Notices

Data security

Your data is our priority. Find out what we do to protect your data and what you can do to protect yourself.

We are proud to have received Cyber Essentials Plus accreditation

We place your security at the very heart of our business. Our core business philosophy is to ensure that we look after you, our customers – whether it's your savings or mortgage, or both. The security of your data and the protection of funds from fraud is of paramount importance to us. 


What we do to protect your data

In the light of the increasing cyber risks we all face, we want to explain the measures we take here to ensure the security of your data. We've also pulled together some practical things you can do to ensure that your personal data always remains secure.

  • We use the most up to date firewall security and regularly upgrade our systems and software controls
  • We employ external security auditors to robustly test our systems and controls
  • We will only act on requests to access your account after we have received clear evidence to prove that you are indeed the actual customer
  • We monitor for abnormal transactional activity and will contact you if we have any suspicion of unusual behaviour

Please note - As a further level of protection, we will reimburse you for any unauthorised withdrawals. This protection is subject to our General Conditions for savings accounts. 

If you use our Online Service you are also protected from unauthorised transactions. Find out more by viewing our 'Online Service Agreement' here.

What you need to do to help keep your data secure

There are a number of things that you can do to help protect yourself.

To help keep your data and personal information safe you should ensure you set a strong password on your account. To help set a strong password see the useful points below.

  • Don’t use personal information
  • Don’t use easily recognisable numbers
  • Avoid using the word ‘password’
  • Use a mixture of letters and numbers
  • Use a mixture of capital and non-capital letters
  • Use symbols such as an asterix or exclamation mark
  • Make sure you have a long password
  • Modify easy to remember phrases
  • Try using three completely random words

It’s important that you change your password regularly and use different passwords to those you’ve already used for other accounts. Also, don’t write passwords down or share them.

Two-factor authentication (2FA) enhances your security when accessing websites and other online services by asking more information to prove your identity.

Typically, this feature is triggered if you log in from a new device, like a mobile phone, tablet, or computer, or from an unfamiliar location.  However, some websites may require two-factor authentication for every login or transaction.

You'll receive a code, which is usually sent via text to your mobile phone, that you'll need to enter to complete the sign-in process.

For further information about two-factor authentication, please visit the National Cyber Security website.

  • If you’re unsure about a call you receive from any financial organisation, hang up, then call them back but from another phone line such as a mobile or landline. If you don't have another phone line to call from, we recommend waiting about five minutes before calling back. Sometimes the fraudster on the other end doesn’t hang up so when you make another call, they’re still on the line.

  • Call them back on the number that appears on the back of your bank card or most recent paper  statement.

  • If you have been contacted and are suspicious or feel vulnerable, don’t be afraid to hang up and refuse to give them any of your personal information. Genuine companies will not mind at all if you do this.

  • You should also be wary of text messages to your mobile phone that may be from scammers pretending to be from financial services organisations asking for your account or other personal details.

  • It’s worth regularly checking your bank account and any credit card statements to ensure all transactions are authorised by you.

  • It's better to be safe than sorry and it's always worth taking a step back and being cautious.

  • Please bear in mind that authorised financial services firms that you do not have an account with, are highly unlikely to contact you out of the blue.

Find out more information from the Financial Conduct Authority on how to protect yourself from scams. 

Be wary of emails that don’t include your full name or contain spelling mistakes and poor grammar. 

If you’re unsure if an email is genuine, it's best to contact the company from where it’s supposed to have come from. Don’t use the contact details or click on any links in an email you suspect is suspicious. 

If you receive an email from us that you are suspicious about, please forward the email to besecure@familybsoc.co.uk
Carefully check the website addresses you are using to make sure they are genuine - look out for subtle differences, especially if you clicked through to it from a potentially suspicious email.

You should never give out your account or other personal details unless you are certain of who you are dealing with.
Google and Microsoft update their security features on a regular basis. So that you benefit from these, it's important that you keep your web browser up to date. 

For full instructions on how to check and upgrade your browser please visit our Keeping your browser up to date page.
You may find the following links useful:

Protect yourself against fraud and scams

It’s important to be aware of fraud and scams. We've put together some detail on the types of fraud and scams out there and how you can protect yourself.

Read more

Secure messaging

We provide a safe and secure method of communication via our Secure Messaging portal so you can discuss account specific information with us.

Find out more