A Christmas Warning For Online Shoppers
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Online shopping for everyday goods has seen a big increase as a result of social distancing measures and as Christmas approaches, many consumers are either in lockdown or simply prefer to avoid the High Street. They are turning to online shopping attracted retail bargains and the convenience of home delivery. Now, British online Christmas shoppers are being warned by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) of the threat posed by cyber criminals after victims lost an average of £775 each in 2019.
The NCSC is launching a government TV advertising campaign to make people aware of scammers lurking online during the Christmas period outlining six key measures s people can take to protect accounts. These are:
- Use a strong and separate password for your email
- Create strong passwords using three random words
- Save your passwords in your browser
- Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA)
- Update your devices and apps
- Back up your data
The NCSC is working on the campaign with the Home Office, the Cabinet Office and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and aims to help individuals and organisations to protect themselves online. "Scammers stole millions from internet shoppers last Christmas, but by following our advice, you can protect yourself from the majority of their crimes," said Lindy Cameron, the newly appointed Chief of the NCSC. "We hope the Cyber Aware campaign helps people to shop confidently online and enjoy their Christmas."
Statistics by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau reveal that over last year's Christmas shopping period (from November 2019 to end of January 2020) there were 17,405 reports of online shopping fraud, reporting a loss of £13.5m, an average of £775 per incident, according to the NCSC.
With the Coronavirus pandemic keeping many people away from the high street, bargain-hunters will be relying even more on online shopping. People looking for items such as games consoles, bicycles and clothing may be at a higher risk of encountering a scam, according to intelligence from the banking and finance industry. "Criminals have ruthlessly adjusted their approaches to pursue those shopping on the Internet," said Katy Worobec, Managing Director of Economic Crime at UK Finance.
“Whether it be working or shopping online, criminals and others often see the Internet as another means to cause harm... As we approach the Christmas season, we should all be on our guard and take the practical Cyber Aware actions to keep us safe as we work, shop and socialise online.” an NCSC spokesman said.
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