Shopping and banking safely online - keeping your financial details safe

Before you buy anything online make a note of the address of the company that you are buying from. This should include details of the telephone and/or fax - never rely on just an email address.
Always use secure sites, these sites have 'https' in front of the web address which indicates that the company has been independently checked to make sure they are who they say they are. A yellow padlock symbol will appear in the browser window to show the payment process is secure.

More tips

• when transferring money use reliable firms
• never transfer or receive money for someone else
• check the sites' privacy and returns policy
• print out a copy of your order and any acknowledgement you receive
• check your bank statement carefully against anything you buy online
• keep your passwords secure

Recognising and dealing with internet fraud
You may be the victim of internet fraud if:

• you have paid for an item online and it does not arrive
• you sell something online and you don't receive payment
• the item you receive doesn't match the original description you were given

If you think you have been conned:
check with the company you dealt with to see if you can resolve the problem

• if you have a problem with an item bought or sold using on an auction site, like eBay, check with them to see if they can do anything about it
• if you paid for goods using a credit card and the goods did not arrive you can ask the credit card company to investigate
• if you used an online payment service, check if you are covered by a fraud protection scheme on the service website
• You have the same rights buying online as over the phone or by mail order. You can find out more on the Consumer Direct website and this helpline: 0845 04 05 06, or contact your local Citizens Advice Bureaux.

 
Schemes to watch out for
The internet provides criminals with an easy way to contact thousands of people at a time. Examples include, emails offering the chance to take part in money making schemes, or claiming you are the winner of a prize draw.
You can avoid being a victim of internet fraud by:

• remembering - if something sounds too good to be true, it usually is
• taking your time making decisions that involve parting with money
• getting independent financial advice before making investments
• only doing business with companies that you recognise or know of by recommendation by someone you trust - don't judge a company on how 'professional' their website looks
• if in any doubt, you can check a company is genuine by looking them up on Companies House or the Financial Services Authority websites - if they are they will be registered

Identity theft
If personal details like your address, passport number and National Insurance number are stolen they can be used to set up online accounts, apply for credit cards and even apply for benefits in your name without you knowing.
Criminals may try to get your credit card details by sending emails that appear to be from a reputable online organisation like a bank or credit card company. They encourage you to enter your credit card details or password on a fake website.

If you've fallen victim to a hoax email scam and/or a bogus web page, then you need to act very quickly. Complete the following in the order shown...
 

• Call your Credit Card company and tell them that your account may be compromised (do everything that they tell you to do).
  
  • If you had more than one card registered with the sites involved, you will have to call each and every one of them.
• Call your bank tell them that your account details may have been compromised and how this occurred (do everything that they ask you to).
• Change your password on your email account - the one that you have registered with the relevant site - such as eBay or PayPal - and therefore the one that you use to receive emails from these sites.
• Change passwords on the relevant sites. If you cannot log into your accounts then the fraudsters may have already changed the passwords, go to the next step...
• Contact the websites involved and not only should you tell them that your account may have been compromised, but you should also include a copy of the email which led to the problem.
• Make a report to the Police (yes, even though it is a long winded and frustratingly time consuming process).