'Cyber Crime Unit' Scam Phone Call Warning
Warwickshire residents have received scam phone calls claiming to be from the 'Cyber Crime Unit'.
Get in the know on some of the techniques criminals will be using over the coming weeks to con UK internet shoppers - and get tips to protect yourself when buying online!
In 2 weeks time, Cyber Monday (27th November) will be here. It is regarded as the date that everyone goes online looking for sales and deals in time for Christmas. Accordingly, the scammers and hackers are gearing up for this day, too.
Research suggests that nearly all (98%) of the UK population now shop online, with nearly a third (29%) plan to shop on Cyber Monday.
Along with this enthusiasm however comes risk: the research, which queried 1,000 UK consumers, showed that one in five admitted to having already been caught out by an online scam.
Range Of Techniques Used To Trick Shoppers
Some of the methods criminals may use to con online shoppers in the run up to Christmas include:
As shoppers search for Cyber Monday deals, it’s important that you remember to look closely at links and email addresses before clicking.
TOP TIPS
If you receive an email about any purchased items - do not click on the links. Instead, sign into your account directly via the website to see your purchase history, update any details and to track your order.
Do not click on social media links offering great prices for in demand gifts. Again, go directly to the company website; and verified social media accounts (many have a blue tick to prove this), to see if an offer posted on social media is genuine.
Spelling and/or grammatical mistakes in emails, social media posts and websites can be a clear sign that it is a scam.
Whenever you enter your personal details online, only do so on sites with HTTPS and a padlock within the address bar. If this is not there, do not enter any information - as the site is not secure, and they may not be a legitimate company. See the video below for more information on this:
The brands most likely to be spoofed this November likely correspond with the most popular online retailers in the UK, which according to the survey include Amazon (87%), Argos (46%) and Tesco (35%).