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This month Get Safe Online has launched a campaign to help individuals shop safely online in the run-up to Christmas in partnership with North Wales Police and the region’s Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Andy Dunbobbin. Get Safe Online is a service commissioned by the Office of the PCC and the local Police Force to share helpful information and advice with the people of North Wales.
We all know or have heard about someone who’s bought clothes, an electronic product or even a car on the internet only for it never to arrive. Sometimes it’s because of an admin error, but more often than not, they’ve been fooled by a fraudster.
Tony Neate, CEO at Get Safe Online comments: “Hundreds of thousands of cases of people being defrauded whilst buying online are reported annually, with the figure increasing every year. The actual number of cases is considerably higher, as most purchase frauds go unreported by their victims. That’s why, this month we are promoting ways to purchase safely online and to help ensure you and your family can shop safely, securely and with confidence in the run up to Christmas.”
Detective Constable Roheryn Evans from North Wales Police’s Cyber Crime Team added: “Criminals have ever-changing tactics that make use of social engineering skills to make you believe their lies. Social engineering is how they persuade and convince us to either do a certain thing or buy a certain product, because it encourages us to act quickly without thinking. We can’t help believing we’ve got a fantastic deal, and we have to rush to grab the offer before it runs out. It’s only afterwards, when the product doesn’t arrive, that we realise we’ve been conned.
“We see victims of all ages from across all communities in North Wales fall victim to shopping scams. Most of the perpetrators are based overseas, which makes it really difficult to bring them to justice. The best way to protect yourself is always do your checks before you make your purchase so you can make sure it’s a genuine seller with good reviews.”
Andy Dunbobbin, Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales, said: “Purchase fraud is a growing problem and one that we should be extra vigilant of in the run-up to Christmas. In today’s economic climate we’re all looking for those amazing bargains, and some offers can be hard to refuse. But it’s always important to take a moment to think about the tips offered by Get Safe Online and to consider if the offer is legitimate. ‘If something looks too good to be true, it often is’ is an old saying, but one that still applies today, especially at a time when so much of our Christmas shopping takes place online. So, take care and ensure you have a cracking Christmas, rather than falling victim to festive fraud.”
Here are Get Safe Online’s top tips on how to protect yourself:
- Don’t pay by transferring money directly to people or companies you don’t know. If you can, pay by credit card.
- Make sure a website is authentic by carefully checking the address is spelled correctly. Ideally, type it in rather than clicking on a link in an email, text or post. You could also try the easy-to-use Check a Website tool on the Get Safe Online website.
- Learn how to spot fraudulent advertisements on social media, online marketplaces and forums. Regard unrealistically low-cost items with suspicion, but even normally priced items may also be fraudulent. Never part with payment – even a deposit – for goods you haven’t seen in person.
- Don’t click on links in emails, texts or posts that you’re not expecting, and don’t open unexpected email attachments.
- Make sure payment pages are secure by checking that addresses begin with ‘https’ (‘s’ is for secure) and there’s a closed padlock in the address bar.
- Read the small print and independent reviews for ‘low-cost’ or ‘free’ trials. Whatever the product or service, you could be signing up for large monthly direct debits which are hard to cancel.
- Texts and emails claiming to be from home delivery companies telling you that you owe a fee are also commonplace. Keep a record of everything you buy and, if it’s specified, which delivery firm the retailer is using.
- Do your research when it comes to pricing, especially during events like Black Friday and seasonal sales. Some sellers advertise products at a lower price when they’re actually no cheaper or even more expensive.
- Report fraud immediately to your bank. This will increase your chance of getting your money back. Also, report it to the Police.
For further tips and advice visit www.getsafeonline.org
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About Get Safe Online
Get Safe Online is an authoritative and widely respected international resource designed to help individuals and small businesses stay safe, secure and confident when using the internet. The information and advice provided is designed to be impartial, practical and easy to follow by all of its target audiences. Get Safe Online has established a network of websites and local representations in 26 countries around the world, funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. Get Safe Online was established in 2006 and is a not-for-profit organisation.