Protecting your money

At Coutts, we are committed to fighting fraud and working with you to reduce the risk of fraud on your account. Our specialist fraud team continually reviews the prevention and detection systems which help identify unusual activity on your account. Our Account Cards, which are Chip and PIN protected, provide the latest security. And, to further protect you, retailers may ask you for additional information when you use your card. There are a number of precautions you can take to protect yourself from fraud:

Protect your PIN, cards and cheque books
· Memorise your PIN and never disclose it to anyone, including Coutts staff, the Police or shop assistants.
· Destroy the notification of your PIN, never write it down and contact us immediately if you think someone else knows it, or you forget it.
· Keep your personal or company cheque books in a secure place and never keep them with your cards.
· Contact us immediately if you notice anything unusual on your statements or you fail to receive in the post your statement, new cheque book or cards.

Know who you are dealing with
· Be wary of requests for information, particularly if asked for the last three digits on the signature strip of your card. The Bank will never ask you for these numbers or your PIN.
· If you are suspicious about any enquiries relating to your account, refer them to us immediately.

Destroy unwanted personal papers
· Always shred, or tear up papers such as bills and bank statements, which criminals may try and obtain to commit fraud.

Use cash machines carefully
· If you notice anything unusual about a cash machine, or there are obvious signs of tampering, do not use it and report it immediately to the bank.
· When using a machine, ensure no-one else sees your PIN and do not accept help from strangers or let anyone distract you.
· Keep a reasonable distance behind someone using a machine and if someone crowds you whilst using one, or looks suspicious, cancel the transaction and use another machine.
· Put your money and card away before leaving and if the machine keeps your card, report it immediately to the bank.

Key points to help protect you and your money
· Keep all your personal security information secret.
· Be vigilant when using cash machines.
· Protect your PC with the latest anti-virus software.
· Destroy unwanted personal information carefully.
· Keep your cheque books and cards secure and never together.
· Check your account statements thoroughly.
· Tell us if you change your name, address, phone number or e-mail address.

Further information

Helpful information about tackling fraud can also be found on the following websites:

· British Bankers’ Association
· Metropolitan Police
· National High Tech Crime Unit
· Financial Services Authority
· UK banking industry
· Home Office