They say “you get what you pay for” an expression often related to the quality of what we obtain when parting with our hard-earned money. However, sadly so many people never receive anything of any quality when shopping online.
After listening to this podcast please visit Action Fraud, National Cyber Security Centre and the West Midlands Cyber Protect Website for more guidance on all things relating to online Security.
www.actionfraud.police.uk
www.ncsc.gov.uk
www.cybercrimeprotect.co.uk
Our host is Mathew Hough-Clews and can be found at sp_digitalpcso.
Also covering the West Midlands is Sean Long – WMPDigitalPCSO and covering Warwickshire and West Mercia Police areas is James Squire - cyberpcso.
Email us at wmcyber@west-midlands.pnn.police.uk.
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Hi, I'm Matthew Hough-Clewes. I'm a digital Police Community Support Officer for the West Midlands Regional Cyber Crime Unit.
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Today's date is Friday the 26th of June 2020.
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This is the Cyber Threat Weekly.
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This week's headline of the week, over 16 million pounds lost online shopping fraud during lockdown, with people aged 18 to 26. most at risk.
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There were over 16,000 victims during the three month period. Customers are reported by mobile phones, vehicles, air pods, MacBooks and footwear on sites such as eBay, Facebook, Gumtree and depop only to have the items never arrived. Nearly a quarter of victims were aged 18 to 26 residing in cities including London, Birmingham, and Manchester.
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To protect yourself from falling victim to online shopping or auction fraud. Remember the following;
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Where to shop, if you are making a purchase from a company or seller you do not know and trust, carry out some research based and ask a friend or family member for advice before completing the purchase.
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Email accounts, use a strong and separate password for your email account. Criminals can use your email to access other online accounts, such as those used for online shopping.
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Phishing, some of the emails or texts you receive about amazing offers may contain links to fake websites. Not all links are bad but if you're unsure, don't use the link and type the website directly into your browser instead.
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Payment method, if you decide to go ahead with the purchase, use a credit card if you have one, or the payment providers may not provide the same protection
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And report it, if you think you've been a victim of fraud, report it to action fraud online at www.actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040.
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In other news this week,
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New Zealand £72 million pounds worth of assets from alleged Russian cyber criminal suspected of laundering billions of dollars in digital currency. Coronavirus, Scottish public sector bosses targeted by cyber criminals during lockdown, phishing attack impersonate LinkedIn notification.
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Help your child make positive cyber choices.
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Cyber choices is coordinated by the National Crime Agency or NCA and delivered by regional and local police teams. The aim is to explain the difference between legal and illegal cyber activity, encourage individuals to make informed choices about their use of technology, divert them away from cybercrime and promote legal tech opportunities.
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And finally woman who deliberately deleted firms Dropbox has sentenced, a business woman from North Yorkshire has been sentenced for deleting thousands of important files from a company that went on to collapse.
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For additional guidance, please visit the National Cyber Security Centre or NCSC website. Also, please don't hesitate to contact us for support with regards to training, advice and guidance on how to protect and prepare your business online.
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Thank you