Dyfed-Powys Police Recommend Five Steps To Protect Against Online Fraudsters
On Safer Internet Day (SID) 2017 Dyfed-Powys Police is urging people not to fall foul of fraudsters, by following five simple steps.
In the lead-up to SID (February 7) Dyfed-Powys Police has spoken to residents living across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Powys to find out how the internet improves their lives. They’ve told Dyfed-Powys Police they use the internet as helping them to keep in touch with family members who live away, using it for homework, research and entertainment and online shopping. Their stories have been shared on the Dyfed-Powys Police Facebook and Twitter profiles.
Police have also taken the opportunity to make them aware of the risks that come with using the internet and how to protect themselves.
The most commonly reported Cyber Crime affecting people living in the four Dyfed-Powys counties is computer software services fraud and is usually the result of sensitive personal information being released.
In just six months last year [2016], over £400,000 was stolen from people living in Dyfed-Powys as a result of Cyber Crime.
Police are recommending people follow these five easy steps to help protect them online:
- Create passwords made of three random words. A strong password is your first line of defense against hackers and Cyber criminals.
- Use a secure website for your online shopping.
- Use a secure method of payment when shopping online. Paying by PayPal or credit card are the safest ways.
- Be wary of websites that are advertised in unsolicited emails from strangers.
- Use your instincts and common sense. Websites which request more personal information than you would normally expect to give are probably malicious.
Temporary Assistant Chief Constable and policing lead for Cyber Crime in Wales, Pam Kelly, said: “The internet has revolutionised the way we live our lives. In general we are very good at looking after ourselves in our ‘real’, offline lives, but the internet should be regarded as our hidden streets.
“Through using the Internet for all the wonderful things it offers us, we are also opening ourselves up to risks, including financial loss. As we live more and more of life online, we must be as cautious in these spaces as we would be walking down the street.
“Dyfed-Powys is the safest place to live in England and Wales and we aspire to make our online community as safe as our offline community. SID offers the opportunity to highlight positive and negative uses of technology and to explore the role we all play in helping to create a better and safer online community.”
Safer Internet Day 2017 (SID) will be celebrated globally. Coordinated in the UK by the UK Safer Internet Centre the celebration sees hundreds of organisations get involved to help promote the safe, responsible and positive use of digital technology for children and young people.
It calls upon young people, parents, carers, teachers, social workers, law enforcement, companies, policymakers, and wider, to join together in helping to create a better internet.
Internet Safety:
Parents can find information to help keep children and young people safe online by visiting www.thinkuknow.co.uk. Free, expert advice on how to stay safe online can be found by visiting www.getsafeonline.org.
If you have been the victim of a Cyber Crime, report it to Dyfed-Powys Police by calling 101.
If you have been the victim of online fraud, have received a potential scam message or computer virus but no money has been lost, or you haven’t responded to it, you can report it to Action Fraud either online or by calling 0300 123 2040.
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