Security

E-mail
There is no guarantee any e-mail sent will be received, or that the contents of any such e-mail will remain private or unaltered during Internet transmission, you may prefer to telephone or write to us instead.

We reserve the right to monitor the use and content of e-mails which are sent from and received by us for the purposes of ensuring compliance with our own e-mail policy, and identifying and taking action against unlawful or improper use of our systems, including, but not limited to, spoofing, the transmission of computer viruses and a denial of service attack. 

Misuse of Duncan Lawrie's name
We are aware that Duncan Lawrie's name has been used in fake emails and bogus websites. The fake emails are from fraudsters who have nothing to do with the Duncan Lawrie Group. We advise you not to contact the sender of any email; do not disclose any bank details to them; and do not pay any money to the fraudsters. Often fraudsters will promise money from prize winnings, deceased estates, dispute settlements or equally false reasons. They do this to encourage people to contact them so they can con you with a convincing story. Sometimes they will state that they are employed by the Duncan Lawrie Group.

Downloads
Any software is downloaded at your own risk. We do not warrant the suitability of any such software that is downloaded and accept no liability for any problems with your computer that may arise as a result. If you are in any doubt as to the suitability of software to be downloaded for your computer, it is recommended that you obtain specialist advice before downloading.   

Cheques
When you write a cheque, it will help to prevent fraud if you clearly write the name of the person you are paying the cheque to and put extra information about them on the cheque, especially if you are not personally paying a cheque in (for example, when you send it through the post).

• if you are paying a cheque to a large organisation such as HM Revenue & Customs, do not make the cheque payable to that organisation only. Add further details into the payee line (for example, HM Revenue & Customs re: J Jones, your reference xxyyzz). 
• if you are making a cheque payable to a bank or building society, do not make the cheque payable to that organisation only. Add further details in the payee line (for example, XYZ Bank, re: J Jones, account number 123456). Your cheque is likely to be returned to you if you only write the name of the bank or building society in the payee line.

In all cases, you should draw a line through any space you do not use on the cheque so unauthorised people cannot add extra numbers or names.

Securing your personal information
Keep your plastic cards and cheque books safe and separate from each other. Any Personal Identification Number (PIN) or Password should be kept secret and memorised and not kept with your cards.

Never provide information about you or your account unless you are certain whom you are dealing with. When receiving unexpected telephone calls, exercise care if the caller poses identification questions to you. Remember, they have instigated the call and should already know whom they are calling. If in doubt consider seeking the caller's details and arrange to call them back using an independently sourced telephone number.

Check your account and statements regularly. If you see any transactions that you consider suspicious or do not recognise as genuine, alert your bank immediately.

Exercise care when disposing of any paper that contains account information or any other personal data that might be used to identify you. You may wish to consider using a shredder before discarding items such as:

• old bank statements
• discarded / partially completed application forms
• renewal notices
• partially completed direct debit / standing order mandates
• detailed mailshots

If you are unfortunate enough to suffer a burglary (or lose your bag/case/wallet) then ensure that your bank is informed immediately. Reporting the loss of any personal information to your bank can help to protect your accounts.

Let your bank know as soon as possible when you change your:

• Name
• Address
• Phone number
• E-mail address (if this is how we communicate with you)

We are aware of incidents where bank clients have been approached to allow their accounts to be used for the receipt of funds on behalf of third parties, normally with the offer of a commission payment. These funds are often the proceeds of fraud and such requests should be refused whatever the circumstances. Allowing your account to be used for third party transactions may lead to the closure of your account. Any such transaction, together with related parties, could become subject to police investigation.

If at any time you feel your account details may have been obtained by a third party without good cause, please contact your branch immediately.

General Information for staying safe online
Be aware that Spoof (fake or fraudulent) sites do exist. Never go to a website from a link in an email and then enter personal, confidential or security details unless you are confident that both the email and webpage originate from your bank or from a third party provider who you have opted in to receive e-mails from. If in any doubt contact your Internet Banking helpdesk.

Hold onto your money - don't be conned by convincing emails offering you the chance to make easy money. Always ensure you have a secure connection when connecting to the Bank's secure services or when purchasing from an online shopping site. Check that you have a locked padlock or unbroken key in the bottom right of your browser window when you are accessing the secure part of a website. When paying for items online, check that the site has 'https' in the browser which also signifies a secure connection.

Never leave your computer unattended when logged in to a secure session such as when you are using Internet banking.

Ensure you log-out properly when you have finished banking online or using another secure site.

Useful websites
The following websites will help you protect your finances:

www.bba.org.uk/customer/fraud
www.met.police.uk/fraudalert/index.htm