Happy Christmas to all – we hope you have a relaxing break.
Stay Safe Online this Christmas
During this busy time of year, we seek out the perfect gift and the best deal, which can often be found online and has the added convenience of being delivered directly to your door.
It is essential that we keep our guard up and consider the website from which we are making a purchase in order to protect our personal details to prevent identity theft and fraud.
When buying online, consider the following:
Does the website look authentic with high-quality images, product reviews and a contact telephone number and address?
Beware of bogus emails from fraudsters posing as charities, delivery companies and well-known retailers. Refrain from clicking on links in unexpected emails or texts and check the sender’s address as it may not marry up to who they say they are.
Do not click on any links that look remotely suspicious e.g. if you do not recall contact with them, poor spelling etc.
Always contact the company directly via their website if you need to check the authenticity of a communication.
When making an online payment to a website look out for the padlock in the browser. This doesn’t always mean a website is safe but it’s a good place to start.
When making an online purchase, trust your gut instinct, if the deal is too good to be true, it probably is.