On Wednesday 14th August the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police Cyber Protect team successfully delivered an interactive and informative session at the Assembly Rooms addressing various aspects of online and offline scams. The session, designed to raise awareness and empower the community to spot and prevent fraudulent activities, was well-received by a diverse audience ranging from teenagers to pensioners.
During the session, the team highlighted common scam tactics and provided practical advice on how to protect oneself from falling victim to these schemes. The team emphasised the importance of vigilance both online and offline, urging participants to be cautious and mindful of suspicious behaviour.
Attendees praised the engaging nature of the session, noting that they walked away with valuable knowledge and actionable tips to enhance their personal security. The Cyber Protect team ensured that everyone, regardless of age or technical expertise, could benefit from the information shared.
A key takeaway from the session is the importance of verifying communication from financial institutions. The public is urged to use the number 159 if they need to contact their bank and are unsure about the legitimacy of a communication they have received.
Looking ahead, Alton Town Council and the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police Cyber Protect team will be offering another opportunity for the community to learn about cybercrime prevention. The next session is scheduled for Thursday 27th February at 7pm. Alton Town Council encourages everyone to attend this session to continue building their knowledge and defences against cyber fraud.
In additional to the in-person session, we have been provided with the below useful links and google search terms to further educate the community on Cyber Safety. These resources are highly recommended for anyone interested in learning more about protecting themselves from cybercrime.
Little Book of Big Scams 5th Edition – Raise awareness of some of the ever-evolving ways criminals use to scam the public.
Google – “nbcc police little book of big scams police 5th edition”
Little Leaflet of Cyber Advice
Google – “hampshire police little leaflet of cyber advice”
NCSC Free Cyber Action Plan / Health Check – Free National Cyber Security Centre Service covering some basic steps to protecting yourself around passwords and 2SV.
Google – “ncsc free cyber action plan”
Cifas – Fraud prevention service offering individuals and organisations help in combating the growing threat of fraud and financial crime
Google – “cifas protective registration”
Have I Been Pwned – Allows you to search across multiple data breaches to see if your email address or phone number has been compromised.
Google – “have i been pwned”
NCSC Three Random Words – Advice around creating strong passwords
Google – “ncsc three random words password”
NCSC Social Media Privacy Settings – Advice on how to make your social media account private.
Google – “ncsc social media privacy settings”
Think Jessica – Protecting elderly and vulnerable from fraud
Google – “think jessica”