How to Shop Online Securely

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  Shop Online Securely   As the big sales arrive but many of the high street stores like Debenhams, Principles and Dorothy Perkins, to name a few, no longer have a physical store, many shoppers will resort to online shopping to buy their favourite brands. Some handy tips to remember when shopping online are: Check that you use the correct website and that it is legitimate – do not click on a link as there are many fake copycat websites out there! If you can, use a credit card as opposed to a debit card. Using a credit card usually means you are protected when making online payments. When you are ready to make your payment, check for the closed padlock to show the website is using a secure connection.   If you do not see this padlock DO NOT enter your payment information! To get further information and top tips please check out this useful infographic from the NCSC.
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What is Phishing

 

What is Phishing??


 

Phishing is a form of cyber-crime where the criminals try to trick people into clicking on links in emails – these links can download malware to your device allowing the criminal to hack in to your device and damage or hijack your files.

Another common trick is to make people click on to links which will take them to fake websites (they look like the real thing) and get you to enter your passwords and/or credit card details – the attacker will now have access to these details and can steal your hard earned money!

Some tips for staying safe from phishing attacks are:

1.    Know what a phishing scam looks like – keep up to date with all the latest attacks by going to the National Cyber Security Centre website who provide regular updates on the latest scams.

2.    Do not click on the link! Many phishing attacks look exactly like they come from who they are purporting to be.


3.    Ensure you regularly allow updates to your device – security patches and updates are essential to keep your device up to date with protection from vulnerabilities and make sure firewalls are installed on your device.

4.    Use good, strong passwords and ensure you use different passwords for your accounts – don’t use PASSWORD! A combination or letters, numbers and symbols with both upper and lower case works best. Remember to turn on two factor authentication.

5.    Remember if being asked for any payment details, you should see an image of a closed padlock next to the URL, if this is not present – do NOT enter your card details. Never give out personal information or financial information if you do not 100% trust the site you are using.

Think you would know if you’re being attacked? Take a go at this quiz to test your phishing awareness!

 

Comments

  1. AnonymousNovember 8, 2022 at 7:15 AM

    Such great information!

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousNovember 8, 2022 at 8:13 AM

    Very informative blog and goodness that quiz is tough!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousNovember 16, 2022 at 2:49 AM

    Really enjoying your blogs. You are doing a great job of raising awareness of a very important topic. Phishing is unfortunately something we all experience almost daily now and your quick steps for spotting a scam will help so many avoid falling victim to scammers.

    ReplyDelete

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