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Bank of Scotland Secure Frequently Asked Questions
For information on Bank of Scotland Secure, use the links below to go to specific topics, or scroll down the page to review the full list of commonly asked questions and answers.
- General questions
- Enrolment
- Activation During Shopping
- Shopping with Bank of Scotland Secure
- The Personal Account Manager
General questions
- What is Bank of Scotland Secure?
- How does Bank of Scotland Secure work?
- How does Bank of Scotland Secure protect me?
- Will I need to apply for a new card to use Bank of Scotland Secure?
- When will my account be charged for Bank of Scotland Secure purchases?
- Where can I buy with Bank of Scotland Secure?
- Do I have to pay for Bank of Scotland Secure?
- What are the system requirements for Bank of Scotland Secure?
- What happens when my Bank of Scotland debit card expires?
- What happens if I cancel or lose my Bank of Scotland debit card and then get a new one with a different account number?
- Can I set my computer to reject cookies?
What is Bank of Scotland Secure?
Bank of Scotland Secure is a new service provided by Bank of Scotland and certified by Visa International, offering secure Internet shopping, using your preferred form of Internet payment - the debit card. Bank of Scotland Secure lets you add a personal password to your existing Bank of Scotland Visa debit card, getting added security and the reassurance that only you can use your Bank of Scotland Visa debit card online. Bank of Scotland Secure is a part of Visa's global Verified by Visa scheme.
How does Bank of Scotland Secure work?
When you purchase online at a participating retailer, Bank of Scotland Secure issues a receipt at the end of the checkout process. The receipt includes details of your current purchase, such as site name, purchase amount and date. You sign the receipt by entering your personal Bank of Scotland Secure password, then click "Submit" to proceed with the purchase.
How does Bank of Scotland Secure protect me?
With Bank of Scotland Secure only you can sign your receipt and approve a purchase because only you know your personal Bank of Scotland Secure password and message.
Will I need to apply for a new card to use Bank of Scotland Secure?
No. All existing Bank of Scotland Visa debit cards are enabled for purchasing using Bank of Scotland Secure.
When will my account be charged for Bank of Scotland Secure purchases?
There will be no change to your existing billing arrangements.
Where can I buy with Bank of Scotland Secure?
Many retailers are already a part of Verified by Visa, and more retailers are signing up! A list of participating online retailers can be viewed on the Visa Website.
Do I have to pay for Bank of Scotland Secure?
No. Bank of Scotland is offering Bank of Scotland Secure free of charge!
What are the system requirements for Bank of Scotland Secure?
- Internet Explorer (Windows) v7.0 and v6.0
- Firefox version v2.0 and v1.5
- Safari (Apple Mac) v2.0.4 (419.3) and v1.3.2 (312.6)
What happens when my Bank of Scotland debit card expires?
When you are re-issued a new Bank of Scotland Visa debit card, the Bank of Scotland Secure service is automatically updated with the new card information. You do not need to re-enrol in order to continue using the Bank of Scotland Secure service.
What happens if I cancel or lose my Bank of Scotland debit card and then get a new one with a different account number?
You will need to enrol the new card for the Bank of Scotland Secure service.
Can I set my computer to reject cookies?
Yes. Both Netscape and Internet Explorer provide the means to alert you when a cookie will be placed on your computer and give you the opportunity to accept all, some or none of them. We do not recommend disabling cookies on our website because doing so may limit the ways in which we can serve you online. We use cookies to enable our computers to recognise you and facilitate your use of the website.
- What is enrolment and how do I do it?
- What cards can I enrol with Bank of Scotland Secure and when?
- How many cards can I enrol with Bank of Scotland Secure?
- Can I use the same password for all of my Bank of Scotland Visa cards?
- Can joint account cardholders on an account use the same password or should they enrol for Bank of Scotland Secure separately?
- Why do I have to supply personal information during enrolment?
- Why am I required to supply my email during enrolment?
- What is a Personal Message?
- What is the Card Security Code?
- What do I do if I have problems during the enrolment process?
What is enrolment and how do I do it?
You need to enrol your Bank of Scotland Visa debit card for the Bank of Scotland Secure service. During enrolment you set up your password and Personal Message. You also set up a login name so that you can use the Bank of Scotland Secure Personal Account Manager facility. You will also need to review and accept the Bank of Scotland Secure terms and conditions. You will be invited to enrol, if you have not already done so, when you purchase at a Verified by Visa retailer.
What cards can I enrol with Bank of Scotland Secure and when?
Bank of Scotland Secure covers all Bank of Scotland Visa cards.
How many cards can I enrol with Bank of Scotland Secure?
You can enrol any number of Bank of Scotland Visa debit cards. You can enrol all of your Bank of Scotland Visa debit cards at one time.
Can I use the same password for all of my Bank of Scotland Visa cards?
Yes. When you enrol with Bank of Scotland Secure you will select a login and a password. These will be valid for any of the cards you have enrolled. You must select a password between 6-20 characters, which includes at least one digit and one letter. You may not use passwords that you have used previously for Bank of Scotland Secure. We recommend that you select a password that will be easy for you to remember and difficult for others to guess.
Can joint account cardholders on an account use the same password or should they enrol for Bank of Scotland Secure separately?
Both cardholders can enrol with Bank of Scotland Secure. Joint account customers can not use the same login and password and must enrol separately.
Why do I have to supply personal information during enrolment?
The personal information you are supplying is used as a security measure to make sure you are the real cardholder. The information you supply is verified against the data stored in the Bank of Scotland database. This same information will also be used in case you forget your Bank of Scotland Secure password and need to re-enrol.
Why am I required to supply my email during enrolment?
Your email will only be used for important notifications from Bank of Scotland, and in full accordance with the privacy policy and the terms of use.
The Personal Message is a short phrase (6-30 characters long) that you set up during enrolment. This text should be personal, however not secret. Each time a Bank of Scotland Secure receipt is presented to you by Bank of Scotland you should look for the Personal Message - it proves it is a genuine Bank of Scotland receipt. Please note - you cannot select a Personal Message that will be identical to the password. Your password must be kept secret, while the Personal Message is openly displayed to you on the receipt during the purchase authentication process.
What is the Card Security Code?
The Card Security Code is the last three digits that appear on the back of your card, on the top right hand corner of the signature panel. It is requested as an extra security measure to make sure you are in the possession of the card you are enrolling.
What do I do if I have problems during the enrolment process?
The enrolment process is very straightforward. But, in the unlikely case you experience difficulties, the enrolment website has on-line information available to help you. In the event that you have a problem which you still cannot resolve then please call the Bank of Scotland help desk who will be pleased to assist you. The number is on the back of your debit card.
- What is the Bank of Scotland Secure service?
- What is 'Activation During Shopping'?
- I activated Bank of Scotland Secure, and now I have received an email message saying I should personalise my account online. What does that mean?
- What is the Login Name?
- What is a Personal Message?
- I activated Bank of Scotland Secure. Can I activate it for additional cards?
What is the Bank of Scotland Secure service?
Bank of Scotland Secure is a service offered by Bank of Scotland in partnership with Visa. Bank of Scotland Secure provides a way to password-protect debit card usage on the Internet. Simply register your debit card and choose a password. Your password is required when you use your card to make Internet purchases at participating merchants. The requirement of your password prevents unauthorised usage of your card on the Internet, giving you more confidence about making secure purchases online.
What is 'Activation During Shopping'?
As a Bank of Scotland customer, we offer you the opportunity to activate Bank of Scotland Secure when you shop at participating merchants. The activation process is simple and quick - all you have to do is enter a few identifying pieces of information, and select the personal password you will be using in your future purchases.
Please make sure you read and agree to the terms of use, as activating the service indicates you have done so. Note that you may not be offered the opportunity to activate the service online if you had already registered your card to the service in the past.
I activated Bank of Scotland Secure, and now I have received an email message saying I should personalise my account online. What does that mean?
When you activate Bank of Scotland Secure during shopping, you receive a pre-assigned login name and Personal Message. When you personalise your account you can select a different login name and Personal Message.
When you activate Bank of Scotland Secure during shopping, a pre-assigned login name that Bank of Scotland had selected for you is displayed. The login name is based on your first and last name. You will need this login name in your future purchases, and also in order to access your personal account manager. After activating Bank of Scotland Secure you receive an email message with a link. You can use this link to go online and change your login name.
When you activate Bank of Scotland Secure during shopping, a pre-assigned Personal Message that Bank of Scotland had selected for you is displayed. When you pay online, always look for your Personal Message before you enter your password to ensure that you're using the authentic Bank of Scotland Secure service. After activating Bank of Scotland Secure you receive an e-mail message with a link. We recommend that you click on this link and create a new, truly Personal Message. Please note that your Personal Message must not be similar to your password.
I activated Bank of Scotland Secure. Can I activate it for additional cards?
After you activate Bank of Scotland Secure for one card, you are welcome to add to the service any of your Bank of Scotland debit cards. This includes Bank of Scotland branded cards as well as our partner cards, for example Halifax card. To activate additional accounts, click here.
Shopping with Bank of Scotland Secure
- How do I buy with Bank of Scotland Secure?
- Where can I buy with Bank of Scotland Secure?
- How soon after completing my online enrolment can I begin to use the Bank of Scotland Secure service to make online purchases?
- What should I do if I purchase online but the Bank of Scotland Secure receipt does not appear?
- Can I purchase at retailers that do not participate in the Bank of Scotland Secure scheme?
- Where can I view the history of my Bank of Scotland Secure purchases?
- I forgot my password. What should I do?
- I don't see my Personal Message on the receipt. What should I do?
How do I buy with Bank of Scotland Secure?
When you purchase online at a participating retailer, Bank of Scotland Secure issues a pop-up electronic receipt window at the end of the checkout process. The receipt includes details of your current purchase, such as site name, purchase amount and date. You check that the receipt contains your Personal Message, and then sign the receipt by entering your password, and click "Submit" to proceed with the purchase. When you shop online with your Bank of Scotland Visa debit card, the Bank of Scotland Secure service will automatically be active at participating online stores. For more information on shopping with Bank of Scotland Secure, you can also view our demonstration.
Where can I buy with Bank of Scotland Secure?
Many on-line retailers are already a part of the Verified by Visa scheme, and more retailers are signing up! A list of participating online retailer sites can be found on the Visa Website.
How soon after completing my online enrolment can I begin to use the Bank of Scotland Secure service to make online purchases?
You can start to use the Bank of Scotland Secure service immediately after you complete the enrolment process.
What should I do if I purchase online but the Bank of Scotland Secure receipt does not appear?
First, check to make sure that the card you used for the purchase is one that you have enrolled with the Bank of Scotland Secure service. Second, determine whether the retailer is a participating Verified by Visa retailer. If the retailer is participating and you are using the right card, contact the retailer's customer service centre for help.
Can I purchase at retailers that do not participate in the Bank of Scotland Secure scheme?
Yes. However you will not be able to use Bank of Scotland Secure. To complete the purchase at such retailers, simply follow the regular checkout process.
Where can I view the history of my Bank of Scotland Secure purchases?
You can view your receipt history by logging in to the Personal Account Manager.
I forgot my password. What should I do?
You must re-set your password by clicking the 'forgot your password?' link on the purchase receipt or the Personal Account Manager login page. You will need to provide the same personal information as you did when you enrolled the card for Bank of Scotland Secure. If you enter the wrong password several times your Bank of Scotland Secure login will be locked. You can unlock it at any time by re-setting your password as above.
I don't see my Personal Message on the receipt. What should I do?
Always look for your Personal Message before signing the receipt. If your Personal Message does not appear on the receipt, please do not sign it with your password, call the Bank of Scotland help desk. The number is on the back of your debit card.
What is the Personal Account Manager?
Do I need to write down the details of my online purchases?
I am trying to login to the Personal Account Manager but I forgot my password. What should I do?
How do I change my Personal Message?
How do I update the email address?
What is the Personal Account Manager?
The Personal Account Manager is a special service offered by Bank of Scotland, which helps you trace the receipts of your Bank of Scotland Secure purchases. In addition, it enables you to change your account settings: change your email address, password, and Personal Message.
Do I need to write down the details of my online purchases?
No. You do not need to write down details of your online purchases. When using Bank of Scotland Secure you do not need to record or even type the purchase details anywhere. Reviewing your previous receipts online is a convenient option through the Personal Account Manager feature.
I am trying to login to the Personal Account Manager but I forgot my password. What should I do?
If you forgot your password, click on the "Forgot your password?" link on the login page. You will need to provide the same personal information as you did when you enrolled the card for Bank of Scotland Secure. If you enter the wrong password several times your Bank of Scotland Secure login will be locked. You can unlock it at any time by re-setting your password as above.
In the Personal Account Manager, access "Manage Your Profile", and select "Change your password". You will be required to enter the old password, select a new password and retype it for verification. You must select a password between 6-20 characters, which includes at least one digit and one letter. You may not use passwords that you have used for Bank of Scotland Secure in the past. We recommend that you select a password that will be easy for you to remember and difficult for others to guess.
How do I change my Personal Message?
In the Personal Account Manager, access "Manage Your Profile", and select "Change your Personal Message". Your old Personal Message will be presented, and you will be able to select a new Personal Message (6-30 characters long). Please note that your Personal Message must not resemble your password.
How do I update the email address?
Your email address is used for important notifications from Bank of Scotland. It is therefore important that you keep the email address in the Bank of Scotland Secure service updated. In the Personal Account Manager, access "Manage Your Profile", and select "Update your email". Your old email will be presented, and you will be able to enter a new one.
I have been using Bank of Scotland Secure for a while and I would like to add another card to the service. What should I do?
You can either access the regular enrolment, or add another card through the Personal Account Manager: access "Manage Your Profile", and select "Enrol additional card(s)".
