We work hard to protect your confidential information and privacy online. A secure login process and strong encryption are only the first steps in helping to prevent anyone from accessing your account information online. We take privacy of personal information extremely seriously.

We have developed useful checklists to inform you about the safeguards we have in place, and to help you increase your own online security.

Security measures on our side, so you can use our website with confidence.

Use strong encryption technology to help ensure that data passing between your PC and our web server is secure, therefore you must have a browser that supports this level of encryption (in technical jargon: 128 bit encryption)

Use digital certificates issued by trusted third companies to let you know that our site is secure and genuine

Use smart and powerful firewalls, to protect your account information

Never send you messages asking you to provide us with personal or account information via email. Please keep in mind that email messages are insecure and not encrypted.

Security measures you can take to protect your confidential information when you use the internet.

1. For FundScrip Website Security

DOs

Always verify the web site name ("www.fundscrip.com") in the "Address" (Internet Explorer) or "Location" (Netscape) place at the top of the browser

Keep your passwords/PINs (Personal Identification Numbers) safe. Do not divulge your passwords/PINs to anyone

Change your passwords regularly. Choose good PIN numbers that incorporate both numbers and letters, that are not easy for others to guess

Make sure nobody watches while you are entering a password/PIN

All of the above points are even more important if you use a computer in a public place - such as public libraries, internet cafes

DON'Ts

Use software that "memorizes" passwords. Yes, we know, it's convenient, however, somebody else might be able to use them too

Leave your computer while logged in

Send confidential information through email as it is NOT a secure method of contact

2. For General Computer Security

DOs

Use an up-to-date antivirus software. Nowadays, antivirus updates come out at least once a week

Consider using a personal firewall. A software-based firewall is suitable for personal use, and there are some free (and helpful!) ones too!

Protect your computer, especially if you are using a cable modem or DSL connection by disabling file sharing in Windows products

Update the operating system and the browser with security patches on a regular basis. Check at least once a week the web sites for Microsoft's Windows O/S and Internet Explorer and Netscape for recently published security patches

Make sure you back up your data regularly

DON'Ts

Never send personal identification numbers or confidential information in response to unsolicited email

Never accept files or attachments when accessing websites, newsgroups or chat rooms, unless you are very sure of their authenticity

Don't Use:

• Any part of your name - first, last, or middle
• Your initials
• Your social security number
• Names of friends, family, or pets
• Birthdays
• Phone numbers or addresses
• Any other personal information that could be guessed
• Place names
• Words from the English dictionary
• Words from a foreign dictionary
• Your username or login name
• Your computer's name
• Repetition of the same letter
• Sequences of keyboard keys, such as "12345" or "qwerty"
• Any minor variation of the above, such as spelling backwards or appending a character to the end of your name

Do Use:

• Special characters (*!$+) mixed with letters and numbers
• Mixed upper- and lower-case letters - putting capitals in random locations throughout a password is effective
• Punctuation characters mixed with letters and numbers
• Nonsense words that are easy to pronounce but aren't in any dictionary
• Six or more characters

Hint: A good way to choose a secure but easily remembered password is to use the first character of each word in a phrase. For instance, "Asb*Mf" stands for "April showers bring May flowers"; the asterisk in the middle is included for extra security. (Don't use this password!)

Important: Change your password every month or two, and never give it out to anyone. If someone has learned your password, change it immediately. Choose a password you can remember so you don't have to write it down. Avoid letting people observe you typing your password.