ON THE first day of Christmas West Mercia Police are giving the gift of cyber advice to the town’s residents.
With people doing more of their Christmas shopping online in recent years, officers are urging Redditch shoppers to take precautions to ensure they will not fall victim to cyber criminals.
Although the internet may make life easier for people who don’t want to brave the crowds this festive season, it also makes it easier for cyber thieves to take advantage of unsuspecting shoppers.
When making purchases online, officers advise to never transfer money directly into the seller’s account but to make sure payment is made by card on a secure payment page, by cheque or even make a cash payment in person where possible.
Shoppers should ensure payment pages are secure and you can see ‘https’ and a locked padlock or unbroken key symbol on the site.
A credit card, rather than a debit card, gives you more chance of getting your money back if there are problems and shoppers should beware that Wi-Fi in public places is not always secure – even if you have to enter a code.
Once the payment has been made and the goods are safely ordered, always be sure to log out of your online shopping and banking accounts.
Anyone who thinks they have been a victim of fraud should report it to Action Fraud,the UK’s national fraud reporting centre, at www.actionfraud.police.uk/ or by calling 0300 123 20 40.
