This advice has been collated by East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU) to raise awareness among businesses and the public.
If you require any further information, assistance or guidance please contact the EMSOU Protect Team EMSOU Protect Team or your local Force protect team.
Christmas shopping
We love Christmas and who doesn’t? However, new research from the Bank Of England not only suggests that we are spending more and more on season festivities and a considerable portion of this is happening online rather than in person or on the high street.
How to shop safely
Look for HTTPS in the URL: When you shop online, you want to make sure that when you log in to your account; browse or pay for goods or services, that your connection is secure. HTTPS gives you that security by encrypting your internet traffic. Never shop without it!
Check for ‘Spoofing’ in the URL: Some websites are bogus, but look entirely convincing. You can often tell the difference between the real site and a fake one by carefully checking the web address. Cybercriminals will make minor alterations to this, to fool the innocent surfer.
For example:
marksandspencer.com might become marks&spencer.com
amazon.co.uk might become amaz0n.co.uk (number zero substituted for the letter o)
Secure your online account: If you are creating an account to purchase your Christmas goodies, make sure that cybercriminals are not going to be able to hack it. This means setting up a lengthy password, such as three random words, with the odd symbol or digit put in place for good measure.
Such passwords are almost impossible to crack. Better yet, use a password manager which is far more secure and will automatically enter your passwords so you don’t have to.
Be wary of ‘Malvertising’: Be careful about pop-up adverts, which redirect you to other sites. Some of these websites are actually malicious. They will scan your computer looking for vulnerabilities and will download malware such as a virus or Trojan if this is the case.
You can protect yourself by:
A) Updating your device. This will fix the vulnerabilities that cybercriminals try to exploit.
B) Updating your browser to the latest version – see here to check.
C) Changing your browser settings to block pop-ups and ads.
D) If you wish to close an ad, always click the ‘X’ in the top right hand corner and not the ‘Close’ button which can actually be a malicious link.
E) Always use up-to-date antivirus software.
Don’t access links in unsolicited emails: We all love a good bargain, but be wary of clicking links in emails. They may take you to a fraudulent website. Instead, use a search engine to locate your favourite site.
Set up ‘Two Factor Authentication’ (2FA) on your email: Your email represents the keys to the kingdom for any hacker. Not only does it serve as your username for multiple accounts, but it also allows you to correspond with online retailers and reset account passwords.
Always use a unique password for your email and set up Two Factor Authentication so that a text is sent to your phone in order to log in. See here for more details.
Help! I Think My Account Has Been Hacked
Contact your bank: They will most likely cancel your cards and reissue a new one. They are also likely to monitor your account for signs of fraud.
Change your password and turn on 2FA: If you can access the account, change your password and make sure that a text has to be sent to your mobile before you can log in. Unfortunately, you are going to have to do the same for any other online accounts you have that used the same password, the advice is NOT to use the same password on multiple accounts for this very reason. Generally a cybercriminal will attempt to use any found passwords on popular sites to gain access.
Check out your account settings: Some online accounts will allow you to check what devices and apps are connected (which you can disconnect if they are unfamiliar) and recent log-ins (date, time, IP address, browser and device type).
Contact the merchant: Not only will they monitor the account for unexpected transactions, but they may also collect evidence which may be required if you have been a victim of fraud and are seeking compensation.
Reporting
Please report all Fraud and Cybercrime to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040 or online.
Forward suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk.
Report SMS scams by forwarding the original message to 7726 (spells SPAM on the keypad).
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