Security

Your security is important to us. Please read through this section, as it contains important information and advice.

If you think you have been the victim of fraud or that someone else has access to any of your Security Details, you should contact our Members Services Department immediately on +44 20 7222 2511.

Protecting your computer

Whether or not you use our online service, it is extremely important that you protect your computer from unauthorised access.

As a minimum precaution we recommend that you always install the security patches or upgrades for your software, browser and operating system which are recommended by your computer supplier. In addition, you should install anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewall software on your computer and ensure it is kept up to date.

No security programme provides absolute protection. Dentists' Provident in no way guarantees that by installing the software recommended, your computer will be completely secure and we are not liable for any loss or damage that you may suffer.

Protecting your identity

Identity theft occurs when someone obtains your personal information and uses it to steal or commit fraud in your name. The simplest way to protect yourself from identity theft is to destroy all documents which contain your personal details as soon as you no longer need them.

Be suspicious of anyone asking for your personal details. If you are unsure about a telephone call you receive from us you should call us back on our published number before giving the caller any security details.

Never include all of your personal details, and especially your membership details, in an open e-mail to us or to anyone else.

Please keep us up to date with any changes to your personal details, for example if you move house or change your email address.

You must let us know immediately if you think you have been the victim of a fraud or that someone else has access to any of your login details.

E-mail scams (Phishing)

E-mail scams try to trick you into giving away your security details by asking you to update or enter your confidential details on a fraudulent web page. These scams often involve an e-mail with a link to a web page that may look genuine. You should be suspicious of any e-mail or website that asks you for personal information.

Although we may send you e-mails from time to time we will never ask you to update your details by email and we will never ask you for your complete PIN.

Once you have completed the registration process, you should always login to our Online Services by typing the address of our website into your browser.

Please try to visit our website regularly to become familiar with our style and content. You can check our security certificate for re-assurance by clicking on the padlock symbol at the bottom of the login page.

What to do if you receive a suspicious email

If you receive a suspicious email purporting to be from us, do not respond to it and do not follow any links in the email. Please contact us immediately on +44 207 222 2511.

Looking after your Security Details

You must keep your user name and PIN secure. Never let anyone else know your login information or write it down.

Do not enter your login information on any web page except ours.

Never give your PIN over the phone; do not store your login information on your computer even if it is password protected, and do not leave your computer unattended when you are logged on to our website.

Do not login to our online system from a computer you do not control or which is available for public use.

Always log out of our online system when you have finished to ensure you close your connection to the service.

Change your PIN regularly and do not use obvious combinations such as your date of birth or phone number.

Let us know immediately if you think someone else has access to any of your Security Details.

If your login details are entered incorrectly three times we will temporarily block your access to our online system. 

We only use secure pages for our Online Services so any information you type in is encrypted. You can quickly identify a secure page because the page name will begin with https and a padlock symbol will appear at the foot of the page. If you click on the padlock you will be able to see the details of our security certification, which is issued by Verisign.