Top tips to help you make and keep your online safety
Don't overshare
• You may like to share the good times with all your contacts, but take a moment to think about what and why you’re sharing, whose hands it could fall into and how it might affect others.
• If you and your mobile are inseparable, it's a good idea to review what apps you have loaded, and delete those you haven’t used for six months.
Check privacy and location settings on all your apps, as well as your device and camera.
Make sure your mobile devices are protected with a passcode, and download a reputable security app.
Get secure
• Make sure the software, apps and operating systems on all your devices are updated when prompted, or better still set this to happen automatically.
Check that you have up-to-date, high quality internet security software (antivirus/antispyware) on all your devices, including mobiles.
Keep your payments secure
• When you're making online payments for purchases, services or money transfers, make sure they're via a secure web page or authorised app.
Being asked to pay for something – whether it's goods, a holiday or travel, concert tickets or anything else, could be a sign that you're being defrauded.
Protect yourself from fraud
• To safeguard yourself from online fraud, think twice before opening email attachments, or clicking on links in unexpected emails, texts and social media posts.
Learn how to spot bogus emails, texts and posts.
Don’t provide any more information than is absolutely necessary.
And remember that online, not everyone is who they may appear to be.
If in doubt, call the organisation or person the communication claims to be from, on the number you know to be correct.
Get Safe Online
Get Safe Online is the UK's leading source of information and advice on online safety and security, for the public and small businesses.It is a not-for-profit, public/private sector partnership backed by law enforcement agencies and leading organisations in internet security, banking and retail.
For more information and expert, easy-to-follow, impartial advice on safeguarding yourself, your family, finances, devices and workplace.
Left click/Tap
www.getsafeonline.org to go online. If you think you’ve been a victim of online fraud, report it to Action Fraud, the UK’s national fraud and cybercrime reporting centre on 0300 123 20 40
Left click/Tap
www.actionfraud.police.uk
to go online.
In Scotland, report fraud to Police Scotland by calling 101.
