Privacy and Security at Prosper

Ensuring that Prosper is private and safe is our highest priority. Here is how we protect your privacy, your identity, and your data:


  • Rigid privacy policy We follow very strict guidelines to protect your privacy. Prosper does not sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties for their marketing purposes. We share your information with other members of Prosper, but only as much information as you choose to reveal about yourself. View privacy policy.
  • Expert fraud prevention and protection Prosper’s extensive identity and fraud checks use numerous internal and external databases to ensure that the people on our site are who they say they are.
  • 100% Identity Theft Guarantee If a lender is the victim of a delinquent loan from a person who has committed identity theft, Prosper will repurchase the loan for the unpaid principal amount.
  • Secure data center Your information is kept in a state-of-the-art data center. Physical access is strictly controlled and we use the latest in threat prevention technologies including the very best in firewall, VPN, antivirus, Web filtering and antispam technologies.
  • Secure encrypted sessions To protect your personal and financial information, we use SSL to encrypt your entire session from sign in to sign out. Only your valid email address and password will allow you to sign in to Prosper. You chose your own password during the registration process, and even Prosper employees will not be able to access your password.
  • 20 minute session expiration If you do not perform any action for 20 minutes, your Prosper session will be automatically terminated and you will be signed out for safety. In that case, please sign in again to continue using your Prosper account.
  • We want to hear from you If you have further questions, or want more detailed answers, contact us. We take your concerns seriously and we’ll answer any questions you have candidly and in as much detail as needed.

Other security considerations

Prosper works hard to ensure a safe borrowing and lending environment for all of our members. However, there may be some aspects of the security of your own computer and internet activity that we may not be able to control.


Please consider these issues in your daily computer and internet activity:


  • Make sure that your computer environment does not provide any opportunities for anyone to gain access to your information (in particular your username and password).
  • Make sure that the equipment you use does not permit electronic monitoring or recording of your activities. Your systems administrator should be able to advise you on this.
  • We recommend that you seek permission/authority from your systems administrator if you intend to use Prosper from a work computer.

Prosper security measures

  • Never leave the computer you use unattended while you are signed in.
  • Please do not share your screen name in combination with your real name, email address, or password with anyone else under any circumstances. Ensure that they are kept safe, secret and not used by anyone else for any fraudulent purpose.
  • Never mention your screen name in combination with your real name, email address, or password in emails, letters, or phone conversations. Even with Prosper employees, never give out your password.
  • Do not write down your screen name or email address in combination with your password in a manner that allows them to be understood by someone else. Do not use any of them for another purpose.
  • If you know or suspect that someone else has learned your screen name in combination with your real name, email address, or password, please contact customer support immediately.
  • Please change your password regularly.
  • When signing in to Prosper, make sure that no one is watching you type your password or looking at your account over your shoulder.
  • Check your account regularly. If you spot a transaction you don’t remember making, or if funds are transferred unexpectedly, please note the exact details and contact customer support immediately.
  • Check the certificate of the site. To ensure that you are using Prosper and not a look-alike scam, check the server certificate by clicking on the little yellow lock icon in your browser.
  • Please only use the secure “Sign Out” link to safely end your Prosper session.
  • Stay alert for spoof email which claims to be Prosper. Learn more about email security at Prosper.

Basic computer and internet security measures

  • Use a password to protect your PC from unwanted access. You can use power-on passwords available in virtually all computers. Please keep in mind that the login passwords of some earlier operating systems are not fully reliable.
  • Do not leave your computer unattended while you use Prosper at home, work or public places.
  • Do not save your email address and password information in any format in your computer.
  • If you use smartcards, don’t leave them in the smartcard reader after logging out.
  • Don’t open emails from unknown senders. If you are in any doubt about the source of an email, it’s generally best to delete it without reading the content, as it may contain a virus.
  • Always check new data or software for viruses on a regular basis. To do this you need to install an anti-virus program. Contact your local computer retailer who can provide you with advice about purchasing a suitable anti-virus program.
  • If you use a cable/DSL (or similar) internet connection and are always connected to the internet, please use a firewall to protect your computer against hacking. Contact your local computer retailer who can provide you with advice about purchasing a suitable firewall system.

Security measures when using a work or public computer

  • Always remember to sign out of your Prosper session, close the web browser, and clear the cache.
  • Don’t leave account printouts lying around or in wastepaper baskets. You should also always ensure that you collect account printouts from public or shared printers.
  • If at work, ensure that your company allows you to use Prosper. Some organizations do not allow personal Internet use. Always check with your systems administrator before using Prosper from a work computer.
  • When you have finished using Prosper, ensure you clear the cache and log-off—particularly in public places such as work, internet cafés, libraries, and airports:
    • Mozilla Firefox: From the browser menu, click “Tools > Options…”. Choose the “Privacy > Cache” tab, and click “Clear Cache Now”. You can also click the “Settings…” button and set Firefox to clear your cache every time you close the browser.
    • Microsoft Internet Explorer: From the browser menu, click “Tools > Internet Options…”. Choose the “General” tab and on the “Temporary Internet Files” portion of the screen, Click “Delete Files…” button. Click “OK”, and then close the browser.

     

  • Microsoft Internet Explorer has a feature called “Auto Complete” which helps users to remember form entries and passwords on the Internet. We strongly advise you to disable this feature and delete the existing records. You can disable this feature by clicking on “Tools > Internet Options” and choosing the “Content” tab. On the “Personal Information” portion of the screen, click the “AutoComplete” button. Deselect all except “Web addresses” in the “Use AutoComplete for” portion. Then click “Clear Forms” and “Clear Passwords” buttons respectively. Please note that all forms and password information already stored in your computer will be deleted. Click “OK” twice to exit.