Card Security

Your security is a top priority at Bank of America. Our real-time fraud detection system monitors your account 24 hours a day 7 days a week for any transactions that appear out of character or we suspect may be fraudulent. Here are the key features you will get with your Bank of America credit card:

• Zero fraud liability: If your card is lost or stolen, or used without your knowledge or consent, or you see any transactions on your account statement that you don’t recognise please contact us immediately on our free phone number 0800 456 1234 or overseas on our reverse charge number +44 1244 675 989. Provided you do so you will not be held liable for any fraudulent use.
• Fraud alerts: our 24-hour fraud detection team will proactively monitor your account and contact you by phone, SMS/text message or in writing if we suspect any fraud.
• Card Verification Code (CVC): all our cards use a CVC code, a unique feature of Visa™ and MasterCard® that can normally be found on the signature strip on the back of a card (the last three digits). The purpose of this is to verify that the genuine card is being used to make the purchase.
• Chip & PIN: all of our cards use Chip & PIN technology, the most secure way to pay by credit or debit card in the UK. Instead of a signature, you will be asked to enter a four-digit Personal Identification Number (PIN) known only to you.
• 3D Secure™: This Visa and MasterCard service offers an additional level of security when shopping online. You will create a password that can be used like a PIN when shopping online with participating retailers.
• SiteKey: Only available at Bank of America, this award-winning security measure provides an additional layer of identity verification when you log on to Online Banking. It lets you know it’s really us and lets us know it’s really you.
• Credit Industry Fraud Avoidance System: Bank of America is a member of Credit Industry Fraud Avoidance System - the UK’s fraud prevention service. Credit Industry Fraud Avoidance System has over 270 members from finance, banking, retail, telecommunications and other industries who share knowledge and best practices for identifying and fighting fraud. Learn more about Credit Industry Fraud Avoidance System.

How Chip & PIN credit cards work

All banks and card providers have introduced Chip & PIN credit cards in a united effort to reduce credit card fraud. Instead of signing your name when you use your credit card to make a purchase or withdraw cash, you enter a four-digit Personal Identification Number (PIN) into the PIN pad. If you shop at a retailer that does not have a PIN pad attached to the terminal you will still be required to sign.

Choose a PIN that you’ll remember

You will be allocated a PIN by us when you get your card, but you can change it at most cash machines to one you’ll more easily remember (try to avoid patterns such as 1234 or 7777 and obvious number combinations like addresses and birthdays). If you forget your PIN or enter it incorrectly it may become locked. Call us on 0800 456 1234 to get your PIN unlocked.

Keep your PIN a secret

Never disclose your PIN to anyone or write it down. You will never be asked for your PIN when making a mail order or internet transaction, only the three-digit security number on the signature panel on the reverse of your card. Do not confuse the two; your PIN is for machines only.

Forgotten your PIN?

If you have forgotten your credit card PIN, you can use our secure Online Banking service to get a PIN reminder. All you need to do is access Online Banking and then select the PIN tab. Here you’ll be able to securely view your PIN at your convenience.

Where can I change my PIN?

You can change your PIN at most high street banks that have cash machines with PIN services. Simply follow the on-screen instructions.

Protection made simple

3D Secure™ is like Chip & PIN for your online purchases, designed to protect you by asking a secret password and a personal message. Developed by Visa and MasterCard and used by most retailers, it has rapidly become a widely-accepted standard.

Quick and easy registration

Registering involves a quick, one-time process. Simply log on to Verified by Visa™ or MasterCard® SecureCode™, register your secret password, create your personal message and you’re done. The next time you shop online using your Bank of America credit card, you’ll be automatically prompted for your secret password during checkout. A secured screen will also appear with your personal message so you know it is Bank of America who are asking for your password.

Please note, you may also be prompted to register whilst shopping at a participating online retailer site. Again, a secured screen will appear during checkout and you’ll be asked to follow the same simple and safe registration steps.

Not all online retailers participate in 3D Secure at the moment but this may change over time. Look for the Verified by Visa or MasterCard SecureCode logos at all participating online retailers.

We strongly recommend that you register today.

What is SiteKey?

SiteKey is a free, award-winning online security feature that is now a standard part of our Online Banking logon experience. As part of our ongoing commitment to help protect you against identity theft and fraud, SiteKey is a two-step identification system that helps reassure you that you’re at our authentic Online Banking website (you know it’s us), while preventing unauthorised access to your accounts (we know it’s you).

How SiteKey works

SiteKey consists of three parts: an image, an image title and three challenge questions that are secrets between you and us. When you log on to Online Banking with your user name you should see your secret SiteKey image and image title. That’s confirmation that you’re at our bank’s legitimate website. If you see your secret image and image title, enter your password to access Online Banking. If you do not see your secret image and image title, and are not asked a secret challenge question to verify your identity, do not enter your password as you could be at a fraudulent site.

All three parts help protect you, whether you’re logging on to Online Banking from your own computer or from somewhere else (such as work or a public location).

How we recognise you

One of the ways we recognise you is by placing a cookie on your computer when you sign up for our SiteKey service. The cookie contains a randomly generated, unique number used as an identifier. When you log on after that your web browser sends us this cookie, which lets us know that you’re using your own computer. The cookie is visible only to our authentic Online Banking site and does not contain any personal information. If you have Macromedia Flash installed on your computer, we will use Macromedia Flash objects to identify your computer in the event that we can’t identify your cookies.

Why we use challenge questions

Challenge questions help prevent unauthorised people from accessing your Online Banking information. That way, even if they’ve stolen your user name and password, they won’t know the answer to the secret questions when they try logging on. They also help us verify your identity when you’re logging on from devices other than your normal computer.

How do I sign up for SiteKey?

Signing up for and using SiteKey is quick and easy. You simply choose a SiteKey image, image title, and three challenge questions. You have two ways of signing up for SiteKey: 1. at the time you enrol in Online Banking or, if you have already enrolled, 2. the next time you log on you will be prompted to set up your SiteKey image, image title and three challenge questions.