Online Safety
Provided you act honestly and follow our security advice, we guarantee your safety on this secured website. Our site security has been enhanced in line with industry best practice, but in order to protect yourself against internet fraud it is also important that you do what you can starting from taking note of our guidelines.
What we will do to protect you
UKStartups.co takes your privacy and security seriously We have implemented a number of measures to ensure your personal and business information is as secure as possible
• We will never ask you to disclose your whole password to us except when you specifically want to change it and you can only do this once you have logged into your account.
• All pages that display or collect personal information are encrypted. Look for the padlock symbol in your browser status bar
• A team of in-house security experts at the group level regularly tests our website
• We may contact you by telephone to check the details of changes you have requested online - it is important that you keep us informed if you change your number, and if possible provide more than one number on which you can be contacted
• We may use encrypted email to communicate confidential account information to you. All our emails are encrypted.
• We will verify your identity before disclosing confidential information over the telephone or re-setting your password
• Your session will time out after a period of keyboard inactivity
• Access to your online account will be locked out after three failed access attempts. You will need to call us or live chat to reset your account
What you should do to protect yourself
• Never reveal your password to anyone or write it down
• Do not use a password that could be easily guessed by someone else
• Change your password immediately if you suspect someone else could know it
• Log off from the Sikamaster Loans website when you have completed your transaction
• Keep your PC updated with current anti-virus software, the latest browser versions and relevant security patches/updates
• Use a firewall to protect your PC from hacking attacks
• Make sure we have your correct email address and check your inbox regularly for new messages
• Beware of 'phishing' emails. If you mistakenly respond to a phishing email, tell us about it straight away
Keeping your account safe
Sikamaster Loans will never ask you for your password or PIN by phone, by email, Skype or Social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc.).
Be sure that you only enter your login details on genuine Skrill site, the UKStartups.co mobile app and UKStartups.co gateways on merchant websites.
If you see anything suspicious, please contact UKStartups.co Support
Fraud Prevention
Phishing: This online scam is designed to steal personal financial information from customers through fake email messages intended to look like they are from a reputable business, frequently a bank. Some of the biggest and best-known banks in the country have had their websites impersonated. The emails typically warn recipients about a possible security breach and ask them to "confirm" their account information immediately. Unsuspecting customers who respond are directed to a website, where they are asked to provide confidential personal and financial information. This information is then collected and used by the criminal to gain access to the unsuspecting customer's accounts.
Spear Phishing: This occurs when a criminal, who already has some specific information regarding a customer's account, will email that customer directly requesting more precise information. The customer, under the impression that the communication is legitimate since personal information is already being provided in the fraudulent email, assumes that it is safe to provide the information requested.
Pretext Calling: Pretext calling involves obtaining your personal information under false pretenses. Criminals use a variety of tactics to get your personal information. A pretexter may call and ask you for your name, address, birth date, and social security number. When the pretexter has the information he wants, he uses it to call your financial institution and pretends to be you or someone with authorized access to your account.
Vishing: Known as "Voice Phishing"; this scam differs from regular phishing as the victim is provided a telephone number to call in order to update, unlock, or renew their account. When the telephone number is dialed, the user will then be prompted to submit information such as an account number, card number, social security number, etc.
Text Message Fraud: Identity thieves send text messages to your cell phone claiming to be from legitimate financial institutions. These messages often claim that a service of yours has expired and you are provided either a telephone number to call or an internet link to click on for renewal. When you respond, you are asked to provide your personal or financial information so that the identity thief can obtain this information from you.
Skimming: This involves the theft of credit card information used in an otherwise legitimate transaction such as at a restaurant or merchant. The thief steals your credit card number by using a special storage device when processing your card.
Pharming: A hacker will redirect a website's traffic to another, fraudulent website. In this instance, a user may open an unsolicited email attachment which launches a program that will run undetected on their computer. The next time the user believes they are visiting a legitimate website they may actually be redirected to a fraudulent site where a hacker can gain access to their private information.
Social Engineering: This often occurs in a workplace that houses private information. In this case, an intruder will call up and imitate someone of authority and gradually pull confidential information out of that employee. The employee grants the caller's request due to the belief that caller is who they say they are and as a result a complete stranger just obtained private information that they have no right to. This may also occur when a criminal "piggybacks" their way into a building or area they are not permitted access too.
Stealing: While many scams today occur online, thieves still attempt to steal wallets, purses, mail, etc. in hope to not only obtain quick monetary gain but to also obtain your personal identifying information. By stealing your mail, a thief may have access to items such as bank and credit card statements as well as pre-approved credit offers.
Changing Your Address: Thieves may divert your billing statements to a different location by completing a "change of address" form. Therefore, instead of you receiving documents at your residence containing your private information, a complete stranger obtains this information.
Jury Duty Fraud: Individuals identifying themselves as U.K. court employees have been contacting citizens by phone and advising them that they have been selected for jury duty. The victim is asked to verify their name, social security number and credit card number. If the request is refused the victim is threatened with fines.
Telemarketing Fraud: Thieves will call you soliciting products, services, charities, etc. and ask you to send money or provide your credit card information. When you send money to people you don't know you increase your chances of becoming a victim of telemarketing fraud.
Advance Fee Scheme: This type of fraud occurs when the victim pays money to someone in anticipation of receiving something of greater value, such as a loan, investment, or gift, then receives little or nothing in return.
"419" Fraud: This type of mail fraud is an advance fee scheme in which a letter, mailed from some West African Country and more recently Asia as well, offers the recipient the "opportunity" to share in a substantial cash reward that the author is trying to transfer illegally out of his country. The author urges the recipient to send money in several installments with the lure of a reward later one. These letters have also been received via email.
Letter of Credit Fraud: Legitimate letters of credit are never sold or offered as investments. Some criminals attempt to offer a letter of credit as an investment wherein the investor is promised huge interest rates of 100 to 300 percent on their return. Such investment "opportunities" do not exist.
Prime Bank Note Fraud: International criminals sometimes offer an investment scheme that offers extremely high yields in a relatively short period of time. The purpose of these schemes is to encourage the victim to send money to a foreign bank where it is eventually transferred to an off-shore account that is in control of the criminal.
Internet Auction Fraud: Many of these cases involve straightforward scams where consumers allegedly "won" the bid for merchandise through an Internet auction Web site, sent in their money, but never received the merchandise.
Dumpster Diving: Criminals "dive" through trash cans, dumpsters, etc. in an attempt to find paper documents that contain your personal identifying information.
If you believe you have been victimized by identity theft, we can help, contact us online.