Research has indicated that over four million people have fallen victim to online fraud in the UK in the past year, totalling £1.5 billion – meaning an average loss of £371 per incident.
Furthermore, when it comes to taking measures to protect finances online, a massive 27 percent of consumers admit they are not doing enough.
Gavin said: “As people shop online, this Christmas, I urge them to be extremely careful to avoid becoming victim to fraud. A few small precautions can make all the difference and ensure that your Merry Christmas is secure.”
Barclays, Kapersky and Get Safe Online have teamed up to provide some top tips for keeping safe online this festive season:
1. Keep contact details up to date: ensure your bank has up-to-date mobile/telephone contact numbers for you so they can speak to you if they spot unusual or suspicious activity on your account.
2. Get up to date security software: make sure your computer and your web-enabled phone are protected with up-to-date internet security software.
3. Look for the ‘S’: only ever access your internet banking or shopping sites by typing the address into your browser – never go to a website from a link in an e-mail and then enter personal details. Always ensure when transacting online that the URL starts HTTPS rather than HTTP or has the gold padlock icon, and use only official apps for mobile banking.
4. Treat all unsolicited emails with caution: don’t click on links or open attachments in emails you weren’t expecting or are not sure about.
5. Use strong passwords: passwords should have a mix of letters (upper and lower case) numbers and symbols – avoid obvious things like your name, birthday or phone number that others can guess.
6. Be cautious with online auctions: for higher value items, such as cars and other vehicles, try to see the items before sending any money and always use the insured methods of payment for the internet site, rather than direct payments to a seller. Log out after shopping and save the confirmation e-mail as a record of your purchase, and make sure you have registered your cards with Verified by Visa or MasterCard SecureCode.