Security

We try to think about the safety and security of your financial information even more than you do.

 

 

Client confidentiality has long been paramount at Brown Advisory.

As new internet-based risks emerge that threaten your privacy and data security, we are deploying a constantly evolving suite of countermeasures to protect you.

 

Confidentiality and Privacy

Brown Advisory takes the confidentiality of your personal information and the privacy of your account very seriously. Our commitment to safeguard your personal information goes beyond our legal obligation to process your transactions accurately and securely. Whether we serve you online, in person, on the telephone or by mail, the principles that guide the way in which we conduct business are built upon our core values of trust and integrity.

To protect your personal information from unauthorized access and use, we use security measures that comply with federal law. These measures include physical, electronic and procedural safeguards that are designed to protect your personal information, including various measures to protect such information while it is stored electronically. We train and consistently remind all employees to respect client privacy (including the identity of our clients) and to recognize the importance of the confidentiality of such information. Those who violate our privacy policy are subject to disciplinary action.

Brown Advisory strives to protect you and your accounts from identity theft. Our identity theft program is designed to identify relevant identity theft red flags, detect those red flags, respond appropriately to any red flags that are detected, and prevent and mitigate identity theft. Brown Advisory’s identity theft policies, procedures and internal controls are reviewed periodically and updated as necessary to ensure that they account for changes both in regulations and in our business.

To identify relevant identity theft red flags, Brown Advisory considers general factors, such as types of client accounts and the methods by which such accounts can be opened or accessed. Detection of red flags is based on the methods of obtaining information regarding clients or transactions and verifying such information. Brown Advisory has in place policies, procedures and practices with respect to confidentiality, safeguarding of client information and system controls that, among other purposes, are designed to prevent and mitigate identity theft. However, even the most well-designed controls cannot guarantee complete protection. The best protection against identify theft is vigilance and care by both Brown Advisory and clients.

Upon detecting an incident of actual or attempted identity theft, we will notify you and may report the incident to relevant regulatory or law enforcement agencies, as appropriate. Brown Advisory’s senior management and board of directors receive reports on a periodic basis regarding issues pertaining to this program.

 

Information Technology Security

We employ strong protective measures to safeguard your personal and other information from unauthorized access or use. We are committed to maintaining security designed to protect our systems from malicious activity.

If you have reason to believe that your interaction with us has been compromised, please contact your Brown Advisory client service team for assistance.

In addition to Brown Advisory taking steps to protect clients in their interactions with us, your Brown Advisory client service team can offer helpful tips and tools to help you protect your personal data and enhance your information security generally.

 

 

 

How to Protect Yourself

We recommend that you follow these security measures to protect and help prevent potential misuse of personal information about you.


 

  • Protect and properly dispose of your account records.
  • Do not share account information, passwords, userIDs, PINs,code words or other confidential information with others.
  • Do not provide confidential information by telephone to unknown callers.
  • Do not provide confidential information online unless you initiate the contact, know the party with whom you are dealing, and provide the information through a secure channel.
  • Do not send sensitive information via unencrypted email.
  • When conducting business over the internet, always use a secure browser, exit online applications as soon as you finish using them, and make sure you keep your computer and software up to date with the latest security software.
  • Monitor your financial accounts often for suspicious activity.
  • Monitor your credit report for accuracy. By law, you are entitled to receive one free credit file disclosure every 12 months from each of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies. To learn more or request a copy of your credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call 1-877-322-8228.

 

 

Fraud and Identity Theft Assistance

If you believe you are a victim of fraud or identity theft, please contact your Brown Advisory client service team for assistance. This may include placing holds on your accounts or changing account number information. Additional measures you can take include:


 

  • Contact all financial services firms with which you maintain accounts for assistance, such as placing holds on your accounts.
  • Contact the Social Security Administration’s Fraud Hot line at 1-800-269-0271 to report fraudulent use of your identification information.
  • Report the incident as quickly as possible to all of the credit reporting agencies below:
    • Experian 1-888-397-3742
    • Equifax 1-800-525-6285
    • TransUnion 1-800-680-7289
    • File a police report in your local jurisdiction. Retain the report number and the name of the officer who took the report.
    • File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission(FTC)by contacting the FTC’s Identify Theft Hotline at 1-877-IDTHEFT.

 


Message-Based Scams

WhatsApp, the popular messaging app owned by Facebook, has more than two billion users worldwide. With this massive user base, it has become an attractive target for scammers and fraudsters. As a result, criminals increasingly use social media to build relationships with victims. Typically, fake accounts are created that appear (and claim) to be official accounts for an individual or organization.

Unfortunately, Brown Advisory has been used in these scams and we are aware of some WhatsApp groups that have been set up purporting to be employees of Brown Advisory offering investment advice.

You are encouraged to report the scam here: https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/ We are also happy to receive evidence of the scam (eg. screen shot of the WhatsApp group) so that we can try to have the accounts shut down.

You are also able to block and report the sender to WhatsApp via your app, as follows:

  1.   Open the chat with that phone number, then tap the phone number
  2.   Scroll down to block contact
  3.   Block or Report Contact
  4.   Report and Block

 

For more information on staying safe online please visit the resources below:

UNITED STATES
UNITED KINGDOM
SINGAPORE

 

QUESTIONS?  LEARN MORE AND GET IN TOUCH

Contact Your Brown Advisory Team

We welcome the opportunity to answer any questions you may have about this statement or the safeguarding and confidentiality of client information. Please contact your Brown Advisory client service team for additional information or to discuss any concerns. You may also read more about our privacy policy on the important disclosures page.  

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