Terms and policies

• Security is our top priority. We will strive at all times to ensure that your personal data will be protected against unauthorised or accidental access, processing or erasure. We maintain this commitment to data security by implementing appropriate physical, electronic and managerial measures to safeguard and secure your personal data
• The secure area of this Site supports the use of 128-bit Transport Layer Security (TLS) encryption technology - an industry standard for encryption over the Internet to protect data. When you provide sensitive information such as credit card details, it will be automatically converted into codes before being securely dispatched over the Internet
• Our web and online channel servers are protected behind "firewalls" and our systems are monitored to prevent any unauthorised access
• We will not send personal data to you by ordinary email. As the security of ordinary email cannot be guaranteed, you should only send email to us using the secure email facility on this Site and / or our online channels
• We will take all practical steps to ensure that personal data will not be kept longer than necessary and that we will comply with all statutory and regulatory requirements in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region concerning the retention of personal data

• Both you and we play an important role in safeguarding against online fraud
• We endeavour to put in place high standards of security to protect your interests
• You should be careful that your account details (including your username and password) are not compromised. You should ensure that you do not knowingly or accidentally share, provide or facilitate unauthorised use of such details. Do not share your username or password or allow access or use of your username or password by others
• You should safeguard your username and password and keep them secret and confidential. Never write them down. We will never ask you for your password given that you should be the only person who knows it
• When choosing your username and password, do not use easily identifiable information such as your birthday, telephone number or a recognisable part of your name
• You should change your password on a regular basis and use different passwords for different websites and service channels
• If you think your username or password has been disclosed to another person, is lost or stolen or an unauthorised transaction has been conducted, you are responsible for informing us immediately
• You should be wary of online phishing scams.  Phishing is an attempt by criminals to "fish" for personal information such as account details, or to convince you to click on or open malicious files or links
• Never use hyperlinks to access digital trading service and do not let your browser store your account details
• Always verify you are accessing the genuine digital trading service website. Click the "padlock" icon at the top of the page near the address bar and confirm the identity of the website is certified as www.ebroking.hsbc.com.hk
• Always end your digital trading service session securely by clicking the "Logoff" button;  simply closing your browser window does not ensure your digital trading service session is terminated properly
• You should avoid accessing digital trading service via public computers
• You should not input your personal or account details into a computer if you find any unusual pop-up screen or the computer's response time is unusually slow
• If you use a wireless network, secure it by using encryption
• Always check that any SMS, email notification, statement, or email message in digital trading service is genuine and issued by us
• If, in the unlikely event, an unauthorised transaction has been conducted through your account through no fraud, fault or negligence on your part, we will see that you are covered for your direct loss up to the full amount of the unauthorised transaction
• If you suspect any unusual activities in your account or receive any suspicious SMS, email, or phone call asking you for your personal or account details, do not click on any links, open any attachments and reply to it. Please report to us through the following channels:
  
  Customer service hotline:  (852) 3989 8181. (The hotline service hours are from 8.30am - 5.30pm Monday – Friday, except public holidays.)
  Email: nettrader@hsbc.com.hk

• The best way to protect yourself from fraud is to be aware of the different types of fraud out there today
• We will never open an account without meeting you in person
• We have never authorised any external agents to conduct marketing activities or to promote investment services on our behalf
• Our staff will not request you to disclose personal information without first identifying themselves
• You should not provide your personal information to unsolicited callers
• We will not invite you to participate in any survey that requires you to enter personal information
• You should send any funds for investment directly to your dedicated account(s) with us
• If you would like to identify whether a person who has contacted you is our staff, please contact us through the following channels:
  
  Customer service hotline:  (852) 3989 8181. (The hotline service hours are from 8.30am - 5.30pm  Monday – Friday, except public holidays.)
  Email:nettrader@hsbc.com.hk
• If you suspect you have fallen prey to a scam, you can contact the Anti-Deception Coordination Centre ("ADCC") of the Hong Kong Police Force at (852) 18222 for assistance, or report the case to the police
  

• We may record your visit to this Site for analysing the number of visitors to this Site and other online channels, general usage patterns and your personal usage patterns and improving your experience. We may gather some of this information through the use of "cookies". Cookies are small bits of information that are automatically stored on your device that can be retrieved by this Site and / or other online channels. Cookies are useful because they allow us to recognise your device and they store information about your use of this Site and / or other online channels , thus enabling us to provide more useful features to you, to tailor the content of our website and / or other online channels to suit your interests and, where permitted by your marketing preferences, provide you with promotional materials or direct marketing based on your usage patterns. We will be able to access the information stored on the cookies and record how you use this Site and / or other online channels. Most browsers are initially set to accept cookies. If you prefer, you can set your browser to disable cookies or to inform you when they are set. By disabling cookies, you may not be able to take full advantage of this Site and / or other online channels
• If you accept cookies, you will be acknowledging that your information is being collected, stored, accessed and used as outlined above
• We may also work with third parties to research certain usage and activities on this Site and / or other online channels for us. These third party research agencies include Doubleclick, Yahoo!, Facebook, Nielsen/NetRatings, WebTrends and Adobe. They use technologies such as cookies, spotlight monitoring and web beacons to collect information for this research. They use the information collected through such technologies (i) to find out more about users of this Site, including user demographics and behaviour and usage patterns, (ii) for more accurate reporting and (iii) to improve the effectiveness of our marketing. They aggregate the information collected and then share it with us. No personally identifiable information about you is collected or shared by Doubleclick, Yahoo!, Facebook, Nielsen/NetRatings and WebTrends with us as a result of this research. Should you wish to disable the cookies associated with such technologies, you may change the setting on your browser. However, you may not be able to enter certain parts of this Site and / or other online channels
• To find out more about the use of cookies and the information-collecting practices and opt-out procedures of Doubleclick, Yahoo!, Facebook, Nielsen/NetRatings, Adobe and WebTrends, please visit:
• Doubleclick's website at www.doubleclick.net and/or
• Yahoo!'s website at http://privacy.yahoo.com/privacy/us/pixels/details.html and/or
• Facebook's website at https://www.facebook.com/legal/FB_Work_Cookies and/or
• Nielsen/NetRatings website at http://www.nielsen-online.com/privacy.jsp?section=leg_scs and/or
• Adobe's website at http://www.adobe.com/hk_en/privacy/policy.html and/or
• WebTrends' website at http://ondemand.webtrends.com/privacypolicy.asp#PSFV

• Occasionally we may collect personal data from you when you visit this Site or other online channels or when you participate in a contest or promotion (whether online or over the telephone). We only collect personal data from you if you voluntarily provide it to us. We may use your personal data to inform you of products, services and other marketing materials which we think may be of interest to you. We may also invite you to participate in market research and surveys and other similar activities
• You can choose to receive marketing and other promotional materials by email and you may opt out from receiving these materials at any time
• If at any time you would like us to stop sending you direct mailings, please contact your account executive. We will then, at no cost to you, act on your request within 30 days and ensure not to include you in future direct marketing promotions
• If we do ask you to provide your personal data, we will always specify the purposes for which such personal data is collected and ensure that it is only used for the purposes specified at the time of collection

a. From time to time, it is necessary for individuals to supply the relevant HSBC Broking Companies with data in connection with the opening or continuation of accounts, or in the establishment, continuation or provision of investment, dealing or related services or products or compliance with any laws, guidelines or requests issued by regulatory or other authorities.

b. Failure to supply such data may result in the relevant HSBC Broking Companies being unable to open or continue accounts or establish, continue or provide investment, dealing or related services or products.

c. It is also the case that data are collected from (i) customers in the ordinary course of the continuation of our relationship (for example, when customers open the account, deposit money, or apply for credit), (ii) a person acting on behalf of the individual whose data are provided, and (iii) other sources (for example, information obtained from credit reference agencies). Data may also be generated or combined with other information available to the relevant HSBC Broking Companies or any member of the HSBC Group ("HSBC Group" means HSBC Holdings plc, its affiliates, subsidiaries, associated entities and any of their branches and offices (together or individually) and "member of the HSBC Group" has the same meaning).

d. The purposes for which data may be used are as follows: 

i. considering applications for products and services and the daily operation of products, services and credit facilities provided to customers;

ii. conducting identity checks and credit checks (including without limitation upon an application for consumer credit and upon periodic or special reviews of the credit which normally will take place one or more times each year);

iii. creating and maintaining the relevant HSBC Broking Companies' credit and risk related models;

iv. assisting other financial institutions to conduct credit checks and collect debts;

v. ensuring ongoing credit worthiness of customers;

vi. designing investment, dealing or related services or products for customers' use;

vii. marketing investment, dealing or related services or products and other subjects as described in (f) below;

viii. determining the amount of indebtedness owed to or by customers;

ix. collecting of amounts outstanding from customers and those providing security for customers' obligations;

x. supporting any statements made in any documents in connection with the services of the relevant HSBC Broking Companies;

xi. meeting obligations, requirements or arrangements, whether compulsory or voluntary, of the relevant HSBC Broking Companies or any member of the HSBC Group to comply with, or in connection with: 

1. any law, regulation, judgment, court order, voluntary code, sanctions regime, within or outside the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region ("Hong Kong") existing currently and in the future ("Laws") (eg the Inland Revenue Ordinance and its provisions including those concerning automatic exchange of financial account information); 

2. any guidelines, guidance or requests given or issued by any legal, regulatory, governmental, tax, law enforcement or other authorities, or self-regulatory or industry bodies or associations of financial services providers within or outside Hong Kong existing currently and in the future (eg guidelines, guidance or requests given or issued by the Inland Revenue Department including those concerning automatic exchange of financial account information) and any international guidance, internal policies or procedures;

3. any present or future contractual or other commitment with local or foreign legal, regulatory, judicial, administrative, public or law enforcement body, or governmental, tax, revenue, monetary, securities or futures exchange, court, central bank or other authorities, or self-regulatory or industry bodies or associations of financial service providers or any of their agents with jurisdiction over all or any part of the HSBC Group (together the "Authorities" and each an "Authority") that is assumed by, imposed on or applicable to the relevant HSBC Broking Companies or any member of the HSBC Group; or

4. any agreement or treaty between Authorities;

xii. complying with any obligations, requirements, policies, procedures, measures or arrangements for sharing data and information within the HSBC Group and/or any other use of data and information in accordance with any programmes for compliance with sanctions or prevention or detection of money laundering, terrorist financing or other unlawful activities;

xiii. conducting any action to meet obligations of the relevant HSBC Broking Companies or any member of the HSBC Group to comply with Laws or international guidance or regulatory requests relating to or in connection with the detection, investigation and prevention of money laundering, terrorist financing, bribery, corruption, tax evasion, fraud, evasion of economic or trade sanctions and/or any acts or attempts to circumvent or violate any Laws relating to these matters;

xiv. meeting any obligations of the relevant HSBC Broking Companies or any member of the HSBC Group to comply with any demand or request from the Authorities;

xv. enabling an actual or proposed assignee of the relevant HSBC Broking Companies, or participant or sub-participant of the relevant HSBC Broking Companies' rights in respect of the customer to evaluate the transaction intended to be the subject of the assignment, participation or sub-participation; and

xvi. purposes relating thereto.

e. Data held by the relevant HSBC Broking Companies or a member of the HSBC Group relating to an individual will be kept confidential but the relevant HSBC Broking Companies or a member of the HSBC Group may provide such information to the following parties (whether within or outside Hong Kong) for the purposes set out in paragraph (d): 

i. any agents, contractors, sub-contractors, service providers or associates of the HSBC Group (including their employees, directors, officers, agents, contractors, service providers, and professional advisers);

ii. any third party service provider who provides administrative, telecommunications, computer, payment or securities clearing or other services to the relevant HSBC Broking Companies in connection with the operation of its business (including their employees, directors and officers);

iii. any Authorities;

iv. any person under a duty of confidentiality to the relevant HSBC Broking Companies including a member of the HSBC Group which has undertaken to keep such information confidential;

v. the drawee bank providing a copy of a paid cheque (which may contain information about the payee) to the drawer;

vi. any person or institution with which you have or propose to have dealings;

vii. any persons acting on behalf of an individual whose data are provided, payment recipients, beneficiaries, account nominees, intermediary, correspondent and agent banks, clearing houses, clearing or settlement systems, market counterparties, upstream withholding agents, swap or trade repositories, stock exchanges, companies in which the customer has an interest in securities (where such securities are held by the relevant HSBC Broking Companies or any member of the HSBC Group) or a person making any payment into the customer's account;

viii. credit reference agencies, and, in the event of default, to debt collection agencies;

ix. any person to whom the relevant HSBC Broking Companies or any member of the HSBC Group is under an obligation or required or expected to make disclosure for the purposes set out in, or in connection with, paragraph (d)(xi), (d)(xii), (d)(xiii) or (d)(xiv);

x. any actual or proposed assignee of the relevant HSBC Broking Companies or participant or sub-participant or transferee of the relevant HSBC Broking Companies' rights in respect of the customer; and

xi. 

1. any member of the HSBC Group;

2. third party financial institutions, insurers, securities and investment services providers;

3. third party reward, loyalty, co-branding and privileges programme providers;

4. co-branding partners of the relevant HSBC Broking Companies or any member of the HSBC Group (the names of such co-branding partners will be provided during the application process for the relevant services and products, as the case may be);

5. charitable or non-profit making organisations; and

6. external service providers (including but not limited to mailing houses, telecommunication companies, telemarketing and direct sales agents, call centres, data processing companies and information technology companies) that the relevant HSBC Broking Companies engages for the purposes set out in paragraph (d)(vii).

Such information may be transferred to a place outside Hong Kong.

In connection with paragraph (viii) above, before the right referred to in (g)(v) below may be exercised, (I) in the event of any default in payment, unless the amount in default is fully repaid or written off (otherwise than due to a bankruptcy order) before the expiry of 60 days as measured by the relevant HSBC Broking Companies from the date such default occurred, the customer is liable to have his account repayment data retained by the credit reference agency at least until the expiry of five years from the date of final settlement of the amount in default and (II) in the event of any amount being written off due to a bankruptcy order being made against the customer, the customer is liable to have his account repayment data retained by the credit reference agency, regardless of whether the account repayment data reveal any material default, until the expiry of five years from the date of final settlement of the amount in default or the expiry of five years from the date of discharge from a bankruptcy as notified by the customer with evidence to the credit reference agency, whichever is earlier. Account repayment data include amount last due, amount of payment made during the last reporting period, remaining available credit or outstanding balance and default data (being amount past due and number of days past due, date of settlement of amount past due, and date of final settlement of amount in material default (if any)). Material default is a default in payment for a period in excess of 60 days.

f.  Use of Data in Direct Marketing 

The relevant HSBC Broking Companies intends to use a customer's data in direct marketing and the relevant HSBC Broking Companies requires the customer's consent (which includes an indication of no objection) for that purpose. In this connection, please note that:

i.  the name, contact details, products and other service portfolio information, transaction pattern and behaviour, financial background and demographic data of a customer held by the relevant HSBC Broking Companies from time to time may be used by the relevant HSBC Broking Companies in direct marketing; 

ii.  the following classes of services, products and subjects may be marketed: 

1.  financial, insurance, credit card, banking and related services and products;

2.  reward, loyalty, co-branding or privileges programmes and related services and products; 

3.  services and products offered by the relevant HSBC Broking Companies' co-branding partners (the names of such co-branding partners will be provided during the application for the relevant services and products, as the case may be); and 

4.  donations and contributions for charitable and/or non-profit making purposes; 

iii.  the above services, products and subjects may be provided by or (in the case of donations and contributions) solicited by the relevant HSBC Broking Companies and/or: 

1.  any member of the HSBC Group; 

2.  third party financial institutions, insurers, credit card companies, securities and investment services providers; 

3.  third party reward, loyalty, co-branding or privileges programme providers;

4.  co-branding partners of the relevant HSBC Broking Companies and the HSBC Group (the names of such co-branding partners will be provided during the application of the relevant services and products, as the case may be); and

5.  charitable or non-profit making organisations; 

iv.  in addition to marketing the above services, products and subjects itself, the relevant HSBC Broking Companies also intends to provide the data described in paragraph (f)(i) above to all or any of the persons described in paragraph (f)(iii) above for use by them in marketing those services, products and subjects, and the relevant HSBC Broking Companies requires the customer's written consent (which includes an indication of no objection) for that purpose;

v.  the relevant HSBC Broking Companies may receive money or other property in return for providing the data to the other persons in paragraph (f)(iii) above and, when requesting the customer's consent or no objection as described in paragraph (f)(iv) above, the relevant HSBC Broking Companies will inform the customer if it will receive any money or other property in return for providing the data to the other persons. 

If a customer does not wish the relevant HSBC Broking Companies to use or provide to other persons his data for use in direct marketing as described above, the customer may exercise his opt-out right by notifying the relevant HSBC Broking Companies.

g.  Under and in accordance with the terms of the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Cap. 486 of the Laws of Hong Kong) ("PDPO") and the Code of Practice on Consumer Credit Data approved and issued under the PDPO, any individual has the right:

i.  to check whether the relevant HSBC Broking Companies hold data about him and have access to such data;

ii.  to require the relevant HSBC Broking Companies to correct any data relating to him which is inaccurate;

iii.  to ascertain the relevant HSBC Broking Companies' policies and practices in relation to data and to be informed of the kind of personal data held by the relevant HSBC Broking Companies;

iv.  in relation to consumer credit, to be informed on request which items of data are routinely disclosed to credit reference agencies or debt collection agencies, and be provided with further information to enable the making of an access and correction request to the relevant credit reference agency or debt collection agency; and

v.  upon satisfactory termination of the credit by full repayment and on condition that there has been, within five years immediately before such termination, no material default under the credit as determined by the relevant HSBC Broking Companies, to instruct the relevant HSBC Broking Companies to make a request to the relevant credit reference agency to delete from its database any account data relating to the terminated credit.

h.  In accordance with the terms of the PDPO, the relevant HSBC Broking Companies have the right to charge a reasonable fee for the processing of any data access request.

i.  The person to whom requests for access to data, exercise of opt-out right, correction of data or information regarding policies and practices and kinds of data held are to be addressed as follows:

The Data Protection Officer

Level 25, HSBC Main Building

1 Queen's Road Central

Hong Kong

Telephone :  (852) 2521 1661

Facsimile :  (852) 3409 2752 

j.  The relevant HSBC Broking Companies may have obtained a credit report on the customer from a credit reference agency in considering any application for credit. In the event the customer wishes to access the credit report, the relevant HSBC Broking Companies will advise the contact details of the relevant credit reference agency.

k.  Nothing in this Notice shall limit the rights of customers under the PDPO.

To protect you and our systems, you may not be able to access digital trading service on some of the older web browsers. Generally, the latest versions of a browser (such as Microsoft Internet Explorer, Google Chrome and Apple Safari) have the most up-to-date security features. If you're using outdated browser versions, be sure to upgrade your browser to the latest version.