Wiltshire Police scam warning over 'too good to be true' online deals
Be aware ahead of Black Friday and Christmas
Wiltshire Police is reminding residents about the issues of online shopping and what can be done to limit the risks.
It's as we begin to enter the busiest time of the year for online shoppers with Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales fast approaching at the end of this week.
28,000 people reported falling victim to online shopping fraud with losses coming in at a total of £15.4m during the festive period in 2020.
Wiltshire Police are supporting Action Fraud’s campaign to raise awareness of the potential pitfalls of online shopping and offer support with practical steps people can take to help shop online securely.
Thankfully we’re not in the same predicament of last year where most of our high street stores were closed during the second national lockdown, but many people are likely to still be wary of busy shopping centres and look increasingly to the internet to meet their gift shopping needs, so it is important to remember the basic steps we can all take to reduce the risks.
"Criminals know we are looking for a deal"
Don't be tempted to click on a suspicious link or share personal information when you might be feeling the festive pressure. The force would urge you not to be rushed into making purchases or sharing information. Stop and think to consider if something might not be legitimate - if something seems too good to be true, it often is! Reported problems consumers have with online shopping range from scams and defective goods to not knowing their consumer rights and struggling to get refunds.
Be aware when buying from the likes of eBay and Facebook marketplace. When using PayPal don’t agree to tick that box of paying trusted friends unless it really is someone you know. You may feel you are helping the seller out by them not having to pay fees, but remember you are not covered if that item does not appear.
The significant increase of people turning to internet shopping, particularly during the last couple of years, has also sadly provided the perfect conditions for fraudsters to take advantage of vulnerable people, conning them out of large sums of money. Courier fraud, romance fraud, fake phishing emails and scam phone calls have all been on the rise since the start of the pandemic.
Wiltshire Police Fraud Manager, Alison Wiles said “There are some really simple steps everyone can take to shop safely, like: making sure your shopping and online financial platforms are secure with strong passwords (which you must NEVER share); checking the website you’re on is legitimate; be on the lookout for potential phishing emails or text messages with direct links (please don’t click on those links, instead go through the retailer’s own website), and be extra wary of sites you haven’t used before. Do some research first; internet searches may provide helpful information about current scams.
“Older or less technically minded people living alone are most at risk, we’d like to ask those in our communities who are more savvy when it comes to online shopping or fraud, to look out for your less knowledgeable friends, family or neighbours. It could make a huge difference.”
Having regular conversations with less internet aware, often older people, could easily help prevent someone you know becoming a victim of these fraudsters. Prevention is always our preferred strategy - let’s curtail these scams and do all we can to shop online safely this festive season.
If you’ve been a victim of fraud, please report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040, or via their website at www.actionfraud.police.uk.