Security Frequently Asked Questions

If you are a TD Banknorth customer and believe you are a victim of identity theft, immediately contact the TD Banknorth Phishing and Identity Theft Hotline at 800-893-8554. Read more about Reporting Identity Theft.

Most accounts are compromised by responding to a phishing e-mail, keylogger or Trojan Horse virus that was installed on your PC through a fraudulent e-mail or possibly by someone with whom you may have shared your user name and password. To prevent this from happening, we recommend the following actions:

• Install anti-virus software on your computer.
• Update your virus definitions regularly.
• Use good judgment before opening strange or unexpected e-mail attachments and/or files.
• Back up your data.

Phishing (pronounced "fishing") is an electronic scam that attempts to obtain confidential personal or financial information from its target. It takes the form of a fake message, usually an e-mail, which appears to be from a financial institution or service provider. The message usually includes the company name, logo and a link to a website which instructs you to update your account information by providing your Social Security number, bank account number, PIN, password, birth date, etc. with a dire warning if action isn't taken. A phisher can then use your personal information to commit fraud. Learn more about phishing and how to protect yourself.

A keylogger is a computer program that logs each keystroke a user types on a keyboard and saves this data into a file or transfers it via the Internet to a pre-determined remote host. It also can capture screenshots of the user activity, log-in passwords, record online chat conversations or take different actions in order to find out what a user is doing. Often downloaded inadvertently by users clicking on links in fraudulent e-mails, keyloggers pose the most dangerous threat to user privacy.

Trojan Horse programs (including Remote Access Trojans or RATS) can be hidden in games, videos, music files or programs downloaded from the Internet or e-mail that install a malicious program on the target's computer. Many anti-virus programs will detect and remove Trojan Horse programs, but must be regularly updated to be effective.

No. Regular e-mail is not secure. Never e-mail personal financial information such as account numbers or your Social Security number. However, you can use the secure message feature within our online banking product.

No. TD Banknorth will never ask for your password. We have alternative methods of verifying your identity.

The number and sophistication of phishing scams sent out to customers is continuing to increase dramatically. As a general rule you should be very careful about giving out your personal information over the Internet.

• Be suspicious of any e-mail with urgent requests for personal financial information.
• Don't click the links in an e-mail, instant message or chat if you suspect the message might not be authentic or you don't recognize the sender or user's address.
• Avoid filling out forms in e-mail messages for personal financial information.
• Always ensure that you're using a secure website when submitting credit card or other sensitive information via your web browser.
• Remember not all scam sites will try to show the "https://" and/or the security lock. Get in the habit of looking at the address line as well.
• Regularly log on to your online accounts and check your bank, credit and debit card statements to ensure that all transactions are legitimate.
• Ensure that your browser is up-to-date and security patches have been applied.
• Always report "phishing" or "spoofed" e-mails.

Learn more about how to protect yourself.

You can contact the TD Banknorth Phishing and Identity Theft Hotline at 800-893-8554 or e-mail us at CustomerSecure@TDBanknorth.com.

TD Banknorth is committed to providing you with a secure online experience that protects your confidential information. Read more about Our Online Security Commitment.

There are many websites that provide helpful information. View the Identity Protection Resources area of our Security Center for a list of resources.