Black Friday shoppers across Lincolnshire warned to be vigilant of scammers
Figures show rising losses to cyber criminals during the festive shopping season
This black Friday Lincolnshire Police are reminding those looking to get the best deals to beware of online fraud.
Figures from the National Cyber Security Centre show last year, during the festive season £11.5 million was lost by shoppers in Britain to cyber criminals.
Matt Bennison is the Inspector in charge of the prevention Hub with the force, he says it has a huge impact on people:
"We're obviously aware times are tight, bills have been rising and it could be the difference between people having presents under the tree or otherwise. So, it's really important we stay as safe online as we would when we were shopping on the High Street.
"So the advice we would give is first of all, research the seller, make sure they are a legitimate store. Be wary of any prices that might seem too attractive, if you find a price that is far lower than anyone else is selling the item. Then just consider whether that site is legitimate or not.
"If you are going to make a purchase, use a credit card or some other secure payment platform where possible, because that could allow you to get your money back if you do fall victim to to a scam. But only provide enough details to complete that purchase, so consider checking out as a guest, and what information you actually need to give that website.
"Finally, keep any online accounts you have secure. Consider password managers and if a site uses it, perhaps two step verification which is a system where you'll get a code sent to your phone before you log into a site, just for that extra layer of security."
Inspector Bennison added that it's important to report when a crime has happened, including online fraud:
"You should absolutely be reporting this to us. If you are a victim of crime, then ring, Lincolnshire Police and we will provide you advice on further steps. We can also provide advice on preventing this kind of thing from happening again, but also we can pursue the offenders, and I think it's often perceived that fraud is too difficult to investigate, whereas in fact, often there's a clear trail. So, we can go after these offenders and seek prosecution. It further allows us to build up a picture of what's happening. identify any trends, and lets us focus our education and enforcement to where it needs to be."
Meanwhile, the UK’s cyber security and law enforcement bodies are also warning bargain hunters about cyber criminal scams, and support turning on 2-step verification to protect online accounts.
Clothing, high-end tech products and cars were among the products featuring in scams as GCHQ’s National Cyber Security Centre and Action Fraud revealed that Brits reported losing over £11.5 million to online criminals between November 2023 and January 2024 – with each victim losing £695 on average.
This compares to reported losses amounting to £10.6 million the previous year.
The latest figures, which come from reports made to Action Fraud and analysed by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, revealed that 7,168 reports (43%) mentioned a social media platform, with online marketplaces being mentioned in 18.9% of reports.
Shoppers can also protect their online accounts by setting up two-step verification which provides an extra layer of protection and means that even if a criminal knows your password, they still won’t be able to access it.
Visit Cyber Aware for step-by-step instructions on keeping your devices up-to-date with the latest security updates, and for more online security advice.
Lincolnshire Police recommend taking these steps to reduce your chances of becoming a victim:
- try using three unrelated words, eg fishbooktable; and think of three different words for each account, so if one is compromised the others are safe
- never give personal or sensitive details out online or over email
- make sure all devices have up-to-date anti-virus software and a firewall installed
- keep software and apps regularly updated
- only download from legal, trusted websites
- only open emails and attachments from known and trusted sources
- only ever use websites that start with https://, however make sure that you're on the correct site by sense-checking the full website address
- avoid using public WiFi hotspots that are not secure, use your 3/4G data. If you have no choice but to use Public WiFi, then only use it with a Virtual Private Network enabled on your device
- regularly back up your data
- control your social media accounts – regularly check your privacy settings and how your data is being used and shared
- be cautious of internet chats and online dating – there’s no guarantee you’re speaking to who you think
- be extremely cautious if you’re asked for money
How to spot a fake website.
If an online offer looks too good to be true, it probably is. To help spot a fake site:
- sense check the domain name
- are the prices too good to be true?
- never pay by bank transfer – legitimate sites will accept payment via usual methods, such as bank card and PayPal
- read the terms and conditions, and policies, to check they're clear and fair
Reporting cyber crime:
If you are currently being subjected to a live and ongoing cyber-attack then please contact us on 101.
If you suspect you’ve been scammed, defrauded or experienced cyber crime, the Action Fraud team can also provide the help, support and advice you need.
Call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 (textphone 0300 123 2050).