Security Tips

Create a Secure Password

A strong password is one of the best defences against hackers and cybercriminals. Use the following tips to create a secure password that is difficult for others to guess.

1.) Do not use personal information. Using personal details such as your name, birthday, email address or family names makes it easy for others to guess your password as this information is often readily available to the public.

2.) Do not use the same password for each account. If one password is discovered, all your accounts will be vulnerable.

3.) Use variety in your password. Your password should be a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols to add extra layers of security. Using at least 12 characters in your password is also recommended to ensure it is secure.

4.) If in doubt, use a random password. Random passwords can be generated by an online password generator and are extremely strong as they are virtually impossible to guess correctly.

Create a Secure PIN

Your PIN is used to make purchases with your credit account. You will be prompted to create one during your initial login after your credit account has been approved. Use the following tips to create a secure PIN.

1.) Avoid repeating numbers and basic number sequences. Number sequences such as 111111 or 123456 are easy to guess and easily hacked.

2.) Avoid using personal information. Your date of birth, home address, phone number or other personal details are often readily available to the public.

3.) Use more obscure dates. You can use dates as your PIN but ensure that they are not easy to guess. For instance, you could use the date you graduated, your pet's birthday or a combination of several important dates.

4.) Use words as your PIN. PINs are numbers of course, but you can turn a six-letter word into a number using your keypad. Open your phone keypad and see what numbers coordinate with the letters of your word. For example, the word 'NUMBER' would be 686237.

Protect Your Password and PIN

• Never share your password or PIN with anyone, even those you trust.
• Try to avoid writing down sensitive information and memorise it instead.
• If you think your account has been compromised, change your password and PIN immediately.