When you choose to save online with NS&I we guarantee that your money is safe with us. In the unlikely event of money being fraudulently taken from one of your NS&I accounts or investments by someone else, we will reimburse you. All we ask is that you follow our recommendations for keeping your security information safe.

Have any concerns about the security of your NS&I accounts?

Please call us straight away if:

• you think you’ve responded to a fraudulent email
• someone may have seen your security details
• you believe someone else has accessed your accounts

Call us

Staying safe FAQs

• How do you keep my details safe online?

  We follow relevant banking industry best practices to protect you online. Whenever you make an online transaction with us, we protect your personal details (like your debit card numbers and account balances) by encrypting them.

  Our liability for losses due to unauthorised payments

  • If you deny having authorised a payment, it's for us at NS&I to prove the payment was authorised.
  • If a payment from your account was not authorised by you, we must, within a reasonable period, refund the amount of the unauthorised payment and restore your account to the position that it would have been in if the unauthorised payment had not been made.

• How can I tell if an email is genuine?

  Phishing is when a fraudster pretends to be someone else like your bank to try to trick you into providing personal and/or sensitive information. A Phishing email often looks very similar to a genuine email from a trusted company or individual you know, and it will normally ask you to do something which can benefit the scammer. They could include any of the following messages:

  • "Your account has been blocked. Please click the following link to verify your account log-in to gain access.”
  • “Your account has been compromised. Please change your password using the following link.”
  • "To claim your refund, please click the following link.”

  We’ll never send you a link in an email going directly to our login page, or ask you to enter your online banking details. Avoid opening attachments or clicking on links if they look suspicious.

  If you have a concern about an email that appears to be from NS&I, please send it to us immediately at:

  phishing@nsandi.com

  We’ll investigate it but may not always reply to you personally.

• How can I tell if a phone call is genuine?

  Phone call scams, or Vishing, is when a person will pretend to be calling from a genuine company or person you know you trick you into sending money, providing personal information or security credentials. If you are suspicious of an unsolicited call you have received claiming to be from NS&I, here are some tips to help keep yourself and your account safe:

  • NS&I will never ask you to transfer money into a ‘safe account’ for fraud prevention purposes
  • If you are unsure of the caller, do not disclose personal or security details until you have confirmed that the caller is genuine
  • You can always call NS&I back using a trusted telephone number from our website or another communication you have received from us

  Contact us

• How do I know if your website is genuine and safe?

  Phishing/look-alike websites are designed to look like our official website but are created by fraudsters to trick you into providing personal and/or sensitive information online.

  Here are a few tips to help you check if you’re on our official website:

  • Our website address showing in your browser will always start with “https://” followed by “www.nsandi.com” or “secure3.nsandi.com” once you have logged into your account.
  • Look out for the padlock near the website address in your browser, this means that it’s a secure connection and less likely to be a fraudulent website.
  • You can click on the padlock to view our certificate, which will show that it’s valid and issued to nsandi.com.
  • Watch out for anything that doesn’t look right like spelling mistakes, unusual pop-ups, poorly laid out screens etc. If in doubt, do not enter your account details, close your web page and contact us.

  

• What can I do to keep my NS&I accounts safe?

  Although managing your money online is usually safe, it’s your responsibility to keep your details secure too. Here are a few tips:

  • Never tell another person your full password – not even someone who works for NS&I.
  • We recommend you don’t write down or record your password or security details.
  • Avoid choosing a password that’s easy to guess.
  • Avoid re-using passwords from other online accounts.
  • Be careful when you dispose of documents about your NS&I accounts – you may want to shred them first.
  • Check your NS&I statements regularly. See anything out of the ordinary? Then get in touch with us straight away.

  Help with creating your password

• Will I be liable for losses due to unauthorised payments?

  • You may be liable if you have acted fraudulently.
  • You may be liable if you have intentionally, or through your negligence, failed to comply with the customer agreement (terms and conditions) covering how you give us instructions about your account.
  • You may be liable if you fail to take all reasonable steps to keep your security information safe.
  • Except if you have acted fraudulently, you will have no further liability after you have notified us of the loss, theft, misappropriation or unauthorised use of your security information.
  • Except where you have acted fraudulently, you will not be liable where we have not ensured that you are able to report the loss, theft, misappropriation or unauthorised use of your security information.

You’ll find out more about staying safe online and preventing fraud on these websites

• Financial Fraud Action– the UK banks’ initiative to help you stay safe online.
• CPNI Digital footprint
• Get Safe Online – how to protect yourself and your money online.
• Action fraud – UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cyber crime.
• Cyber Aware - Information about cyber security.
• National Cyber Security Centre - providing advice for dealing with common cyber problems