CrystalTech Meets Safe Harbor and BBB Online Standards for Data Privacy and Security

Market Wire, October, 2004

CrystalTech Web Hosting Inc., a subsidiary of Newtek Business Services (NASDAQ: NKBS) and one of the largest providers of web hosting on the Microsoft Windows platform, today announced that it has been granted Safe Harbor status and the Better Business Bureau Online (BBBOnLine®) Privacy Seal.

Developed by the U.S. Department of Commerce in coordination with the European Commission, the Safe Harbor provides a framework and legal protection that allows the safe transfer of personal information from European Union countries to businesses in the United States. Companies, like CrystalTech, that receive Safe Harbor status agree to give European Union residents adequate data-privacy protections, including notice about how their personal information is used, the ability to limit disclosure of that information and access to the data.

By participating in the Safe Harbor program, CrystalTech satisfies the highest standards for safeguarding the security and privacy of its customers' data. "CrystalTech hosts websites for businesses and individuals from approximately 100 different countries. With such a diverse and growing international customer base, we want to reassure our European customers, and all of our customers, that we treat their data in the most ethical manner," said Tim Uzzanti, President and CEO of CrystalTech.

Along with its formal registration as a Safe Harbor, CrystalTech has been granted the Better Business Bureau Online Privacy Seal. CrystalTech underwent an extensive review by BBBOnLine to verify that CrystalTech handles their online customers' personal data according to the program's stringent requirements. Websites and organizations that qualify for the BBBOnLine seal must post a privacy policy that is easy to find, easy-to-read and easy to understand. This policy must include information on choice, access to data, transfer of information to third parties, data integrity and security.

As a part of the BBBOnLine qualification, CrystalTech also agreed to participate in the Better Business Bureau's dispute resolution system that provides a consumer-friendly dispute settlement process. This also ensures compliance with the Safe Harbor principles requiring readily available and affordable independent recourse mechanisms for individual complaints and disputes.

"Protecting our customer's personal data has always been an important concern for us here at CrystalTech," said Uzzanti. "Receiving a privacy seal from an excellent source like the Better Business Bureau shows that we are committed to providing the highest level of data security for our customers and continues our long and exemplary relationship with the BBB."

CrystalTech has been a member of the Better Business Bureau since 2000 and has garnered an impeccable record. The BBBOnLine Privacy Seal can be found on CrystalTech's home page at www.crystaltech.com.

About CrystalTech

Founded in 1992, CrystalTech Web Hosting, Inc. is one of the largest Windows-based web hosting companies in the world, hosting customers in over 100 countries, ranging from small businesses to Fortune 100 corporations. CrystalTech is responsible for hundreds of millions of visits each day on the Internet and uses a state-of-the-art data center that includes redundancy throughout core systems like power, air conditioning, network connectivity, network transportation, as well as a secured environment for their network operations center. CrystalTech is a subsidiary of Newtek Business Services, Inc. (NASDAQ: NKBS), a premier provider of business services and financial products to small and medium-sized businesses. For more information about CrystalTech, please contact 877-323-4678 or visit http://www.crystaltech.com.

About BBBOnLine

BBBOnLine brings the Better Business Bureau system's 90 years of experience in consumer protection and business self-regulation to e-commerce. Guided by its mission to promote consumer trust on the Internet, and working in concert with the 140 local BBBs in the United States and Canada, BBBOnLine encourages sound and ethical online business practices through its Privacy program, Reliability program and the BBB Code of Online Business Practices. For more information about BBBOnLine, please visit www.bbbonline.org.

CrystalTech Web Hosting Derek Curtis dcurtis@crystaltech.com 877-323-4678