Christmas shopping can be a headache for UK residents as hackers continue to ramp up their efforts to siphon money on online shopping sites. The prospect of long queues and the rising cost of living have persuaded many to scan for lucrative deals in order to manage their bank account this Christmas.
A huge spike in energy bills has already put millions of households on the verge of fuel poverty and the situation can be much worse by the end of this year. Hence, Britons will choose to shop online for their presents this year, but Christmas could be ruined if you fall victim to the thousands of online scams.
Over the last three months, there has been an 86% surge in reports of victims being conned while shopping online, as reported to the cyber helpline.
A recent victim, who requested anonymity, explained how he was trapped in an online scam: “I was shopping online and found some good deals on a site I found on social media. I spent £179, but my items didn’t turn up. I contacted the customer care number and they advised me that the order had failed to go through even though the money had been deducted from my account.”
“They sent me an email with a form to fill in to help them process my order. The form asked for the card details I had used for my order and without thinking I also shared my PIN. Over the next few days over £200 has been taken from my bank account.”
In some cases, the items are delivered but they are faulty or completely different from the description. Additionally, the fraudsters are targeting sellers by sending the product before payment or buying an item and then returning a fake item, but getting their money back.
Prevention strategies
Here are some simple tips to help you and your family enjoy a secure online shopping experience this festive season.
Question product availability: Carry out some research first, or ask a friend or family member if they’ve used the site and regarding their experiences before completing the purchase.
Check where you are sending your money: Be cautious while paying for your items, and scan if there’s a ‘closed padlock’ icon in the browser’s address bar. Use a credit card when shopping online, if you have one. The majority of credit card providers protect online purchases.
Employ strong passwords: Make sure that your really important accounts (such as your email account or online shopping accounts) are protected by strong passwords that you don’t use anywhere else.
“Be extremely careful when you are shopping online this Christmas. The internet is awash with fake shopping sites, fake items for sale, and criminals trying to scam you,” Founder & CEO of The Cyber Helpline, Rory Innes, stated. There will be a lot of valid offers and deals over the coming weeks, but before you buy, check if the website is legitimate, if the offer looks reasonable, search online for reviews and check if the company really exists. If you received the offer in a message or email, don’t click any links and visit the official website directly to check if the offer exists.”