Online banking and shopping are great ways to keep on top of your finances and buy the things you need without having to elbow, and be elbowed, your way through high street crowds. However, both activities are targets for hackers keen to get their digital paws on your personal information. That said, follow a few simple rules, as set out below, and you’ll be safe. The internet revolution has crept up silently. Ten years ago online banking and shopping was just beginning to take hold. Today both are irrevocably mainstream and growing exponentially each year. eMarketer, one of the industry’s leading market research firms predicted that global ecommerce sales will increase by just over 20% in 2014 to reach a whopping $1,500 trillion. This figure also factors in surging sales via mobile devices. According to research by the CEB TowerGroup in April of this year, most retail banking customers in the US prefer to bank through online and mobile channels with at least 70% of customers in the future slated to use digital as their banking channel of choice. A similar pattern is also evident in Europe. Unfortunately and almost inevitably, there’s also been a corresponding rise in hacking and identity fraud. CIFAS, a UK-based fraud prevention service said: “Year-on-year, impersonation fraud continues to grow. Since 1999 impersonation fraud has risen by 63% and is one of the fastest growing fraud types in the UK.” Hacking has also spiralled upwards. US intelligence officials reportedly claimed that the US economy is being hit every year by hackers to the tune of $445 billion. The author of the report that cited this figure put it bluntly when he said “Cybercrime is here to stay.” We’d challenge this assertion and flip it around by saying cybercrime is not only here to stay but will continue to grow, mirroring the inexorable year-on-year growth in online banking and shopping. Staying safe online To make sure you don’t become a victim to the deviant ways of cyber criminals, you just need to follow some simple guidelines. Below are ten top tips that will protect you and help you stay safe online. Your personal data is personal – don’t give it away As a general...
Read MoreSoftware Downloads
