5 ways to stay safe online and protect yourself from scams this Christmas

As we approach Christmas, scammers and hackers see this as prime attacking time to find inventive ways to con people out of their hard-earned money. We have put together 5 ways to stay safe online and protect yourself from scams this Christmas.

1. Always check the URL of the website
When online shopping, you should make a habit of checking in the search bar the start of the URL. There should be a small padlock on the left and it should begin with https:// instead of only http://. The S stands for secure and means the http request is using SSL (Secure Sockets Layer). This ensures a secure connection between a server and user. If a site is using HTTP without the S this means all information is unencrypted.

2. Stick to popular websites & use common sense
Be very aware of deals that seem too good to be true, this means they usually are. Be cautious of emails offering discounts and deals and adverts on social media. Although social media has a vetting process, it is still best to double check these are authentic. Twitter, Facebook and Instagram will not be held accountable once you have clicked on the advert.

If the email/ad was from a reputable website, then you should be able to click through the website on various pages and find the deal again. Some scammers will set up replica websites to look identical to the original website, but they are usually only a few pages in size. If in doubt, always stick to popular websites such as Amazon or instead of clicking the link to the website on the advert/email, you could open a new window in Google or another search engine and visit the site through here.

3. Research & Check Reviews
Before you buy anything from an online retail store, first run a background check on it. Or, more realistically, Google it. See if other shoppers have used it, and critically review their feedback.

4. Be careful when using public Wi-Fi
Always be cautious when using public Wi-Fi. You can use it for general browsing, but never use it for shopping or banking.

5. Check your statements
Regularly check your bank statements and if you notice ANY unusual activity call your bank straight away. Hackers who have taken your details can sometimes charge a small amount that you may not notice to check it goes through, then a bigger amount is taken at a later date.

If you have become victim to a scam report it to Action Fraud 0300 123 2040.