Barclays Wealth

Security

We are aware that fraudsters are operating on the internet, with many scams targeting financial services organisations and their clients. We take every step to ensure the security of our systems and the details stored on them. We recommend that you take similar action to secure your details. To help you, we have put together the following security advice:

Our website security

The security of your financial information is very important to us and we take every step to protect you online. We use the latest technology to ensure that our online dealing service is a safe and secure environment. Here is what we do:

• Security of your credentials
• Secure Socket Layer
• Cookies
• Logging out

Security of your credentials

When you apply to use our services online, we will set up security credentials for you. Your credentials give you Internet access to Barclays Wealth online services, and you should take adequate steps to make sure that this information remains secret and accessible. To safeguard these details you should:

• Memorise your passwords and PINs
• Ensure that you do not tell anyone your passwords or PINs, and ensure that they are kept secret by taking appropriate steps to prevent disclosure

Please contact us if your credentials have been lost or stolen.

Secure Socket Layer

Our web based services use a technology known as Secure Socket Layer (SSL) which means that the information sent across the network is scrambled. To support this technology, you need an SSL-capable browser.

A symbol on your browser, usually a lock or key, tells you if you are in a secure site. If the symbol is unbroken or in the locked position then you are using a secure server.

Cookies

Cookies are harmless text files that web servers can store on your computer when you visit a site. They allow the server to recognise you when you revisit. We use two types of cookie:

Transient (or per-session) cookies - these only exist for your site visit and are deleted on exit. They recognise you as you move between pages, for example, recording items added to an online shopping basket. These cookies also help maintain security.

Persistent (or permanent) cookies - these stay on your machine until expiry or deletion. Many are built with automatic deletion dates to help ensure your hard drive doesn't get overloaded. These cookies often store and re-enter your log-in information, so you don't need to remember membership details.

Additionally, cookies can be first or third party cookies. First party cookies are owned and created by the website you're viewing. Third party cookies are owned and created by an independent company, usually a company providing a service to the website owners.

Internet cookies are common and do not harm your system – they just store or gather site information. They help you do things online, like remembering logon details so you don’t have to re-enter them when revisiting a site.

We use cookies to:

• Gather customer journey information across our sites
• Ensure your privacy in our secure sites 
• Store login details for our secure sites 
• Temporarily store details input into our calculators, tools, illustrations and demonstrations 
• Store details of your marketing, product and business unit preferences to improve our targeting and enhance your journey through our sites 
• Evaluate our sites’ advertising and promotional effectiveness

Logging out

If you have logged in to the secure area of the site and then choose to finish your session, you should always logout to prevent unauthorised access to your account.

Email

You have the facility to send us secure emails via our online contact form. As these emails are sent from our website they are covered by enhanced security which helps to protect your personal details and information.

Your PC security

• Anti-virus protection
• Updates and patches 
• Personal Firewall 
• Downloads (including Spyware) 
• Email attachments

Anti-virus protection

Anti-virus protection is software that can scan your incoming and outgoing mail to detect and, if required, destroy any known viruses. It can also scan your computer and destroy any viruses if detected.

If you use anti-virus software, ensure that you regularly update the software to keep it as up to date as possible. If your anti-virus software has a virus scanner option, it is recommended that you scan your computer regularly - at least once a month.

Updates and patches

Software patches work to close a hole or weakness in your computer's software. Keep your operating system (e.g. Windows XP or Apple OSX) and your web browser (e.g. Internet Explorer or Firefox) up to date by regularly checking the manufacturers' websites.

For Windows and Internet Explorer updates go to: http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/

For Macs go to: http://www.apple.com/uk/support/

Personal firewall

Personal firewall software works in the background on your computer and prevents any unauthorised access to your computer while you use the Internet. As with anti-virus software, ensure that you regularly update the software.

It is recommended that your firewall is set up to work both inbound and outbound, so that you control not only what you allow into your PC, but also what leaves it.

Personal firewall software will not protect your computer from any viruses so should run alongside anti-virus software. Personal firewall software is also built into Windows XP, although it may need to be activated.

Downloads

There are many Internet frauds that rely on people downloading software to their computer often without their knowledge or consent. Do not download any software onto your computer unless it is from a trusted source or site.

Some pop-ups will not close unless you click 'yes'. These will download a malicious program onto your computer.

Be vigilant when downloading other software off the internet such as MP3s as malicious software is often 'hidden' amongst legitimate software.

Spyware

Spyware is a program that will secretly gather information about you as you use your computer. It is commonly downloaded without the knowledge or consent of the user.

It can slow down your computer, alter your homepage, produce lots of adverts or links to websites and even include keystroke loggers to record details such as passwords and user names.

There is free software available, for example Spybot, that claims to be able to remove Spyware from your computer. See the manufacturers' websites for further details.

Trojan programs

Trojan programs are hidden programs, again commonly downloaded without the knowledge or consent of the user, that can give control of your computer to a hacker or gather information about you as you use your computer.

They can record your key strokes with the aim of capturing your online user IDs, passwords and other sensitive details. The captured details can then be passed on to the hacker. They can also access or delete files stored on your computer and even view what is on your screen.

If you are using anti-virus software, this should detect and destroy any Trojan program on your computer. There are a number of specialist software programs that claim to detect and remove Trojans. See the manufacturers' websites for further details.

Premium diallers

If you use a dial-up internet connection a scam exists which changes the way your computer connects to the internet, resulting in a very large phone bill. The scam works in the same way as Spyware or Trojan programs in that it is a program which is downloaded without the user’s consent or knowledge.

The program is a premium rate dialler, which replaces your chosen internet dialler. Every time you access the internet after that point you will be charged at a premium rate.

The dialler may also access the internet when you are using the computer but not online if you leave your computer connected to a phone line.

If you are a Broadband user this will not affect you, as long as you have disconnected the internal dial-up modem from your phone socket and don't use this modem to make fax or voice calls.

If you have any suspicions contact your telephone services supplier.

Email attachments

Be vigilant of attachments sent to you via email, especially if you do not recognise the sender. Emails are a common way to spread viruses. If you are at all suspicious, do not open the email and delete it immediately.

Common scams

• Phishing
• W-8BEN Form scam
• Barclays Job Offer email scam
• Additional income email scam
• Lottery prize email
• Boiler room scams

Phishing

Phishing is where fraudsters pretend to be a financial institution such as Barclays Bank in order to persuade you to enter your security details into a bogus website. Their aim is to obtain your security details and remove money from your accounts and their emails and websites are often very convincing.

We will never send you an unsolicited email asking for personal security information.

We take email security very seriously (see Our website security). But if you are at all concerned about receiving emails please choose not to use emails for sending us queries or receiving information from us such as Equity Research grade changes and Order Service updates. You will be offered the opportunity to either unsubscribe from any emails sent by us or you can choose ‘do not send’ when placing orders using our Order Service.

Please be on your guard against emails that request any of your security details. If you receive a suspicious email, please contact us. Please note that you will receive an email from us should you select ‘Forgotten your password’ online. The email will have a unique link to a secure page where you will need to confirm characters from your memorable word and then be able to change your password online.

W-8BEN Form scam

The W-8BEN form is a legitimate US tax exemption document, however in recent months fraudsters have been using the W-8BEN format to acquire personal details such as mother’s maiden name, passport number, date of birth, PIN numbers and pass codes.

The fraudulent forms are being sent under the guise of anti money laundering regulations claiming to review client information and asking that the form be completed.

Please be advised that Barclays will never ask you for your pass codes or PIN numbers in this manner. Should you receive such a form do not reply to it.

If you believe you may have replied and provided this information please contact us immediately.

Barclays Job Offer email scam

This scam involves someone offering, via an email or website, an opportunity to gain employment within Nigeria at "THE NEW BARCLAYS NIGERIA BANK PLC" office. In this scam you are asked to provide various personal details although ultimately you will be accepted for the role. The scam also requires that, before your employment can start, you must pay an advanced fee in lieu of your starting date.

Please note that Barclays is in no way associated with THE NEW BARCLAYS NIGERIA BANK PLC nor with this scam and the offer of employment which it promises. Moreover, Barclays office in Nigeria is in Lagos only. Accordingly, please ignore any request which conforms with this scam and delete the email.

Additional income email scam

A current scam involves someone offering, via an email or website, to pay funds into your bank account on the understanding you then transfer them overseas. In return, you supposedly get a commission. Many of these scams involve the proceeds of fraud. Ignore the request and delete the email.

Lottery prize email

This scam involves being contacted to advise you that you have won a substantial amount of money. You will be asked to send bank details and other personal information. These scenarios are not genuine and your personal information may be used in other types of fraud.

Boiler room scams

Boiler room scams are scams where ‘companies’ contact clients generally out of the blue either by post, email or telephone and offer them shares in a company at a supposedly heavily discounted price. They will often use hard sell tactics to persuade the client to buy the shares e.g creating a sense of urgency or using a persistent and aggressive style. This pressurised tactic is why they are referred to as boiler room scams. The company that they are trying to sell may be listed on an illiquid market so the shares cannot be sold. Or they could be a small unquoted company that the broker claims is planning to list. In other cases the company itself may not exist or the share certificates delivered are fake.

The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has published a list of firms that they are aware operate in this manner.

In general the bulk of these firms operate overseas with hotspots being in Spain, Switzerland, Dubai, Japan, Bermuda and the US and are therefore outside the remit of the FSA. However, these firms are likely to have a UK registered address and a name which suggests legitimacy.

Both inexperienced and experienced people have been affected by this type of scam with a typical victim losing around £20,000.

Further information on boiler room scams can be obtained from the FSA.