Avon and Somerset Police have issued a warning to business amid a rising tide of fraud.
In just the last two months, businesses across the country have lost £3.8 million to so-called 'remote access' fraud. These might involve a fraudster claiming to represent a victim's bank, and, or as well as convincing the victim to install software which allows the fraudster to control their computer.
Issuing the warning, Megan Haldane, Cyber Protect Officer said,
“Remote access fraud can be devastating for businesses. We want to empower businesses to be aware of this type of fraud and train their employees up, to make sure we can stop these frauds before they happen.
"We also know businesses often don’t report fraud and urge any business who has experienced any form of fraud to report direct to Action Fraud – to make sure we are aware of the extent of fraud across Avon and Somerset.”
Police issued advice to avoid falling prey to remote scams. They said:
- Your bank will never ask you to grant remote access to your computer or smartphone
- Any one-time verification codes sent to you by your bank should never be shared with anyone
- If you believe your laptop, PC, tablet or phone has been infected with a virus or some other type of malware, follow the National Cyber Security Centre’s guidance on recovering an infected device – https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/guidance/hacked-device-action-to-take
- Received a suspicious call from someone claiming to be from your bank? Hang up, wait a few minutes, then call your bank using the contact number on the back of your debit card, or use the contact information on their official website or app.