At SwiftShop, we take online safety very seriously. We are mindful of fraudsters’ ways of exploiting customers, including scams by email or text message, posing as SwiftShop on social media or simply trying to guess your password to get into your account.

HERE ARE SOME TIPS TO STAY SAFE AND SECURE WHILE SHOPPING ON LINE:

STRONG PASSWORDS - secure your email account with a strong password that is different to all your others.

SAVING PASSWORDS IN YOUR BROWSERS - Use a unique password for each account you have, and remember to have different passwords especially for your email and OURENDS accounts. The more passwords you have, the harder to remember, so it is a good idea to save and manage your passwords in the browser you use such as Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Firefox or Safari.

TURN ON TWO-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION -  2FA stops someone else getting into your accounts, even if they have your password. It asks you to provide a code sent by text, or via an app on your phone, to confirm it's really you accessing the account. For secure banking, your bank should provide you with that service automatically; just make sure they have your correct phone number.

KEEP YOUR DEVICES UPDATED - To protect sensitive data on your devices and keep them secure, always ensure the the latest app and software updates are installed. The best way to do it is to turn on automatic updates on your device, so you don’t have to think about it.

BACK UP YOUR DEVICES -  make sure you back up your information.  when lose your phone, tablet or laptop – or your accounts are accessed by someone trying to steal your information – you could permanently lose all your sensitive personal data. It's up to you how much data you choose to back up. The best way to do it is to turn on automatic backup on your devices.

AVOIDING PHISHING - Be aware of suspicious requests pushing you to give away your personal details, or offering you something that seems too good to be true. It’s usually a phishing scam. If you receive a dodgy email, don’t click on any links and don’t open any attachments. Simply forward it to the Suspicious Email Reporting Service report@phishing.gov.uk where the experts will take care of it for you.

If you receive a dodgy text, don't reply. Just forward it to 7726 (UK only), or report the number online at Ofcom.

If a number calling you looks suspicious, don’t answer – it could cost you a lot.

KEEPING YOUR CARD DATA SAFE AND FRAUD ADVICE 

• Always use websites with the secure padlock symbol.
• Check your bank statements online often and report any anomalies to your bank.
• Report any suspicious activity to https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/
• Report lost or stolen cards immediately to your bank.
• Do not auto-fill or remember card information or credentials on a shared device.
• Log out of your account after every session on a shared device.

ADVICE ON STAYING SAFE ONLINE

Always check you are shopping with trusted retailers and only use secure sites, look for the padlock in the address bar when you are surfing the web. This means that your connection is encrypted, so your personal information will reach the site without anyone else being able to read it. That's important if you're sending things like credit card details, but it doesn't tell you who is at the other end of the connection.

If you want to go ahead with a purchase on a site you’re not sure is legitimate, use a credit card if you have one, as most major credit card providers insure online purchases.

Also, don’t give away too much information. There’re some obvious details that an online store will need, such as your address and your card details, but be cautious if they ask for details that are not required for your purchase such as your mother’s maiden name or the name of your primary school.

Don't worry, help is at hand if something goes wrong. Here are some useful links:

For the UK:

Information Commissioners Office
National Cyber Security Centre
Cyber Aware