Black Friday shoppers warn of scams costing bargain hunters £11.4bn – how to keep your money safe?

A new report reveals CYBER shoppers need to be vigilant ahead of Black Friday, as figures show fraudsters stole £11.4bn from Brits last year.

Consumers told to expect an increase Scam attempts this week One in seven shoppers said they lost money to criminals last year.

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Platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp and Gmail come into play frequently abused The Global Anti-Fraud Alliance report says it is aimed at unsuspecting shoppers.

Study came after Chancellor Rachel ReeveHe called on big technology and telecom companies to take more responsibility. address the problem.

Total losses last year rose to a staggering £4bn, with average losses per head reaching £1,400; Less than one in five people got their full money back.

But according to the survey, almost three-quarters of respondents, or 71 percent, said they would safely accept an offer that was too good to be true.

A surprising 61 percent of people say they’ve encountered a scam once a month. But three in five people say their trust in the internet has decreased due to fraud.

Jorij Abraham, GASA Director General, said: “To lose £11.4bn to fraud in 12 months is absolutely staggering. It requires stronger action and an unwavering determination to bring criminals to justice.

“ UK’s anti-fraud community“They need more support if they are to intensify the fight against fraudsters, rebuild trust and protect people against this growing threat.”

Mike Haley, boss of anti-fraud body Cifas, said: “These figures the scale and breadth of the fraud It affects consumers in the UK.

“Victims not only suffer financially, but they often feel shame and blame themselves—wrongly.

“There has never been a greater need to protect people and change the emergency around fraud in the UK. But industry cannot do this alone.

“We need greater cross-sector collaboration and the ability to share data and intelligence from all industry sectors as well as government departments, law enforcement and the public sector.”

KEEP YOUR MONEY SAFE

With Ryan Sabey

Fraud crimes are on the rise and shoppers need to be careful, especially those looking for gifts on Black Friday, which is a few days away.

There are simple rules and recommendations that you should pay attention to when surfing online.

The public should be on red alert to not give scammers banking information that could be used by fraudsters or sold to other criminals.

This personal information can be used to gain access to hard-earned savings and even pensions.

The public should be wary of unexpected phone calls, emails or text messages from people pretending to be from your bank or building society.

Never give out your passwords or date of birth.

Scammers will try to lull potential victims into a false sense of security.

Action Fraud is the nation’s number one center for reporting fraud and cybercrime if you’ve been scammed or defrauded.

chancellor In his opening speech at Mansion House last week, he said he had given an update to the Joint Fraud Taskforce demanding all firms go “further and faster” to end the scourge.

Companies such as TikTok, Meta and NatWest are asked to take steps in the fight.