1,000 hit by fraud a day. Here’s the one big tip from police.
It’s absolutely shocking that 1,000 people are hit by fraud a day. More people are choosing to online shop these days, unfortunately leaving themselves more vulnerable to fraudsters.
It is revealed that nine in ten victims decide against reporting the attack to the police. This is usually because they blame themselves and feel embarrassed or they are simply unaware it has taken place. As the cases of internet fraud are rising more and more each day, the police are desperately calling for the public to be much more vigilant.
Since the police are struggling to get shops and banks to up their security and ultimately stop the fraudsters and internet hackers in their tracks, the only thing they can do is try and get the public to grow more wise to the dangers and advise them on how to take actions to protect themselves.
It may sound extreme, but the issue is now so out of hand, the police are calling for us all to create separate bank accounts for internet shopping so that if an online retailer falls victim to hacking and they gain access to customers details, we at least won’t be putting all of our money on the line.
Police are also urging us to write down all of our passwords down on paper rather than storing them online. Most people use simple passwords such as letmein, password or their names, leaving them open to attacks.
With so few crimes being reported, investigators are missing out on the vital clues needed to catch criminals.
The most effective way to protective yourself would definitely to start using a separate bank account for online shopping as soon as possible. This will dramatically reduce your risks of having everything so easily taken.
Here are some other top tips to help protect yourself from fraud:
– Be sure to sign up to Verified by Visa or MasterCard Secure Code whenever you are given the option whilst shopping online! You may of already noticed this, it involves you registering a password with your card company and adds that extra layer of security to online transactions with signed-up retailers.
– Protect your passwords! It’s a good idea to use different passwords for different things so that if one account happens to get hacked, the criminals don’t automatically have access to all of your other accounts. Also consider changing them regularly for added security.
– Be aware of phishing. Phishing is a trick in which spam or pop-ups pose as legitimate banks or businesses in a desperate bid to obtain your personal information. If they fool you into handing your information over, they will then use it to access your accounts. So again, always verify that you’re on a familiar website with security controls before you enter any bank details or personal data!!
– Another thing to be aware of is ‘skimming’! This is a trick used by fraudsters where they obtain your card details by swiping your card in a device that copies all details. Whenever you pay by card in restaurants, shops or petrol stations, make sure you keep your eye on your card at all times and make sure it has only been swiped once!
CLICK HERE for more of my top tips to help protect against fraud.
