CHRISTMAS WARNING: Shoppers becoming RECKLESS with credit card details, warns police chief
ONLINE shoppers have become reckless with their credit cards online, because they believe their bank will refund them if anything goes wrong, a senior police officer has warned.
Shoppers should vet website more carefully before inputting their card details
Detective Chief Superintendent David Clark, who oversees the UK’s national fraud reporting centre, has warned shoppers are becoming increasingly “lazy” and are failing to protect themselves against fraudsters.
He said consumers are giving away their “crown jewels” - inputting their credit card detail and password to suspect sites.
Shoppers should be extra cautious about sharing their card details online
DCI Clark warned that consumers have become sloppy when vetting sites, as many people assume card companies will refund them if they are defrauded or conned.
He said: “It creates a danger, in my opinion, of creating lazy citizens.”
He warned that shoppers often “fall into that trap of, ‘well, I will do it on my credit card because I know I will get refunded’”.
Although banks tend to refund individuals who have been victims of fraud, DCI Clark warned that many are now asking customers to prove they have not been negligent online.
According to research firm Populous, credit card fraud is rife, with one in ten adults having been forced to cancel a credit or debit card after a cyber attack.
ActionFraud, the UK’s national fraud and cyber crime reporting centre, said consumers should keep card details safe from hackers by ensuring their computer has up-to-date anti-virus software and a firewall installed.
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It is also important to remember to always log out after shopping and save the confirmation email as evidence of your purchase.
Shoppers should also consider signing up to security services such as Verified by Visa or MasterCard Secure Code, which lets users add an extra layer of security when shopping online.
And they should also look out for the padlock icon in the address bar, which indicates the website is secure.