Shoppers could lose at least £80million over the 12 days of Christmas to fraud and cybercrime, experts have warned.
More than 1,000 Brits are expected to become victims each day to scammers.
Criminals are reportedly “ramping up” their activities as consumers rush to get the best deals. And cyber-security organisations have warned that social media and online sites are “rife” with scams designed to strip people of their hard-earned cash during the holiday season.
They say this will be a “stark economic hit to UK citizens already undergoing a cost of living crunch”.
A spokesman for the CyberUp Campaign said: “Our analysis shows the frightening figures of fraudsters and cyber-criminals looming over the festive period, who use a combination of sophisticated cyber techniques to steal consumers’ financial data and commit fraud. This forecast should serve as a wake-up call – we must do everything in our power to protect consumers from predatory activities, including updating outdated legislation like the Computer Misuse Act, which is currently constraining UK cyber-security defenders.
“The public would be shocked if they knew the law governing how cyber-security professionals protect us was written in 1990. It is out of date and criminalises activities that cyber defenders could use to prevent people falling victim to scammers this Christmas.”
The National Crime and Cyber Crime Reporting Centre has also identified a raft of risks that people may face this season.
It has urged “animal lovers to take extra care when buying a pet online” this Christmas. They are advised to “avoid paying by bank transfer” and, if unable to view the animal in person, to “ask for a video call”.
The Centre also warns against “romance fraud” in which criminals “use language to manipulate, persuade and exploit so that requests for money do not raise alarm bells”. It cautions that “profile photos may not be genuine” and encourages people to do a “reverse image search on a search engine” so they can find out if these have been taken from someone else.
Lord Hanson, the Government’s minister with responsibility for fraud, vowed that fraudsters will be “rooted out”.
He said: “This festive period, we know callous fraudsters will make their best efforts to scam innocent people shopping for the best deals online. That’s why I am urging everyone to visit the “Stop! Think Fraud” website as soon as they can, to make sure they stay safe.
“My message to fraudsters is clear and simple – you will have nowhere to hide. Not only will our national fraud squad root you out, but our the new and expanded Fraud Strategy will also increase collaboration between law enforcement and global industries, to tackle the enablers of cybercrime.”
