How to protect yourself

• Let your phone, tablet or laptop install updates automatically.
• Only download apps from trusted app stores. If it's not from Apple or Google, avoid it.
• Install anti-virus protection on all your devices.
• Back up your devices regularly. That way, should anything happen, you won't lose the things that matter most.
• Don't leave your devices unattended in a public place.
• Before you get rid of a device, make sure you've removed all your personal information and restored it back to factory settings.

• Use mobile data if you need to log in to your bank account while on-the-go.
• Don't enter sensitive details, such as passwords or payment details, into a website or app while you're connected to public Wi-Fi.
• Turn off automatic connections to stop your device from joining public Wi-Fi networks without your knowledge.
• If a public Wi-Fi network asks you to install extra software or browser extensions, don't connect.

When you log in to manage your account(s) or go to fill in forms online, always check the page is secure. Look out for:

• A padlock symbol in the address bar.
• 'https://' at the start of the web address (the 's' means secure).

We make sure all our online forms and login pages use these protections.

To check whether a website is safe before you visit it, we recommend using the Get Safe Online tool .

getsafeonline.org/checkawebsite open_in_new

Be careful about sharing too much about yourself on social media channels like Facebook and Instagram. Fraudsters may use information like your birthday, pets' names or life events to guess passwords or make their scams more convincing. The less they know about you, the better. Check your privacy settings so only people you trust can see your information and don't accept friend requests from people you don't know.

• Be aware of calls or messages you didn't expect. Especially if they're pressuring you to act fast.
• Check the email address or phone number contacting you. Is it familiar?
• Where you can, hover over links in emails before clicking to make sure they're going to take you to where they say they are.
• If you’re unsure, don’t click on links or open any attachments. If they've called you, hang up and contact the company directly using a number or website you trust. Don’t use any contact details provided in the message or by the caller.
• Trust your instincts. If it sounds to good to be true, it probably is.