Cyber security and online shopping: Stay safe this holiday period
Keeping you and your information safe while shopping online.
With the holidays fast approaching and more people looking to purchase presents online, the opportunity for scammers and other cyber criminals to access personal information as well as financial details has increased significantly. University staff and students using MWS machines or connected to eduroam should be particularly vigilant as a breach or information leak could not only compromise your personal information but also leave University data and systems vulnerable.
Here are some common techniques employed by these individuals as well as some advice on how to stay safe.
Wi-Fi: If you’re making a purchase online, ensure that you are doing so either using your own mobile data or a Wi-Fi network which you know is trustworthy. Making any financial transaction on an unsecure Wi-Fi network allows others to easily gain access to your information.
Shipping status emails and/or messages: It can be a bit confusing to keep track of the delivery of all your online orders. Scammers try to exploit this confusion by sending you an email or text message saying your order has been delayed and you should provide your card details to retrieve your order information. Do not enter your card details. Reputable retailers will not ask you for payment information to check the status of your order.
Fake surveys: These are circulated year-round (but more so at Christmas) and usually ask users to complete a series of surveys to receive money or a gift card. If you come across a survey which asks for either your personal information or your bank details, it is almost certainly fake. Very few legitimate online surveys offer direct customer compensation.
Fake gift cards: Gift cards have become an increasingly popular present for many. Scammers will send users an email saying they have received a gift card and that to activate the card the user will need to input their details. A good way to avoid this scam is to check who sent you the gift card; if you don’t know who sent you the gift card or where it came from, do not open the link.
These are just a few of the various scams to keep an eye out for during this holiday period.
If you believe that you have had any of your information stolen be sure to contact your bank immediately and if this has happened using an MWS machine, please contact IT Services immediately.