Practical guides
Find the guidance you need
Browse by topic or search for the situation you are facing.
19 guides available
Multi-factor authentication and passkeys
Add another barrier to account theft and prepare a safe way back in if you lose your phone.
Passwords, passphrases and password managers
Create unique sign-ins you can manage, without relying on short passwords or repeated patterns.
Protect your number from SIM-swap fraud
Understand sudden loss of mobile service and act quickly to protect mobile money and account recovery.
Keep software and devices updated
Close known security gaps in your phone, computer, browser, apps and connected devices.
Back up and restore your important files
Prepare for a lost phone, accidental deletion, hardware failure or ransomware with recoverable copies.
Secure home Wi-Fi and use public networks safely
Protect your router, separate connected devices and avoid traps on shared Wi-Fi.
Recognise phishing, impersonation and online scams
Check unexpected messages, job offers, payment requests and convincing AI-generated impersonation.
Shop online and make payments safely
Check sellers, payment details and delivery claims before parting with money or personal information.
Help children and family stay safe online
Build supportive habits around games, messaging, privacy, unwanted contact and online abuse.
Secure your email and recover a compromised account
Protect the inbox that receives your reset links, statements and sensitive conversations.
Protect your social media and messaging accounts
Secure WhatsApp and other social accounts, reduce impersonation and respond to account takeover.
Protect your phone and prepare for loss or theft
Secure apps, permissions and recovery before your phone is lost, borrowed or replaced.
Avoid malware and respond to suspicious activity
Recognise risky downloads, fake technical support and the steps to take when a device may be infected.
If a device is lost or stolen
Act quickly to lock a missing phone or laptop, protect your accounts and your SIM, and report it.
Use cyber cafés and shared computers safely
Sign in carefully on a cyber café or shared computer, leave no trace and protect your accounts afterwards.
Protect mobile money and online banking
Check payment prompts, keep PINs private and respond quickly to suspected financial fraud.
Protect your privacy and personal information
Share less sensitive information, manage app access and respond if your details are exposed.
Respond when your data is leaked in a breach
Take practical steps after a company loses your data, and prepare for the scams that follow a breach.
Avoid romance, investment and job scams
Recognise long-game scams that build trust before asking for money, crypto, forex deposits or job fees.
Start with five everyday habits
Secure your main email. It can reset the passwords for many other accounts. Use a unique password and turn on multi-factor authentication.
Keep your devices updated. Enable automatic security updates on your phone, computer, browser and apps.
Pause before paying or sharing. Verify an unexpected request through a contact you already trust, even when it appears to come from family, your bank or a government office.
Keep a separate backup. Save a recoverable copy of important documents, business records and family photos.
Plan how to recover. Check your recovery contacts, store recovery codes safely and know how to contact your bank and mobile network.
Has something already happened?
If money or a phone number is at risk, contact your bank or mobile-money provider immediately through its official app, website or service centre. From a trusted device, secure your email and any affected accounts. Keep transaction references, message details and a short timeline.
Use our incident reporting guidance to prepare the details, and check NC4 contact information for available support. Check the form's intake notice before submitting; a preview form does not lodge a report. Never include passwords, PINs, one-time codes or full payment-card details in a report.
Make this a regular check-in
Review account access and backups after changing your phone, losing a device or receiving a security alert. Help a relative do the same. You do not need to change every setting at once: begin with your main email, your phone and the account that handles your money.
Useful references
Here to help
Something doesn’t look right?
Prepare an incident report with the details that matter.