Security FAQs

We may use your information to make further enquiries about you, including checks to combat fraud. We do not sell your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes. For more information, please read our privacy and security policy, which explains how we deal with the personal information you provide us.

We appreciate that when you open an account and share your data with us, you trust us to handle your information with care. We're committed to protecting the privacy of all personal information we obtain from you and fully comply with the standards introduced by data protection laws, including the Personal Data Protection Act 2012 (PDPA) and the Personal Data Protection Regulations 2014.

We adopt industry and information security best practices to protect your personal information, including encrypting data during transmission, strong authentication mechanisms, cybersecurity processes and secure access to machines and data. We also train our employees who handle personal information to respect the confidentiality of customer data and the privacy of individuals. In keeping with our commitment to being transparent about how we use your data and ensuring it's safe, please view our privacy policy.

Two-factor authentication, or 2FA, involves receiving a one-time password (OTP) from your bank, and entering that OTP once prompted when you log into your account or make an online payment.

You can receive OTPs through a mobile app, which typically involves scanning a QR code, or by SMS. Should both methods fail or be unavailable, we can provide OTPs over the phone.

Once you've switched on 2FA for your account, it will become a mandatory step for withdrawals. You can also enable 2FA for the login process, which provides extra security when you access your account through our online trading platform and mobile app.

Remain vigilant to security threats when online, and report anything that you feel may be suspicious. You can reach us by email at clientmanagement@cmcmarkets.co.uk or by telephone on +44 (0)20 3003 8588.

​Follow these tips to stay safe:

• Think and check before clicking on links in emails and text messages.
• Be wary of suspicious emails – contact us to verify if any emails you’re unsure about, such as unusual or unexpected payment instructions, are legitimate.
• Don’t ignore security warnings on your browser – this may mean the site is fake or being intercepted.
• Create safe passwords – to learn more, visit our fraud awareness page.
• Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA).
• Use trusted mobile apps and lock your device when you’re not using it.
• Keep your software and operating system up to date, and turn on automatic updates to keep your security features up to date.

If you believe you may have been a victim of online fraud, you’re advised to make a report to Action Fraud by speaking directly to their specialist advisers at +44 (0)300 123 2040. For more information, please visit actionfraud.police.uk.

When reporting, it’s helpful to have the following available:

• Details of the bank account/s you transferred money to, as well as the dates and sums involved
• The details of social media accounts you have communicated with
• Any email address or telephone number you’ve had communication from about the scam
• Screenshots of conversations or social media profiles, as these are quickly shut down when the fraudsters move on

Please note that CMC Markets employees will never:

• Offer access to products and services to anyone through social media channels
• Seek to arrange payments of any sort through social media channels
• Share account updates or balances through personal texts or direct messages on social media

You may receive an alert if the password you use to access your account is found in a data leak. Your password could appear in a data leak if a company with which you have an online account unintentionally releases or exposes customer information, perhaps due to human error or a hacking incident. If your password appears in a data leak, criminals may be able to gain access to the accounts where you use that password.

If we inform you that your password may have been compromised, please change your password immediately.

If you receive such a message, it does not indicate that there has been a breach of CMC Markets’ systems or data. Rather, it is intended to help you protect your account from unauthorised access.

We store your password and other personal details securely, using industry-strength data protection and encryption technology. Additionally, we recommend that you use a strong, hard-to-guess password, create a unique password for your CMC Markets account, avoid reusing passwords across multiple websites, and update your password regularly.