Online fraudsters 'ready to pounce' on Christmas shoppers
People across Greater Manchester are being urged to get clued up on internet safety.
Online shoppers across Greater Manchester are being urged to be "more vigilant than ever'' as experts warn this Christmas is likely to be one of the most fraudulent ever.
Research by Barclays Bank has revealed more than a quarter of internet scams in the UK happen over the Christmas period, costing victims an average £893 - That's more than twice the average Christmas budget for presents, food, drink and entertainment.
Samantha White, who leads Barclays' work to keep customers safe from fraudsters, said: "While families across the UK are preparing to enjoy the festive season, criminals are getting ready to pounce on anyone who lets their guard down.
"Buying your gifts online may be more convenient, but with Christmas 2017 set to be the most fraudulent on record, online shoppers must be more vigilant than ever. Beat the fraudsters by looking out for the typical warning signs such as the padlock symbol on retailers' websites.''
It's also emerged that only 24% of people know to check for the padlock authentication symbol on a payment page, while just 22% know to make sure that the web address starts with 'https'.
Barclays advises people never to use public Wi-Fi to do Christmas shopping online, and never to give out their PIN or online banking password.
It also urges people to keep an eye on their bank balance so that they can spot and report fraudulent transactions quickly.
Across the UK, it is estimated that festive fraud victims will lose around £1.3 billion in total this year.