The Jersey Fraud Prevention Forum is warning islanders to protect themselves against online crime this Christmas.
As part of a national initiative set up by Action Fraud, City of London and Get Safe Online, the local forum is sharing some top tips to safeguard against cyber-crime during the festive season. Starting on Tuesday 1 December and running for ten days, useful information and advice will be shared on the group’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
Highlighting the risks of bogus websites, virus infected e-Christmas Cards, charity scams, auction and ticketing fraud, and social media scams, the social media campaign aims to make islanders more aware of how they may potentially be targeted when shopping online.
Detective Chief Inspector Lee Turner, States of Jersey Police commented: “Christmas is a favourite time of year for criminals. People are busy buying presents online and often do not think about protecting themselves and their finances from fraudsters. There are some simple steps all islanders can take to ensure that they surf and shop safely and do not get conned this Christmas.”
Barry Faudemer, Director of Enforcement, added: “We are seeing an increase in reports of cyber-crime nationally and Christmas is always the time of year when people get caught out. We are advising people to invest in adequate internet security and antivirus software, to check their home Wi-Fi is secure, to use protected payment methods when buying online, and to double-check the legitimacy of any websites they may be buying from.”
Anyone who believes that they have been a victim of a scam should contact the States of Jersey Police on 612 612. For more information about the Jersey Fraud Prevention Forum visit www.fraudprevention.je