One in eight UK internet users have been victims of fraud,
which totalled £2.61bn in the past year, a survey has
revealed.
On average, £460 was stolen from each of the victims, the online
survey of more than 2,000 UK internet users found.
That is despite that fact that many online shoppers claim to be
security conscious and using extra caution when buying goods
online.
Some 82% of respondents claimed to buy only from websites with
enhanced security settings, with 3% more women than men claiming to
check security before they buy online.
The survey showed that people aged 45 to 54 are defrauded most
often, with 14% of victims in this age group. Londoners are the
most careless about buying online.
Some 18% of Londoners said they did not bother checking whether
a website had enhanced security settings before buying from it.
The findings highlight the need for more education on how online
shoppers can protect themselves, said internet infrastructure
services firm VeriSign, which commissioned the survey.
"Research reveals that there is not a relationship between the
number of people who check a website's security and those who have
been scammed," said Martin Mackay, VeriSign's vice-president of
EMEA.
As part of a campaign to raise
awareness around online fraud, the firm has launched the
VeriSign UK Fraud Index, a biannual barometer of online fraud.
According to CIFAS, the
UK's fraud prevention service, the fraud index will help track the
threat landscape to help combat fraud and guide online
shoppers.
"Cyber criminals are undoubtedly getting more devious, but
consumers can easily lessen the likelihood of online fraud by
stepping up their own awareness of how they can protect themselves
online," said Richard Hurley, communications manager at CIFAS.
Guidelines for safety online
• Use a personal firewall and anti-virus software
• Disconnect from the internet when not online
• Protect laptops with a password
• Use strong passwords
• Use two-factor authentication if possible
• Check the website is safe before buying
• Avoid sites with any typographical errors
• Check that shopping site URLs begin with https
• Use secure Wi-Fi networks