Practical guidance to stay safe online

Updates often fix security issues. Turning on automatic updates is one of the easiest things you can do to stay protected.

Criminals don't always attack directly. Often they research first, looking at job titles, employers, locations, and routines shared publicly online. A complete, public profile makes that research easy.

Announcing a new job tells criminals who employs you and that you're unfamiliar with internal processes. Posting holiday photos in real time signals your home is empty. A team photo with ID lanyards visible can reveal staff names and access levels. None of these feel risky in the moment, but together they build a picture.

You don't need to stop using social media. A few habits make a real difference: keep profiles private where possible, remove phone numbers and precise locations from your bio, and review what's visible to people outside your network. It takes less than 10 minutes.

Don't panic. Start by changing the privacy setting on the post to limit who can see it, don't delete it immediately, as that won't undo who has already seen it. If the post contained financial details or passwords, take those steps now. Otherwise, tighten your settings and keep an eye out for unexpected contact in the coming days.

Criminals may call pretending to be from your bank, the police, or a government agency. A genuine organisation will never pressure you to act immediately or ask for your PIN.

Be cautious of deals that seem unusually cheap, sellers who insist on payment outside the platform, or websites that lack clear contact details or reviews.

Don't panic. Close the page, run a security scan on your device if you can, and change the password for any account you may have entered details into.

Contact your bank straight away if financial details were involved. Change passwords for any affected accounts and keep an eye on your statements for anything unusual.

You can report suspicious activity to Report Fraud (England, Wales, and Northern Ireland) or Police Scotland. There's no judgement, reporting helps protect others too. Contact: Report Fraud (0300 123 2040) or Police Scotland (101).

Before buying from a site you haven't used before, look for real contact details, independent reviews, and a returns policy. Be cautious if the deal seems unusually cheap or the web address looks slightly off, criminals register domains that are easy to misread. When in doubt, search for the retailer directly rather than following a link.

Criminals create convincing fake shops and promote them through social media adverts and phishing messages. If you receive an unexpected link to a deal, don't follow it, go directly to the retailer's official site. Warning signs: no contact details, only bank transfer accepted, prices far below market value, or reviews that all look identical.

Contact your bank immediately if you believe you've been defrauded, ask about chargeback or a Section 75 claim. Report it to Report Fraud (0300 123 2040) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or Police Scotland (101). Reporting is quick and helps protect others from the same scam.