Public urged to be aware of online scams in Boxing Day sales

Almost 100,000 people in the UK have fallen victim to online shopping fraud in the past 13 months (Getty Images)

Shoppers have been warned of online scammers during the Boxing Day sales following a year that saw a record number of cyber attacks and scams.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is encouraging people to shop securely, saying the sales have become a “firm favourite” for fraudsters.

The government said reports to Action Fraud, the national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime, reveal that almost 100,000 people in the UK have fallen victim to online shopping fraud in the past 13 months - with over £60 million being reported lost.

The NCSC advised that online shoppers should use strong and separate passwords for the most important online accounts, including email, banking or payment accounts, and recommends using three random words to create a password.

People are also urged to be cautious of emails, text messages or websites that look too good to be true or suspicious.

Customers should also use a credit card for online payments when possible and research stores before buying to ascertain they are indeed legitimate through trustworthy consumer websites.

When online shopping, people should also only fill in the mandatory details on a website which are often marked by an asterix.

Chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster and minister for cybercrime Steve Barclay said: “With a record number of cyberattacks this year, it is crucial we all take some steps to keep ourselves and our families safe from scammers while shopping online, particularly in the Boxing Day sales, which have become a firm favourite for fraudsters.

“In the past year, Government and police action has seen numerous convictions on cyber fraud and we should all play our part to stamp out this terrible crime that can ruin lives.”

Paul Maddinson, director of national resilience and strategy at the NCSC, said: “Scammers will use any opportunity to try and trick the public and businesses into parting with their money so it’s really important that we all know how to protect ourselves.

“Whilst scams can be convincing, there are practical steps you can take to avoid falling victim to cybercrime which can all be found on the NCSC’s website.”