About Homesafe
HomeSafe is a free service for TalkTalk customers which provides network level security to protect each device connecting through their TalkTalk connection.
All new customers are asked to decide whether or not they want to use the HomeSafe features. The default setting for these are "on". If no selection is made at the point of sale then we will assume the customer wishes to have the default settings of virus alerts and kids safe to be “on”.
Once the customer goes live their line will have the security settings they chose at point of sale. After they go-live, the customer will be able to change these settings at any time in My Account.
When HomeSafe is first activated, it can take up to 60 minutes to be up and running. However, when Kids Safe is activated in My Account it normally takes only a couple of minutes to take effect.
Problems accessing Social media sites: Some new customers are reporting issues with accessing social media sites such as Facebook, even though HomeSafe is appearing off in My Account. To resolve this, enable HomeSafe then disable it again within My Account. If the customer does want to have HomeSafe enabled then they can re-enable this afterwards, plus they have the option to block/unblock social networking sites within the settings.
Customers can view the current status of their HomeSafe settings and amend their settings in My Account.
Let our customers know about the benefits of using HomeSafe and the features that we provide to help keep them safe online.
Here’s a snapshot of the HomeSafe features in the boxes below:
Is a customer concerened that they have been scammed?
If the customer has received a call from somebody they don’t know asking them to access a site that is blocked by scam protection or asks the customer to call us to switch off scam protection, then recommend they hang up and call them back on the reputable number that you can find on a bill or their website.
Customers who are legitimate users of these services can access the sites by calling us to change their settings. For more details on Scam Protection, refer to How to use TalkTalk HomeSafe® customer answer and you can also share this with the customer.
Changing the Scam Protection Settings
Before changing the Scam Protection settings, please ask the following questions:
- Has anyone asked you to change these scam settings?
- If yes, investigate the reason for this before making any change
- Are you sure you want to remove this protection?
- If yes – use CSA MyAccount to make the change in the HomeSafe / scam protection menu
The customer is unhappy with the scam protection message
If the customer is unhappy with the scam protection message explain that our customers security online is a top priority for us. Scam protection helps to protect our customers against websites that we know scammers regularly use to take control of computers to perform fraudulent activities. If they wish to access the sites they can change their settings in My Account to allow access.
If the customer wishes to make a complaint then you should:
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Log a complaint using: Customer Services>Scam code
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Escalate to your usual escalation layer.
The customer is reporting an error with HomeSafe
If a customer is reporting an error with HomeSafe you need to determine if this is a single issue that is only affecting this one customer. If this is just a single issue, please follow the steps in Pathfinder to handle the query and resolve the error. If you’re not tech trained, please warm transfer the call to a tech agent.
If the HomeSafe error is affecting more than one customer, escalate this to your TM who will gather further examples and escalate to service delivery for it to be investigated further.
The customer has viewed a blocked website
Advise the customer that it is their responsibility to ensure their computer is virus free. You can advise the customer to run a virus scan on their PC using their Anti-Virus software (e.g the TalkTalk Super Safe Boost)
The customer has not registered for My Account
If the customer isn’t registered for My Account but has asked us to change the HomeSafe settings this can be done via CSA My Account.
You can prompt them to register for My Account so that they can self-serve in future.
VERY IMPORTANT – If you make any amendments to a customers HomeSafe settings you must read out this script:Today I have made changes to your HomeSafe settings via your MyAccount, which you the account holder requested.
By amending these settings, this may allow sites or apps of a certain adult nature such as dating, gambling or social media, to be accessed by those connected to your broadband.
If you want to make further amendments to your HomeSafe settings, please visit your MyAccount and go to My Services and View HomeSafe settings.
You will receive an email confirmation to confirm the changes made to your account.
What is the difference between https:// and http://?
https:// websites are sites that have securities in place to keep your data safe from hackers
You will view a http:// site if:
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You have visited that site before on that device
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You visit the site from a search engine such as Google.
However, if you have never visited the site before and just type the name in the address bar, then they will view the page via http:// with the TalkTalk branded filtered page, which is more likely to be someone who is being scammed.
Why can’t I access https:// sites?
Previously we were unable to filter HTTPS sites through HomeSafe. If you are on the new HomeSafe platform you will have HTTPS filtered as part of the chosen category.
Can I filter or allow specfic websites?
Yes, you will be able to filter or allow up to 9 websites. For example, if you want to stop access to bbc.co.uk, you can manually enter bbc.co.uk in the section “Specific Websites” and select the option "Block".
There are times when a you may wish to block a website catergory, for example, Gambling, but wish to view the National Lottery results. To allow access to view that site but continue to block all other gambling sites you will need to “allow” national-lottery.co.uk on the “Specific Websites” section in your HomeSafe settings in My Account.
Please see our How2 Manage HomeSafe settings for additional details on allowing and blocking specific sites.
What if a site isn’t blocked and I have requested it to be?
We just need you to complete a feedback form on the My Account Homesafe page to inform us of the requested block. Once we have the submitted form it will be analysed and we’ll make the necessary changes.
When will my HomeSafe settings be applied?
Your settings will be applied a maximum of 24 hours after your broadband services go-live.
I didn’t make a choice when I placed my order?
If you didn’t chose your HomeSafe settings we’ll assume that you accept the default settings:
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Virus alerts to be on
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Kids Safe to be on
You can change your HomeSafe settings in My Account once the broadband services are live.
Will HomeSafe still filter web pages if I access the internet through VPN?
If you’re accessing the internet via a VPN (Virtual Private Network) HomeSafe options may still be active but they will not filter out inappropriate content or block access to certain types of websites.