General advice

Ensure that the equipment you are using to access our online services cannot be overlooked by another person (much as you would do whilst entering your PIN into an ATM).

When you have completed your transaction or wish to take a break, log-off the service and close down your Internet browser.

It is best not to use a public computer to access your online accounts because you cannot be certain that the public computer is secure - it may be infected with a virus that will try to collect your password or other personal information, for example.

Log in regularly to check your account and tell us straight away if something is wrong.

Make sure we have your correct contact details, including an up to date mobile phone and/or landline number and email address. Check your email inbox regularly for new messages.

Using an email account that is not shared with other family members will help keep your communications confidential.

If you apply for one of our mortgages through the site or for one of our online accounts, do not pick a password that will be easily guessed, for example your telephone number or daughter's birthday. We have certain rules in place that make sure the password you choose is reasonably strong

Never reveal your password to anyone or write it down.

What is an authorised online third party provider?

A third party provider or TPP provides different services to help manage your money or make payments online. An example of these services is an app or website where you can see a consolidated view of all your accounts with different banks and building societies in one place. In order to use these services you must give the TPP consent to access your account data.

There are three types of TPP:

Account Information Service Provider (AISP) - a third party to whom you grant consent to view your account(s), alongside your payment accounts from other banks and building societies.

Card Based Payment Instrument Issuer (CBPII) - a third party to whom you grant consent to check if your account has available funds when making a payment.

Payment Initiation Service Provider (PISP) - a third party to whom you may grant consent to make a payment on your behalf.

Find out more www.ybs.co.uk/openbanking at YBS.

  • When accessing your accounts or making a payment using an authorised Third Party Provider (TPP), make sure you take the following steps to protect yourself:
  • Check with us if your account(s) can be accessed through a TPP, before providing any personal/account details. A full list of eligible accounts can be found on our payment account services page.
  • Check with the relevant regulator whether the TPP is genuine before you use it. In the UK, this is the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
  • Ensure you use the genuine TPP’s website. Fraudsters often set up fake versions of websites in an attempt to obtain information.
  • If you receive any communication from or about a TPP regarding account access or a payment which you have not authorised, contact us as soon as possible.
  • If you are asked for any security details you are not normally asked for, check this with the TPP before providing any information.

How can you allow them to access your account?

You must have registered for Internet Banking to use one of these authorised online third party providers. You must give them specific consent to access your account details. You may only share with them your User ID, password and memorable information (Internet Banking log on details) that you set up when you registered for Internet Banking. They can enter your User ID, password and memorable information on your behalf and ask us to make a payment from your account. If that happens, that means you’ve agreed to make the payment.

If you share your User ID, password and memorable information with an authorised online third party provider, check that anyone you have a joint account with agrees to this.

How can you stop an online third party provider from accessing your account?

If you want to do this, you must change the User ID, password and memorable information you use to access Internet Banking. We suggest that you also speak to the online third party provider and ask them to remove these details.

I’m having issues with a payment I made through a third party, how do I resolve this?

Please contact Yorkshire Building Society regarding any issues with payments made through a third party.

When accessing your accounts or making a payment using an authorised Third Party Provider (TPP), make sure you take the following steps to protect yourself:

  1. Check with us if your account(s) can be accessed through a TPP, before providing any personal/account details.
  2. Check with the relevant regulator whether the TPP is genuine before you use it. In the UK, this is the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
  3. Registered firms that provided Account Information Service (AIS) or Payment Initiation Service (PIS) before January 2016 can legitimately continue to operate without requiring TPP authorisation for a period of time. Please see the FCA website for further information: https://www.fca.org.uk
  4. Ensure you use the genuine TPP’s website. Fraudsters often set up fake versions of websites in an attempt to obtain information.
  5. If you receive any communication from or about a TPP regarding account access or a payment which you have not authorised, contact us as soon as possible.
  6. If you are asked for any security details you are not normally asked for check this with the TPP before providing any information.
Viruses can be a huge problem. You should use anti-virus software to protect your computer and minimise the risk that your personal details or information might be compromised by a virus. Make sure you set up your anti-virus software so that it regularly updates itself.

A firewall is a device or piece of software that is designed to control the traffic passing between your computer and the internet

Firewalls are a very effective security measure and limit how your computer can be accessed from the internet, which makes it harder for a hacker to attack it. Whenever you use the internet, you should have a firewall in place, especially if you're using a broadband internet connection

Spyware or Ad-ware is a growing problem. Spyware is a term used to describe a type of programme that tries to collect information about you and your browsing habits, often without your knowledge or consent. People are normally tricked into installing spyware programmes

There are a number of anti-spyware programmes available, many of which are free. It is a good idea to use an anti-spyware programmes to make sure your computer is clean

What you should do to protect yourself

Never reveal your password to anyone or write it down, unless you’re using an authorised online Third Party Provider. Additional information on accessing your account(s) through a TPP can be found here.
Use a unique and memorable password.
Do not use a password that could easily be guessed by someone else and change your password immediately if you suspect someone else could know it.
Make sure we have your correct telephone number in case we need to contact you about unusual activity on your account.
If your phone or tablet device has been stolen contact us on 0345 1200 805 as soon as possible to deregister the mobile application access and ensure your account is kept safe.
Log off from the YBS website or YBS app when you have completed your transaction.
Keep your computer updated with current anti-virus software, the latest browser versions and relevant security patches/updates and use a firewall to protect from hacking attacks.
Protect your phone or tablet by turning on automatic software updates and backing up the data that is important to you.
Do not send us any confidential account information via email.
Make sure we have your correct email address and check your inbox regularly for new messages.
Beware of phishing emails or texts. Do not respond to these messages or open any links or attachments within them. If you receive an email or text message you were not expecting, please contact us using a number you have verified as genuine. Click here for more information about phishing, smishing, quishing, and vishing scams.
If you or someone you know might be the victim of financial abuse, download UK Finance’s It's your money leaflet for information on what to do when it happens and the support you can get.

How we protect you online

An overview of the security measures we take to protect you

Online security - report an issue

You can report an online security issue using our form