Last minute online shopping advice

The increase in online Christmas shopping has provided criminals with an great opportunity to scam people into paying for goods and services that just don’t exist, often advertised through local auction and selling sites or social media with images taken from genuine sellers’ to try and convince you they’re the real deal. Scammers also use cloned websites with slight changes to the URL to trick you into thinking you’re purchasing from a genuine website. They may also ask for payment prior to delivery and send you fake receipts and invoices that seem to be from the payment provider.

Scams include buyers paying deposits for pets that don’t exist, DIY purchases and electronic devices such as games consoles to name a few.

Beware of any requests to pay by bank transfer when buying and selling online. Criminals don’t want you to use the secure payment methods recommended by reputable online retailers and auction sites. They will even mimic banking apps to make it appear as though you’ve been paid.

Always remember that if something feels to good to be true, it often is. Before paying for anything online always #TakeFive

Visit the Take Five to stop fraud for some practical advice on preventing fraud Take Five – To Stop Fraud | To Stop Fraud (takefive-stopfraud.org.uk)