- Today’s figures demonstrate how crime has changed, with fraud now the most commonly experienced offence.
- Financial fraud losses across payment cards, remote banking and cheques totalled £768.8 million in 2016, an increase of 2 per cent compared to 2015.
- You are now 20 times more likely to be robbed at your computer by a criminal overseas than held up in the street.
- It’s estimated that at least £670 million is lost annually by victims of the most common online scams.
Be your own H-E-R-O
Here are some scams to look out for:
H-ealth: False and misleading claims about health-related products, such as miracle health cures and fake online pharmacies, may offer medicines cheaply. However, the medicine delivered can be of poor quality and even harmful to your health.
E-mails: Scammers will send bogus emails hoping that people will enter their personal details. They may direct you to a fake website, trick you into thinking you’ve won a lottery or prize, or pretend to be someone you may know who has been stranded somewhere and needs money. Some emails may also have a link or file for you to click on or open. These are sometimes called spam or junk emails. Opening these links or downloading the files may be harmful to your computer.
R-elationship: Scammers can use social networks such as dating websites or chat rooms. Once they’ve gained your trust, they’ll ask you for money, often by telling you an emotional or hard-luck story. Trust your instinct. If something feels wrong, it probably is. These tricks are hard to spot, so it’s always worth talking to a friend or relative about it, especially if things seem to be moving fast. Never send the person money or give them your account details.
O-nline shopping can be quick and convenient, but you must protect your financial information if an online retailer does not provide adequate information about privacy, terms and conditions of use, dispute resolution or contact details. The seller may be based overseas or not allow payment through a secure payment service such as PayPal or a credit card transaction.
Are you safe online?
Internet safety is just as important for adults as it is for children and teens. From privacy concerns to identity theft and cyber stalking, there are plenty of hazards on the web. Fortunately, a few smart moves and a dose of awareness will go a long way toward protecting you on the Internet.
Some tips on how to stay safe online
- The website address starts with ‘https’ – the ‘s’ stands for secure.
- The address bar is green, an additional sign that you’re using a safe website.
- A padlock symbol in the browser where the website address is (but don’t be fooled if the padlock appears on the page itself).
- When you click on the padlock, a current security certificate is registered to the correct address.
- Use the privacy and security settings on social media sites so that only friends and family can see your pages.
- Don’t post personal information – your address, email address or mobile number. A stranger could use just one piece of personal information to find out even more. If you want to include your birthday in your profile, it’s safer not to display it publicly. Providing your full date of birth makes you more vulnerable to identity fraud.
- Close your account if you’ve stopped using a social media site or forum. There’s no point in leaving personal information out there unnecessarily.
- Ensure you have anti-virus software installed on your computer, and be careful what you download or install.
What to do if you are a victim of cybercrime
You can report fraud by speaking directly to a fraud specialist adviser by phoning 0300 123 2040. They will also be able to give you help and advice about fraud or visit their website: https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/report-a-fraud/how-to-report-a-fraud