Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner, Matthew Barber, is reminding residents of the simple steps they can take to protect themselves from fraud and cyber crime.
It follows the launch of a new national fraud reporting service, which went live on Monday, January 19.
Report Fraud has replaced Action Fraud as the national reporting centre for all incidents of fraud and cyber crime providing a single gateway for reporting and intelligence that will strengthen the collective response of policing, government and the private sector to cyber crime and fraud.
Firstly, don’t rush to act: scammers typically try and create a sense of urgency in their communications to get you to act quickly.
If you receive an unsolicited or unexpected communication–whether by text, email, letter, phone call, or in person; do not respond immediately.
Requests for action, personal information, or attempts to build trust without a clear reason may indicate fraud or cyber crime. Verify the credentials of the contact using contact details you have sourced independently – not those provided in the communication.
Taking a couple of minutes to stop, think and verify could save you from a scam.
Secondly, strengthen your digital security. Creating strong passwords for your online accounts (by combining three random words), using different passwords for different accounts, installing a password manager to safely store your passwords and switching on two factor authentication (2FA) will all boost your cybersecurity.
Two-factor Authentication, in particular, is one of the most effective ways to protect your online accounts as it requires a second step, in addition to your password, to access an account. You should look to activate two factor authentication on your most important accounts – email, banking and social media.
It only takes a couple of minutes to do and once enabled, you’ll instantly be safer online.
Just like we layer up our clothes to protect us from the cold in winter, we should be layering up to protect ourselves online too.
Allowing a few extra seconds for an additional step to verify who you are is always faster than needing to restore accounts if targeted with fraud.
Thirdly, report. Only an estimated 14% of frauds against an individual are reported but reporting any suspicious activity and incidents of fraud can help identify, pursue and prevent scammers from victimising others.
If you have received an unsolicited or suspicious communication (text, email, phone call, mailing), clicked into a suspicious social media account or website or have fallen victim to cyber crime or fraud, report it via www.reportfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040.
The Central Fraud Unit at Thames Valley Police has designed a Fraud Protection Toolkit which contains practical advice on safeguarding some of the common contact routes – telephone, mailing, mobile, social media – exploited by fraudsters.
It also includes vital advice on how to safeguard personal information and finances, as well as guidance on how it may be possible to recover money lost to fraud.
The new Report Fraud service includes a contact centre and reporting tool where individuals and businesses can submit reports of cyber crime and fraud.
Where appropriate, reports will be shared with individual police forces for further investigation.
A new dedicated Report Fraud Victim Service will continue and expand on the work of the National Economic Crime Victim Care Unit, providing specialist resources to support victims.
Matthew Barber said: “Fraud is the most common crime affecting our communities, with 14,000 residents of Thames Valley reporting a fraud in the last 12 months.
“Anyone can be vulnerable to fraudsters, regardless of age or digital confidence, but there are steps you can take to reduce your risk.
We know that incidents of fraud leave victims feeling vulnerable and, in many cases, isolated and embarrassed and that these feelings can be a barrier both to reporting and to seeking support.
No one should feel shame for being targeted by criminals. My Victims First service offers free practical and emotional support for victims of all crimes, including cyber crime and fraud, living in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Milton Keynes.”
Help and advice is available by calling 0300 1234 148 or vis www.victims-first.org.uk
