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SiteKey

What is SiteKey?

SiteKey is a new, award-winning online security feature that is now a standard part of your Online Banking logon experience. As part of our ongoing commitment to help protect you against identify theft and fraud, SiteKey is a 2-step identification system that helps reassure you that you’re at our authentic Online Banking website (i.e., you know it’s us), while preventing unauthorised access to your accounts (i.e., we know it’s you). SiteKey consists of 3 parts: an image, an image title and 3 challenge questions that are secrets between you and us. All 3 parts help protect you, whether you're logging on to Online Banking from your own computer, or from somewhere else (such as work or a public location).

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Why do I need SiteKey?

SiteKey helps to ensure your information is secure by protecting you from fraud and identity theft in 2 ways. First, it helps you recognise that you're at our authentic Online Banking site, rather than at a phony look-alike site. Secondly, you can ensure that we also recognise you as the true owner of your account because SiteKey helps us verify your identity with your chosen image and image description. As an added precaution, we may ask you one of your challenge questions as an additional line of defence against unauthorised access to your accounts.

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How does SiteKey work?

SiteKey is made up of 3 parts: an image, an image title and 3 challenge questions that no one else knows. When you're at your own computer, enter your user name. Then, click the Log On button and we'll show your secret SiteKey image and image title, which verifies that you're at our authentic Online Banking site. You know it's safe to enter your password.
As an added precaution, we may ask one of your challenge questions to verify your identity. When you answer correctly, the secret SiteKey image title and image appears. You know it's safe to enter your password and log on, and we know that it's really you.

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How do I sign up for SiteKey?

Signing up for and using SiteKey is quick and easy. You simply choose a SiteKey image, image title, and 3 challenge questions. You have 2 ways of signing up for SiteKey at the time you enrol in Online Banking or, if you are already enrolled, the next time you log on you will be prompted to set up your SiteKey image, image title and 3 challenge questions.

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Has my password changed?

No. The SiteKey image, image title and 3 challenge questions and answers you provide are separate from your regular Online Banking logon password.

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Does SiteKey use cookies?

One of the ways we recognise you is by placing a cookie on your computer when you sign up for our SiteKey service. The cookie contains a randomly generated, unique number used as an identifier. When you log on after that, your web browser sends us this cookie, which lets us know that you're using your own computer. The cookie is visible only to our authentic Online Banking site and does not contain any personal information. You can also access Online Banking from any number of devices and have the same SiteKey protections.
Please note that, if you use any anti-virus cleaning packages on your computer, you may need to reset your Sitekey cookie.

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What is a cookie?

A cookie is a file created by an internet site to store information on your computer, such as your preferences when visiting that site. Think of a cookie as an identification card that's uniquely yours. Its job is to notify the site when you've returned. Cookies tell us how often you visit pages, which helps us find out what information interests you. In this way, we can give you more of the content you like and less of the content you don't.

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Does SiteKey Use Flash objects?

Yes, if you have Macromedia Flash installed on your computer, we will use Macromedia Flash objects to identify your computer in the event that we can't identify your cookies. By using Flash objects as a backup method for recognising you as a valid user, we ensure that your logon experience is as quick and convenient as possible.

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What is a Flash object?

Macromedia Flash objects store data on your computer in much the same way that cookeis do. If you have Macromedia Flash installed, we can use Flash objects to recognise your computer in the event that you erase all your cookies. That way, even if we can't identify you by your cookies, we can identify you as a valid user without having to ask you one of your SiteKey challenge questions.

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How is SiteKey more secure?

SiteKey helps you know that you are at our authentic Online Banking site before you enter your password. In addition, we know it's really you logging on because we recognise your computer or we may ask you a challenge question to verify your identity.

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What if someone steals my password? How will SiteKey prevent them from accessing my account?

When an unauthorised person tries to log on from another computer, we will recognise that they're using a different computer, and so we'll ask one of your challenge questions. They won't know the answer and will not be able to log on to your account.

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Why do I need to set up challenge questions?

Challenge questions help prevent unauthorised people from getting access to your Online Banking information. That way, even if they've stolen your user name and password, they won't know the answer to the secret question.

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What keeps somebody from stealing my SiteKey image and image title?

After you click the Log On button, we only show your SiteKey image and image title automatically if you log on from a computer we recognise as your computer. If you're at a different computer, we may ask one of your challenge questions before showing the image.

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When I enter my user name, it asks me a question instead of showing my SiteKey image. Why?

This is to help verify that it's really you logging on. We may ask a challenge question when you're logging on from a computer we don't recognise. Your correct answer confirms that it's really you.

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How do I know I'm at the genuine Online Banking site?

SiteKey will help you confirm it. Type the correct address (www.mbna.co.uk) directly into your web browser. When you arrive at the site and enter your user name, click the Log On button, and your secret SiteKey image and image title will appear. That's confirmation that you're at the bank's legitimate website. If you do not see your secret image and image title, and are not asked your secret challenge question, do not enter your password. Since this may represent a fraudulent website, please report this immediately to us at emailfraud@mbna.com.

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How do you know that I'm logging on from my own computer?

When you sign up for our SiteKey service, we put a secure cookie on your computer. The cookie contains a randomly generated, unique number used as an identifier. When you log on after that, your web browser sends us this cookie, which lets us know that you're using your own computer. The cookie is visible only to our authentic Online Banking site and does not contain any personal information. You can also access Online Banking from any number of computers and have the same SiteKey protections.

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Can I access Online Banking from multiple devices?

Yes, you can access Online Banking from any number of computers and have the same SiteKey protections. If you log on from a computer that you haven't used for Online Banking before, you may need to answer one of your challenge questions to verify that it's really you.

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I share my computer with someone who also uses Online Banking. Can both of us still log on from this computer?

Yes. You can use the same computer to log on to your individual Online Banking accounts safely; you won't see each other's information. There's no limit to how many people can log on to Online Banking from the same computer. Just remember not to share your user name, password or answers to your challenge questions.

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Can I change my SiteKey image, image title, and challenge questions?

Yes, you can Change SiteKey Image, image title and challenge questions at any time. We will never ask you to change your SiteKey information, and we will never change it for you. To make the change, log on to Online Banking and select “My Profile”. Then click on either the “Change your SiteKey” link or “Change SiteKey Challenge Questions” link.

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Is there a fee for using the SiteKey service?

SiteKey is free. It's just one more way we're working with you to safeguard you from identity theft and fraud.

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