A warning has been issued to shoppers after people lost thousands in online scams.
Action Fraud, the national fraud and cyber crime centre, has warned bargain hunters after millions of pounds were lost by online shoppers over the festive period, which includes Black Friday, last year after being targeted by fraudsters. In one instance a person was duped out of over £7,000 when they tried to buy a campervan online.
Another victim lost £500 when they tried to purchase a new pair of shoes on a social media site. The centre said victims lost an average of £1,000 through the scams, and from November 2021 to January 2022, £15.3m was lost by people shopping online to scammers and cyber criminals.
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Action Fraud said that though such scams have existed for years, they have been getting worse. It said the average amount of money lost by each victim has increased by hundreds.
The centre has now released guidelines to protect shoppers as part of its Cyber Aware campaign. Its "simple steps" to keeping safe while making online purchases involve setting up a two-step verification and using three random words as a password to prevent cyber criminals from accessing their shopping, bank or email accounts.
It also advised shoppers to "choose carefully" where they shop. It said: "Research online retailers, particularly if you haven’t bought from them before, to check they’re legitimate
"Read feedback from people or organisations that you trust, such as consumer websites."
Action Fraud also advised online shoppers to "pay securely." It added: "Use a credit card when shopping online, if you have one.
"Most major credit card providers protect online purchases and are obliged to refund you in certain circumstances. Using a credit card (rather than a debit card) also means that if your payment details are stolen, your main bank account won’t be directly affected.
"Also consider using a payment platform, such as PayPal, Google or Apple Pay. And whenever you pay, look for the closed padlock in the web address bar – it means your connection is secure."
Pauline Smith, head of Action Fraud, said: "The festive season is an expensive time for many of us. It’s natural for shoppers to get caught up in the excitement of Black Friday deals, and rush into making a quick purchase online to bag a bargain.
"Unfortunately, Christmas will come early for criminals who see this as an ideal opportunity to take advantage of us with the tempting promise of bogus cheap deals.
"I urge shoppers to be cautious of where and who you’re buying from. Our figures show that most scams last year involved mobile phones and electronics, so always shop with official retailers and don’t be enticed by deals that seem too good to be true. Where possible, use a credit card when shopping online as this will offer you more protection if anything goes wrong.
"Follow our practical advice to enjoy shopping online safely and ensure you’re not targeted this Christmas, especially given the cost of living crisis we’re facing."
You can find out more about the Cyber Aware campaign, ran in partnership between Action Fraud and National Cyber Security Centre here.
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