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Individuals and businesses are encouraged to become 'Cyber Streetwise'

The UK government has launched a new campaign to change the way people protect themselves while shopping, banking or socialising online in order to avoid falling victim to cyber criminals.

Cyberstreetwise

The ‘Cyber Streetwise’ campaign aims to change the way people view online safety and provide people with the skills and knowledge they need to take control of their cyber security.

The new website, www.cyberstreetwise.com offers a range of interactive resources, tailoring an individual’s visit to provide clear advice on the essentials for enjoying a safe experience online.

The launch of the campaign is part of the government’s National Cyber Security Programme and comes at a time when an increasing number of people use the web on laptops, tablets and smartphones.

The Cyber Streetwise campaign underlines that safety precautions taken in the real world have similar relevance in the virtual world. Research shows that shoppers don’t adopt the same behaviours when shopping online as contrasted with shopping on the High Street. A person wouldn’t walk around with their bag open or wallet on show, yet when shopping online due to the speed of technology, people can be open to unnecessary risk if they aren’t careful when using their credit card.

By adopting a few simple online behaviours will make you and your family safer, such as:

  • Using strong, memorable passwords
  • Installing anti-virus software on new devices
  • Checking privacy settings on social media
  • Shopping safely online – always ensuring to check online retail sites are secure
  • Downloading software and application patches when prompted

Security Minister James Brokenshire said: ‘The internet has radically changed the way we work and socialise. It has created a wealth of opportunities, but with these opportunities there are also threats. As a government we are taking the fight to cyber criminals wherever they are in the world.

Please note that Action Fraud is not responsible for the content of external websites.

To report a fraud and receive a police crime reference number, call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or use our online fraud reporting tool.

Related link

www.cyberstreetwise.com

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