With Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the Christmas shopping period
fast approaching, the British Retail Consortium is calling on
shoppers to take simple steps to protect themselves over the
festive season. With up to a third of all retail sales being made
online in the run up to Christmas, cyber criminals often take
advantage of the uptick in online shopping with scams and
fraudulent activity. With this in mind, the British Retail
Consortium and its members are sharing five tips on how to stay
safe when online shopping.
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Shop on secure and trusted websites: If a deal
looks too good to be true, it usually is. Always navigate
directly to a reputable retailer's website rather than clicking
on links in unfamiliar emails or social media posts, and
double-check the URL before entering any personal details.
-
Enable strong authentication: Use strong
passwords, ensuring they are unique for each account, and
enable multi-factor authentication wherever possible.
Fraudsters' biggest advantage is password reuse: one breach is
all it takes for them to gain access to multiple websites and
accounts. This is especially important if your payment details
are saved on a website.
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Use secure payment: Some payment services,
such as credit cards, offer additional protections to users
when paying online. Check what protections your preferred
payment method provides.
-
Keep an eye on your purchases: With so many
payments made over the Christmas period, keep track of your
bank statements to ensure you are only paying for the goods and
services you have purchased.
-
Avoid public WiFi: Never enter payment details
on public or unsecured WiFi. Only use mobile data or a trusted
home/work network.
For more detailed advice on staying safe online, visit the
National Cyber Security Centre
(NCSC) or Stop! Think Fraud
websites.
Graham Wynn, Assistant Director of Regulatory Affairs the
BRC, said:
“It is vital that everyone takes steps to ensure they are
shopping safely online this Black Friday and beyond. Cyber
criminals will be looking to exploit consumers through
sophisticated scams, and consumers must be extra vigilant. Don't
let a Christmas deal turn into a Christmas disaster.”
Jonathan Ellison, Director for National Resilience at the
NCSC, said:
"For Black Friday and the festive shopping period, it is
important for shoppers to remember that cyber criminals seek to
exploit this surge in spending, using trust in established brands
and the seasonal popularity of products to lure people into
clicking malicious links or sharing personal and financial
information.
“We strongly recommend shoppers turning on two-step verification
for their most important accounts and exercise caution while
making purchases- if any online interaction feels suspicious the
best action is to stop.”
-ENDS-
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