Member Article

Online fraud in town, says Citizens Advice Darlington

This Christmas, Citizens Advice Darlington is warning people that online crime is most definitely coming to town.

The warning comes in light of figures from last Christmas which show that individuals and businesses reported losing more than £16m to online fraudsters through online shopping and auction fraud, a 42 per cent increase in total financial loss compared with the 2013 festive period where £9,522,491 was lost by victims.

Neeraj Sharma, chief executive of Citizens Advice Darlington, said: “Fraudsters and online criminals are relentless and will stop at nothing, giving absolutely no thought as to whether you and your family are left without presents at Christmas time. We can provide advice which will help people to protect themselves and ensure that they don’t get conned out of Christmas.”

Last year’s report by Action Fraud shows that the most common time for victims to initially make contact with the fraudster is during Black Friday and Cyber Monday and because this year the “Black Friday” deals continue throughout this week, Citizens Advice Darlington is urging people to be extra vigilant.

The most common item being bought and sold by victims and fraudsters were mobile phones. People reported trying to get good deals on some of the most popular models of smart phones, but what they thought was going to be a bargain never actually arrived. Others reported being defrauded while trying to buy footwear, clothing, watches, gaming consoles, computers, items of furniture and home electricals.

Mr Sharma said: “If you feel like something is suspicious, it probably is, so it’s always better to be safe than sorry.”

Simple steps can be taken to protect yourself, such as double checking to see if a website and product is legitimate, and also looking for any customer reviews which often act as a good touch point for safe online shopping. Shop with reputable merchants, preferably ones you have used before, check warranties and make sure you have adequate anti-virus software.

An increasing number of Christmas e-cards are being sent via email, many are genuine, however, cyber criminals are creating their own versions which may contain a virus that will embed itself on your electronic device and then collect personal data, financial information and passwords. If you receive an anonymous e-card delete it as it could be infected.

Citizens Advice Darlington also confirmed that there have been reports of calls from people purporting to be from HMRC hinting that there are Christmas tax rebates and bonuses to be had. These calls are not genuine.

Mr Sharma said: “Most people look forward to the festive season, but if something looks or sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”

To report fraud, call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040. If you need advice about your rights when buying and sending gifts, call Citizens Advice Darlington on 01325-256999.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Citizens Advice Darlington .