Police remind shoppers to be cyber aware on Black Friday

New data from the National Cyber Security Centre and Action Fraud shows during last year’s festive period shoppers across the country lost more than £11.5m to online criminals. The average victim lost £695 to fraudsters.

Charlotte Platts, fraud protect officer at South Yorkshire Police, said: “The numbers from last year’s Christmas shopping period paint a very clear picture.

Cyber criminals will target and take advantage of unsuspecting shoppers at this time of the year.

“This is why we are sharing some simple advice to South Yorkshire residents to help reduce the risk of suffering similar losses during this year’s Black Friday.

“Our Fraud Team have issued the below advice for avoiding falling victim to a scam this Christmas:

Check before you buy: If a deal looks too good to be true it usually is. Research the product and the online retailer, particularly if you haven’t bought from them before, to check if they are legitimate.

Pay securely: Only make payments with reputable and known sellers. Scammers will often try and coerce you away from official payment channels. Using payment services like a credit card or PayPal means you have protection when shopping online.

Unsecure websites: Every URL on a website should start with https. This shows that the online retailer has taken extra measures to secure its financial transactions. Whenever you pay online look for the closed padlock in the web address bar as this means your connection is secure.

Phishing emails: Emails disguised as well-known companies are often sent to shoppers over the festive period. If you are unsure about the source of an email, never click any link or attachment. Instead go directly to the official retailer website.

Charlotte added: “Unfortunately, there are a lot of fake shopping websites operating with the sole purpose of taking advantage of people at this time of the year – exploiting them for their hard-earned money.

“Our warning to people is to be aware, before making a purchase always stop and think.”

If you think you’ve been a victim of fraud, contact your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud online at www.actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040.