SECURITY
Online banking is safe and convenient as long as you take a number of simple precautions. Please make sure you follow the advice given below.
- Keep your PC secure.
- Use up-to-date anti-virus and spyware software and a personal firewall.
- Keep your passwords and memorable data confidential.
- We or the police will never contact you to ask you for your Online Service details or your password and memorable word information.
Summary
- Treat emails you receive from senders claiming to be from your bank or building society with caution and be wary of emails or calls asking you for any personal security details.
- Always access internet banking sites by typing the bank or building society’s address into your web browser.
- Never go to an internet banking site from a link in an e-mail and then enter personal details.
- Visit www.financialfraudaction.org.uk/Consumer-fraud-prevention-advice-remote-banking.asp for useful information.
At the moment you will also note that the URL in the website address bar at the top of this page starts http://www. When you enter the Online Service, to show that it is secure this will change and show as https://www. The extra 's' stands for secure. Also, at all times whilst using the Online Service there will be a yellow padlock displayed either next to the address bar at the top of the page on the right hand side or on the lower progress bar at the bottom of the page. This too is a symbol that the site pages in use are secure.
Protecting your accounts
Taking care of your passbooks, certificates and other security information is essential to help prevent fraud and protect your accounts. Please make sure that you follow the advice given below.
- Do not tell anyone else your password, memorable data or other security information.
- We will never ask you to tell us your password, memorable data or other security information.
- If you are in any doubt about whether a caller is genuine or if you are suspicious about them, take their details and call us.
- Try to remember your password, memorable data and other security information, and securely destroy the notice as soon as you receive it.
- Never write down or record your password, memorable data or other security information.
- Always take reasonable steps to keep your password, memorable data and other security information confidential at all times.
- Never give your account details or other security information to anyone unless you know who they are and why they need them.
- Keep information about your account containing personal details (for example, statements) safe and dispose of them carefully.
- Take care when storing or getting rid of information about your accounts.
- People who commit fraud use many methods such as ‘bin raiding’ to get this type of information.
- You should take simple steps such as shredding printed material.
- Be aware that your post is valuable information in the wrong hands.
- If you don’t receive a statement or any other expected financial information, contact us.
A useful website on identity fraud is www.cifas.org.uk/identity_fraud
