Category: Cybersecurity
Counting Cost of Fraud: Scammers Stole Over £421 Million Last Quarter
Uswitch analysis found that scammers stole £422 million last quarter, from 92,739 reported cases of fraud Brits lost £1,212 million to credit card fraud in 2022, down 5% from the previous year Over three quarters (76%) of fraud was credit card fraud Data suggests £26.1 million was lost through fraudulent ATM withdrawals The new credit card fraud report from Uswitch analyses police figures and the UK…
Thousands of copycat banking websites reported in 2023, Which? warns
More than 2,000 suspected banking copycat websites were reported in 2023 alone, new Which? research has found, as the consumer watchdog calls for new legal duties to force domain registrars to do more to prevent these scams. Banking copycat websites masquerading as real banks in a calculated attempt to part unsuspecting consumers from their hard-earned cash has…
5 tips to use public WiFi safely
Image Credit: Unsplash For frequent commuters, hybrid workers and those who simply want quick access to social media or emails on the go, public WiFi networks can be incredibly convenient. However, open WiFi can also bring security issues that could cause personal information to be compromised. Free Wi-Fi networks that…
3 in 4 Brits don’t check QR codes before scanning, research shows
Nearly three quarters (72%) of Brits do not check QR codes before scanning, with only one in six (16%) aware of potential QR scams, according to new research by NordVPN Over three million people have been taken to an untrustworthy website after scanning a QR code, and one in six (16%) have had personal data…
‘Scamscriptions’ and recurring payment traps on the rise, Which? warns
Which? is warning consumers to be on the lookout for ‘scamscriptions’ and recurring payment traps as they have become one of the most common types of reports to Which?’s scam sharer tool. In recent months, complaints about unwanted recurring payments have dominated scam reports shared with Which? through its scam sharer tool. Scammers seem to have been…
5 online scams – and how to avoid them
Research shows that almost three in four UK adults have fallen victim to scams¹. With crime rates rising alongside the cost of living crisis², the experts at Independent Advisor VPN share how to spot, and avoid, online scams. James Milin-Ashmore at Independent Advisor VPN comments: “It’s clear to see that the cost of living crisis has driven a…
McAfee unveils deepfake audio detection technology at CES 2024
Cybersecurity company McAfee has announced an AI-powered Deepfake Audio Detection technology, known as Project Mockingbird, at CES2024. This new, proprietary technology was developed to help defend consumers against the surging threat of cybercriminals using fabricated, AI-generated audio to carry out scams that rob people of money and personal information. Increasingly sophisticated and accessible generative AI…
2023 was the worst year ever for online cyber attacks, report claims
UK firms experienced 720,252 online attacks each last year - the equivalent of one every 44 seconds. That's according to Beaming, an internet service provider for businesses. Beaming has analysed cyberattacks targeting thousands of UK-based businesses since the beginning of 2016 to understand their nature and origin better. Beaming’s latest analysis, published today, reveals that: UK…
AI: Experts warn of new ways you can get hacked
Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a game changer in many areas of our daily lives, including cybersecurity. With the rising use of new AI-driven tools like ChatGPT, the number of cyberattacks has doubled and become more sophisticated. Cybersecurity experts say that AI-powered cybersecurity tools could help protect your privacy in the new reality, but they…
Brits advised to stay vigilant as 10 million new online threats estimated over festive period
It’s estimated that people will see an extra 10 million malicious URLs, files, and apps on Christmas and New Year’s Day, according to McAfee Labs Luxury brand scams have surged since September, including spikes of 600% over normal seasonal levels, says McAfee Labs data. Scammers lure customers into clicking links or sharing payment details by…
