KEY TIPS TO COMBAT THE SEASONAL ONLINE MENACE

NEVER give out personal information to someone who asks for it or open strange email attachments.

Check that contact details of a package delivery firm are the same as those given in a phone book or found online.

SPECIAL discount offers and Cyber Monday promotions might be fakes.

Look at the email address from which the message has been sent. An unusual suffix should ring alarm bells. Contact the firm directly if unsure to check it is the real thing. Details of specific scams are often mentioned on the internet – along with email addresses to avoid.

CHECK your bank statement and look at the recent purchase history of any online

shopping accounts that you may have. If you spot anything unusual, inform the bank and the website shop immediately. You should also cancel any payment cards that were used for purchases that cannot be verified.

INSTALL security software that includes hard-to-crack passwords.

You can protect yourself with so-called virtual private network (VPN) anti-virus software.

Try a free VPN as offered by software firms, such as Avira and Sophos. You can pay from about £5 a month for such security that covers a full range of internet connected devices.

Such software might include the provision of encrypted passwords.