EE warns Christmas shoppers over rising threat of scams

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Christmas shoppers should brace for a record wave of scams over the next month as cybercriminals look to take advantage of the festive period, mobile operator EE has warned. The festive season is the time of year consumers are most likely to be scammed and it’s even more important that people have the tools they need to guard against attempted scams Richard Wainer, BT Group The firm is urging consumers to focus on a number of factors in order to protect themselves: creating strong passwords, being vigilant to random calls from unknown numbers, considering using encryption-based products, being suspicious of web links from unknown sources, checking all devices to ensure they have the most recent security updates installed, not sharing personal information unnecessarily and trusting their instincts. “The festive season is the time of year consumers are most likely to be scammed and it’s even more important that people have the tools they need to guard against attempted scams. “We know people are increasingly anxious that they or their loved ones will be targeted by scammers in the lead-up to Christmas, but by raising awareness of some of the most common techniques and providing advice and services such as Scam Guard, we are determined to continue to protect consumers against fraudsters.” A new study by EE found that one in four UK shoppers have either been targeted or fallen victim to scammers during the festive period, with EE’s security partners Norton estimating scam victims lose on average around £1,000 each.