Useful tips


Online Security

Keep your passwords secure

  • Passwords should not be written down or shared, and should be changed regularly.
  • Choose passwords made up of a mix of letters, numbers and other characters such as punctuation marks.
  • Ignore any requests to verify your passwords – a reputable organisation will never ask you to reveal them .

Know who you're dealing with online

  • Be suspicious of all unsolicited or unexpected emails, even if they appear to originate from a trusted source.
  • Be alert to emails sent from an internet type of email account, such as Hotmail or Yahoo.
  • Never enter sensitive personal or business information such as account details, PINs or passwords via a website link attached to an email.
  • When keying sensitive data into a website, make sure it is secure – denoted by the prefix ‘https' and a locked padlock or unbroken key symbol. You can check the authenticity of a secure website by double clicking on the symbol.
  • If in any doubt, contact the owner of the website on a known or independently verified contact number.
  • Be careful about opening attachments or clicking links in emails, even if they appear to relate to innocent subjects, as these may contain a Trojan or other form of virus carrier that may infect your computer.
  • Type the full address of any secure websites you use into your browser, rather than relying on a search – this avoids being misdirected to a bogus site..

Keep hold of your cash

  • Don't be conned by convincing emails offering you the opportunity to make easy money. Be especially wary of unsolicited emails from outside the UK.

Keep your computers secure

  • Install a computer firewall.
  • Use up-to-date anti-virus software and run regular scans of your computer.
  • Use a secure web browser. Keep your browser up to date. Make sure you or your company use the most up to date browser to protect yourself against malicious attacks.
  • Ensure you apply the latest updates for the version of software on your computer. Suppliers often offer free update to their software to fix security bugs.
  • Be aware of what you connect to your computer. Memory sticks, music players and mobile phone devices can spread viruses and may lead to a data leakage from your computer. You should only use devices which you trust or configure it to restrict what devices can be plugged into your computer.
  • Ensure your staff follow good security procedures when using laptops. For details, visit the Fraud Advisory Panel website.
  • Remember you have no control over the security of a computer in an internet café, airport lounge or any other public place or one owned by a third party.

Keep Personal Information Secure

Do not disclose too much personal information on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. The information can be used by a fraudster to impersonate you (known as identity theft) or target you for phishing email by impersonating someone you know to get you to click on their malicious link.

Find out more

Advice on keeping your Microsoft software secure



Online banking security advice



General information on banking fraud



Safety tips from the UK's official online security organisation