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Wednesday, 3 October 2023

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Money, tax and benefits

Protecting your money and personal information

Identity theft, online fraud and credit card fraud have increased dramatically in recent years. There are a number of simple steps you can take to prevent criminals or fraudsters getting the information they need to steal money from you or use your identity. The main message is to stay on guard.

Keeping information safe - tips

The Money Advice Service sets out how you can protect your personal information, for example:

being 'plastic smart' - using your cards, receipts and PIN numbers wisely, to prevent crooks copying and re-using the details, or stealing your card
being 'postal smart' - being aware of post going missing, knowing when and how to report missing post, prompt mail redirection when you move
being 'password smart' - choosing and using your passwords and log-in details wisely, and disguising them if you do have to write them down
closing down dormant accounts, which could be used without your knowledge
being careful about accessing personal information in a public place
making checks with your original service provider if another service asks for your password

Protecting yourself when using credit or debit cards Opens new window

Know who you're dealing with

Always make sure you know who you're dealing with. Determined, unscrupulous individuals will set up bogus companies, websites, charities or other organisations in order to persuade you to part with personal information or money.

Know who you're dealing with - tips from Money Advice Service Opens new window

Protecting your computer from intruders

Software programs including 'viruses', 'trojans', 'worms' and 'spyware' can give hackers and criminals the information they need to access your online financial accounts. They can do this by:

stopping your PC from working properly
recording which sites you visit
recording what you type while you're there

These programs can be sent as files attached to emails or by automatically installing software downloaded from the internet.

You can minimise the risk of this kind of intrusion by:

deleting unexpected emails with attachments without reading them; it's usually the attachment that is infected with the virus
installing good anti-virus and 'firewall' software (firewalls help you control how your computer communicates with the internet)
reducing the amount of 'junk' email you receive by installing an 'anti-spam' filter if you don't have one already