Today is Safer Internet Day (February 9), which aims to help people understand the dangers that can be posed online, as well as providing lots of information to help people stay safe when using the internet.
In Warwickshire, the Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe funds the county’s two Cyber Crime Advisors, Joe Patterson and Abbey Baker, who run the Cyber Safe Warwickshire website. This provides a wealth of top tips on staying safe, as well as up-to-date information on the latest threats and what you can do to avoid falling victim to online criminals.
Check out the website at: www.cybersafewarwickshire.com
Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe said: “Falling victim to a scam or fraud online is still the most likely way that most people will become victims of crime. With more and more of our lives taking place online and the pandemic and lockdowns only serving to accelerate that further, now really is the right time to highlight the many resources available to help people stay safe when using the internet.
Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe (centre) with Cyber Crime Advisors Joseph Patterson and Abbey Baker.
“I’d urge everyone in Warwickshire to support Safer Internet Day and take a look at the resources and information available on the Cyber Safe Warwickshire website. By taking steps which are often very simple, we can make life much tougher for cyber criminals.”
Did you know?
It is estimated 80% of fraud and cyber crime is preventable if individuals and businesses take basic precautions – so below are the top five tips to help keep you safe online:
- Always be wary of opening links and attachments in email – check that the email is really from who it says it is from.
- Have strong and unique passwords for each of your online accounts – and update them regularly.
- Look for ‘https’ in the address bar and a padlock symbol in your internet browser when visiting sites – these give an indication that the website is secure.
- Get anti-virus software for your computer, phone and other devices.
- Remember to keep your software updated to reduce your chances of hackers being able to exploit security weaknesses to take over your device.
For more on Internet Safety Day itself, visit: www.saferinternet.org.uk
