How can you tell if a website you're browsing is safe? In the digital age, it's easier than ever for scammers to create fraudulent websites designed to steal your personal information. Here are a few ways you can validate the security of the websites you browse:

It begins with "https"

A secure website’s URL should begin with “https” rather than “http”. The “s” at the end of “http” stands for secure and is using an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) connection. This means your information will be encrypted before being sent to a server.

An example of a secure website is https://ascend.org/

The lock icon

Click on the lock icon in your browser bar to check the security of a website. This tab provides detailed information on the security of a website. The symbol will be one of the following:

• Secure
• Info or Not secure
• Not secure or Dangerous

There have been reports of scammers creating fake Ascend websites. Please note that the only official Ascend website is ascend.org

If you're an Ascend member and you believe you've shared financial information with an unsecured website, please call us at 800-342-3086.