Reporter for APN
apearlnews.com
As we approach the holiday season, the police have cautioned the public across the country against falling victim to cyber-fraudsters and conmen.
Police spokesperson Fred Enanga says that the fraudsters do take advantage of online shopping deals and easy access to the internet to create online scams that lure people in with the promise of cheap deals and stress-free purchases or that corrupt our smartphones, tablets, or laptops with computer viruses. They are determined to make money at all costs.
He further revealed that as people go about their online shopping, they must stay vigilant and exercise sufficient due diligence by checking the authenticity of the site or product. Take care of what you are buying, who you are buying from, and how to pay for the purchases. Make sure you use secure and protected methods of payment, such as recommended methods of online payment, rather than transferring money directly to the seller.
The most common areas of fraud are online shopping fraud, Christmas e-card fraud, auction fraud, holiday fraud, loan and investment scams, ticketing fraud, donating to charity, money transfers, social media scams, dating scams, and mobile payments.
Enanga added that the cybercrime unit at CID Headquarters, Kibuli, has been strengthened and continues to analyze hundreds of cyber reports to identify serial fraudsters, organized crime gangs, and other cybercrime threats. He therefore urge anyone who has been a victim of cyber fraudsters or any other type of cyber threat to contact Kibuli’s cybercrime unit.
