Criminals conned 17,407 shoppers out of almost £13.5 million over the Christmas period last year – an increase of over 20 per cent when compared to the same period in 2018, according to Action Fraud.

Action Fraud is warning shoppers to take extra care when shopping online in the run up to Christmas. Their suggestions include

Where to shop:

If you’re makng a purchase from an online store you haven’t used before, carry out some research first, or ask a friend or family member if they’ve used the site and about their experiences before completing the purchase.

Your information:

Only create an account if necessary or to save you effort if you’re going to use that site a lot in the future. Be cautious if the website asks you for personal details that are not required for your purchase.

Payments:

If you decide to go ahead with the purchase, ensure that the webpage where you enter your payment details is secure (website address starts with “https”). Using a credit card to pay online also means that should the worst happen and your payment details are compromised, your main bank account won’t be directly affected.

Phishing:

Some of the messages you receive about amazing offers may contain links to fake websites. Not all links are bad, but if you’re unsure, don’t use the link – go separately to the website. Report any suspicious emails you receive by forwarding them to: report@phishing.gov.uk You can also report suspicious text messages by forwarding them to 7726.