Black Friday shoppers warned after £10.9m lost to cybercrime last Christmas
Scots are being urged to stay safe online as new figures show cybercrime cost UK shoppers and businesses £10.9 million last Christmas.
Scots are being urged to stay safe online as new figures show cybercrime cost UK shoppers and businesses £10.9 million last Christmas.
Get Safe Online and Action Fraud said the figure dropped 33% compared to the same period in 2014-15.
With a record number of people expected to go online for bargains this Black Friday and Cyber Monday, consumers are being reminded to keep their financial and personal details secure.
Economy Secretary Keith Brown said: "With the festive period fast approaching, we can find some of the biggest bargains of the year online. However, while we all want to enjoy these deals, we should also be vigilant about not providing opportunities to cyber criminals.
"There are a number of simple steps consumers can take to protect themselves from online crime. These include paying with credit cards, shopping only with brands you know and trust, never sharing your password with anyone, and regularly updating your passwords and virus protection software.
"Black Friday and Cyber Monday are the most common times for victims to come into contact with cyber criminals and it is likely to be the same again this year. By taking these straightforward steps, we can all minimise the risk of falling prey to online cyber criminals."
Tony Neate, chief executive of Get Safe Online, added: "Christmas is supposed to be a time of goodwill. Unfortunately, this is not always the case when it comes to the online world with cyber criminals seeing the festive period as the perfect time to prey on unsuspecting members of the public who are looking to buy gifts online for loved ones.
"The fact that so much money is being lost over the season means that we need to be doing more to protect ourselves when making purchases."