Christmas shoppers should be prudent with their personal and financial details, says a counter-fraud trade body.
CIFAS reports that there were over 120,500 instances of fraud where an individual was directly affected by being impersonated or by having an existing account taken over during the first 11 months of the year, meaning that the number of victims has increased by over 22,000 (23 per cent) during the last two months alone.
With the busiest online shopping day of the year (Cyber Monday) passed, millions of people are searching for presents and bargains during the next few weeks, and this period being one where criminals will look to strike, the trade association says.
CIFAS Communications Manager, Richard Hurley, says: “In the same way that we are accustomed to doing (or not doing) certain things in the physical world, in order to keep ourselves safe, we must all accept that there are online equivalents to these behaviours.”
“In the same way that we might think twice about buying bargains from a man on the street, or be careful when entering PIN numbers at cash machines and not leave purses/wallets lying around, we must also be careful not to ‘buy first, think later’ when it comes to unknown websites offering unbelievable offers, or shopping while using public, unsecured internet connections.”
Staying safe online requires only a few basic steps, says CIFAS. These include:
· Encrypting your wireless network to the highest possible setting – ideally WPA2
· Deleting cookies and your web browser history regularly (there are free tools available to help you do this so that you know that everything has really been removed).
· Using numerous email addresses (and passwords) for your online accounts.
· Never accessing any website involving financial details (eg. banking or shopping) from public wi-fi hotspots (including on smartphones). If you do, it is the online equivalent of talking to your bank manager on the phone in a busy public place: a criminal can intercept your details.
· When using smartphones or tablets, ensure that you use all the handset security features such as passwords and PINs and remember to lock all devices when not in use.
· Not publicising travel plans; fraudsters and criminals will often look for obvious signs that you are away.
Further details and advice about identity frauds and staying safe are available online at www.identityfraud.org.uk
Richard Hurley adds: “With the number of victims of fraud having rocketed during the past two months, and with Christmas being such a busy time, it is vitally important that we do all we can to remain safe and secure. Falling victim to fraud can be a disturbing, expensive and time consuming experience; guaranteed to ruin your celebrations. By being careful and diligent, we can help minimise the chances of being targeted by those whose intentions to all men are far from good. By not exercising restraint, we’re effectively handing over our wallets to the pickpockets on the street.”
Visit: www.cifas.org.uk/festive_fraud_threats
