London Police Issues Top Tips For Navigating Cyber Monday – ‘The Busiest Online Shopping Day Of The Year’
Internet stores are expected to be at their busiest on ‘Cyber Monday’, with the Metropolitan Police releasing some tips to help people avoid becoming victims of fraud.
Online fraudsters cost the UK economy an estimated £81billion in the last financial year, with reported crimes increasing by 60 per cent.
DCI Jason Tunn of the Met’s Cyber Crime Unit said: ‘The last thing anyone needs is for their details to be compromised by cyber criminals and online fraudsters – especially during the Christmas period.
‘These are simple tips to keep safe while you shop online for your gifts for friends and family.’
Top Tips for busiest internet shopping day of the year
1. Install protection on your computer with antivirus or full security suite products
2. Stay up to date – make sure you regularly patch your operating system to minimise your system vulnerabilities
3. Secure your network and use this to shop online. Dont use someone else’s as it may not be secure
4. Don’t click into links sent out by unsolicited spam or phishing emails – Go direct to the website URL
5. Let your system browser help you stay safe – Enable your browser phishing and malware protection filters
6. Use a credit card instead of a debit card – Credit cards may offer increased protection
7. Always look for the website URL to be shown as HTTPS and look for the padlock icon – Banking data sent over unsecured websites may be vulnerable to online thieves
8. Look at customer reviews for websites if you’re not sure on using the site
9. If a deal sounds too good to be true, – it probably is. Consumers are urged to be wary of receiving unsolicited mail asking them to visit sites for cheap deals on hard to get items. These may contain links designed to compromise your computer and steal your credentials
10. If you’re still in doubt, consider alternative payment methods such as PayPal, Gift Cards or Pre-Paid credit cards
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