September 20th 2016
Get Safe Online is today supporting the launch of a major new campaign designed to tackle financial fraud.
The campaign, Take Five, aims to put consumers and businesses back in control with straight-forward advice to help prevent financial fraud and encourage people to take a moment. It is designed to remind people that it pays to “stop and think”.
Take Five is the first national campaign to be backed by all the major banks and other financial service providers across the UK. At Get Safe Online, we are lending our support to Take Five, with CEO Tony Neate commenting: “It seems almost everyone is embracing the fact that they can now purchase goods and services online – whether it’s for a weekly shop or to make that once in a lifetime purchase. But, as with in-store shopping, these financial transactions do carry their risks. With more and more people choosing to buy online, the methods criminals are using to defraud people and businesses have become increasingly sophisticated. In fact, as a report we recently published with Action Fraud shows, over £1 million was lost by businesses to online crime in the last year alone.
“That’s why we’re supporting the Take Five campaign and encouraging people to take a moment before they give out personal details either online or in the real world. What’s more, people can protect themselves by taking a few easy steps to protect their personal details when making transactions online. Whether it’s by checking for the padlock symbol in their browser or checking whether they’re using a secure Wi-Fi connection, these small actions can protect individuals from financial fraud, which unfortunately has already had negative consequences for so many people up and down the country.”
Katy Worobec, FFA UK, said: “The industry is already taking action on fraud, last year our members stopped £7 in every £10 of fraud taking place. However, we know that criminals are getting increasingly sophisticated in their tactics and that’s why we are launching Take Five. We want everyone to take a moment to pause and think to help stop fraud.” FFA UK is Financial Fraud Action, the body behind the Take Five initiative.
The campaign is asking everyone to help protect themselves from financial fraud by remembering some simple advice:
1. Never disclose security details, such as your PIN or full password – it’s never okay to reveal these details.
2. Don’t assume an email request or caller is genuine – people aren’t always who they say they are.
3. Don’t be rushed – a genuine bank or organisation won’t mind waiting to give you time to stop and think.
4. Listen to your instincts – if something feels wrong then it is usually right to pause and question it.
5. Stay in control – have the confidence to refuse unusual requests for information
