Your Security Online
How we protect you
We work hard to protect your confidential information and privacy when dealing with us online. A secure login process and strong encryption are only the first steps in helping to prevent others from accessing your account information online.
Secure browsing experience
Extended Validation (EV) SSL Certificate
BMO is committed to keeping your information secure, and that requires us to continuously employ the latest security software to our sites. Our websites have been upgraded with extended validation (EV) SSL Certificates. EV SSL Certificates add another layer of protection for you while also providing a visual indicator to help identify our sites as legitimate. The web address appears green when using current browsers.
If you're using Internet Explorer 7 or Firefox 3.0.4 (or later versions), you will notice the following:
All or part of the URL address bar will turn green if you are on the legitimate BMO site, and will turn red and display a warning message if you are on a fraudulent site. (See Figure 1)
A gold padlock icon (indicating that you are on a secure site) will appear in the top right corner of the URL address toolbar (for Internet Explorer 7), and in the bottom right corner (for Firefox). (See Figure 1)
If you are not using the browsers listed above, you will not see the updated green address bar — however, your online session with us is just as secure as it has always been. To ensure you are using a legitimate BMO website you can check for the following:
A URL that starts with "https"; the "s" indicating that the site is secure and legitimate. (See Figure 2)
A small yellow or gold padlock displayed in the browser window somewhere, also indicating a secure site. The padlock can be double clicked to open a window outlining the certificate details for the site. (See Figure 2)
For more information about Extended Validation SSL Certificates, visit our list of frequently asked questions
Email encryption
Secure Email Encryption
BMO is committed to providing you with a secure banking environment. Our email encryption program scrambles your personal, financial or confidential information. It's transmitted and stored in a format accessible only to those with the correct password.
BMO will never send you an unsolicited email requesting your account or login information. The same rule of thumb applies to most online company practices (emails asking for account or login information are part of a scam called Phishing).
Avoid sending confidential or personal information through standard email. Email is unsuitable for confidential information.
Always be sure to logout of your session and clear your cache when you've finished. Simply closing your browser window leaves your account vulnerable to intrusion.
BMO uses a free Secure Email Service to protect confidential communications. The service is "by invite only" so first you will need to receive a secure email from us inviting you to join. Once received:
You'll open an attachment to arrive at our secure email service site.
Register with a username and password.
Read and respond to any secure email from now on by logging in to the website.
Compose emails by visiting the website https://securemail.bmofg.com.
Visit our SECURE email help page.
For further assistance, contact our Hong Kong or Singapore Office at:
Hong Kong
36th Floor, One Exchange Square
8 Connaught Place, Central
Hong Kong
pb.enquiries.hk@bmo.com
+852 3716-0888
Singapore
12 Marina Boulevard
#18-01 Marina Bay Financial Centre
Tower 3
Singapore 018982
pb.enquiries.sg@bmo.com
+65 6535-2323
Additional Security Measures
Firewalls to protect your information with us
We never send you messages asking you to provide us with personal or account information via email (see email scams and "phishing" for more information). Please keep in mind that email messages are not encrypted and therefore, subject to being intercepted and read by third parties.
BMO Financial Group is providing you with the information contained on these Security pages for your personal use only on the understanding that you agree that BMO Financial Group has no liability to you for providing you with this information, whether or not you rely on it. BMO Financial Group does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information. Links from this Website to other Websites, or references to products, services or publications other than those of BMO Financial Group, do not imply the endorsement or approval of such Websites, products, services or publications by BMO Financial Group.
