;
• Attempts by customers or suppliers or potential customers or suppliers to preclude the Company from doing business with, or contracting with, another
customer or supplier.
If any person tries to discuss with you subjects that you think may be anticompetitive, you should immediately stop the conversation and report the matter to
the Legal Department.
7. Anti-Money Laundering
The Company is committed to conducting business only with reputable customers and third parties engaged in legitimate business activities with funds
derived from legitimate sources. The Company has obligations under a variety of anti-money laundering laws in many countries, including, in the United
States, the United States Bank Secrecy Act and the USA Patriot Act. The Company takes seriously its obligations to join with governments, international
organizations and other members of the financial services industry to help close off the channels of money laundering. To that end, the Company has
implemented an anti-money laundering policy with the aim of reasonably preventing the use of Visa systems, products and services for money laundering or
terrorist financing activities.
Money laundering is knowingly engaging in a financial transaction with the proceeds of criminal activity in order to "clean" the money and make it appear as
if it came from a legitimate source. Terrorist financing is knowingly providing material support, such as monetary instruments, financial securities or financial
services, to individuals associated with a designated terrorist organization, regardless of the legitimacy of the funds.
Money laundering and terrorist financing have global consequences that cannot be effectively countered without the cooperation of governments, international
organizations, law enforcement agencies and financial institutions like the Company. Money laundering is a serious issue for the entire financial system, and
the Company is required to conduct due diligence on customers for money laundering or terrorist risks in order to allow them to continue participating in the
Company's system.
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