One of the most frequent frauds nowadays is online fraud and, because it takes many forms, preventing it can be quite difficult. The UK is one of the countries with a high incidence of online frauds and while some cases can be handled with the help of the police, there are also situations which require specialised assistance from solicitors. The victims will rarely appeal to such services, however, in the case of offenders, the help of an UK defence solicitor can be welcomed most of the times.
No matter the circumstances, it is always best to try and prevent online frauds, which is why we have prepared some tips on this subject below.
Verify the information
The best way to prevent an online fraud is to verify the information you receive. When you get an email asking for personal information or money, you should always check who is at the other end of the email. Online searches can reveal news about online frauds, so verification remains one of the best ways of preventing any type of fraud.
Don’t pay in advance for a promise
A main characteristic of an online fraud is a promise for money, valuable objects or other important things. However, the promised thing will usually imply a fee, an advance payment, a tax or any other way of receiving money. The first thing to consider is to never pay in advance for an object you will receive at a later date, with no contract/invoice, as you will never get it.
If you find yourself among the victims of online fraud, one of the many organisations which can offer free support is Victim Support.
Credit card fraud – one of the newest types of online frauds
Many persons in the UK and other countries have started reporting money stolen from their credit or debit cards. This is one of the oldest and common online frauds which, unfortunately, still make victims. The best way of avoiding this type of fraud is to never offer to pay by card for the false promises mentioned above. You should also avoid giving the credit card number, the PIN to your debit cards, the bank account number or anything else that has to do with your bank account if you want to avoid being a victim of online frauds.
One of the most important organisations fighting online frauds in Europe is Europol, where such crimes can be reported by victims.
Protect your personal information
One of the safest ways to avoid online frauds is to protect your personal information and by that we don’t simply mean don’t giving up credit card numbers. All personal data should be withheld when asked for, especially by e-mail. Also, resisting special offers is a great way of protecting yourself and your bank account.
Online frauds take many forms in our days and they will keep evolving, however, keeping an eye out for any suspicious activities such as great offers you cannot resist, and fishy e-mails can help you protect yourself against such problems. Saying ‘no’ to those offers that seem too good to be true is the best way to ensuring you are not a victim of online fraud.
