Britain is now the top target for an army of cyber criminals determined to get their hands on your money.
Fraudsters from across the globe are conning victims out of billions of pounds and last year 12.5million people in the UK fell victim to computer crime.
The crooks are constantly coming up with new, smarter ways to trick their targets.
That means you need to be just as smart when it comes to keeping your money safe.
Here are some of the latest online scams and phone tricks, the signs you should look out for and the top tips for protecting your personal details and money.
Phishy emails
PHISHING emails look like legitimate messages from your bank or another reputable firm but are really from con artists who want passwords and bank details.
Crooks use the information you give them to hack into your account and syphon off your money. Although phishing isn’t new, the emails are increasingly sophisticated and now often look like legitimate messages from your bank.
Professor Tim Watson, director of the Cyber Security Centre at De Montfort University in Leicester, says: “This is partly a result of banks conditioning us to trust them on security. That means all the criminal needs to do is make us think they are our bank.”
If you receive an unexpected email or telephone call from your bank, be wary. Do not give out any details and insist on contacting them using details you tracked down independently.
Misleading links
THESE appear in an email that looks like it takes you to your bank or favourite online shop, but appearances can be deceptive.
Fraudsters can type in one address but link it to a completely different website.
When you hold your cursor over the link the actual destination it will show up at the bottom of your browser.
If the two do not match, do not click on the link.
Martin Lewis, founder of Money Saving Expert, says: “Even this isn’t foolproof.
"Online the golden rule is that unless you are absolutely sure someone is who they say they are, don’t click on anything and don’t give them any details.
"Type the url (website address) for your bank into your browser to go straight to their website.”
Spy in the browser
This virus infects your browser and waits for you to use a bank’s online security to enter your pin.
It then sends an extra message to your bank, transferring money to another account.
The same software even makes the transaction invisible, so you cannot see it on your online statement.
The best defence is to be careful what you click to avoid downloading the virus.
Prof Watson says: “A lot of homes now have more than one computer – they might have a family one that everyone uses and another for business.
“One way to protect yourself is to pick one computer and try to keep it clean.
"If you are going to use it for financial transactions, don’t use it for general browsing.”
Search engine failures
Even dodgy websites, which often look legitimate, with good graphics and professional logos, show up on web search engine.
That means you should take care where you shop online and try to use stores you trust.
Martin says: “Just because you used a reputable search engine, it doesn’t mean it is a reputable website. Your search engine is not perfect.”
Facebook isn’t your friend
Cyber crooks use sites like Facebook to find victims.
Prof Watson says: “People seem to trust Facebook much more than an email, so we are now getting a lot more cases of social engineering, where links are sent through Facebook, text messages and instant messaging instead.”
If something’s a steal..
Thieves use popular – and trusted – websites to sell their stolen goods.
Prof Watson says: “The classic example is that if the man down the pub sells you a cheap radio, you know it is probably stolen.
"But if he sells it on eBay it is mixed in with genuine items, so he can charge more for it. If a deal online looks too good to be true, it probably is.”
Beware overcharging
Not strictly a scam, but there are plenty of websites out there offering you services you simply do not need.
For example, your European Health Insurance Card is completely free but there are firms queuing up online to charge you an administration or processing fee (typically about £19).
Often they claim to offer you a faster service, but there are no benefits.
Martin says: “You should never use a search engine to find a website for driving lessons, passports, EHIC cards or a US visa.
"If you don’t know where to look, go to a legitimate site such as Money Saving Expert.”
Cold calls
Whether you get a cold call or a text message offering you a great new deal, a better line of credit or warning you are the victim of a fraud, banking scams are ever-more sophisticated.
But there is a simple way not to fall victim. Just because the person at the end of the phone says they’re calling from your bank doesn’t mean they actually are.
Never ever give your pin over the phone – no legitimate call from a bank will need this from you.
Is your password secure?
TOO many people still use the same password for Facebook and Twitter as they do for their bank.
However, social media websites are much less secure. If they get hacked and lose your personal information, cyber criminals could use that information to target your bank account, so be sure to use different passwords.
You should also be careful where you shop online, as some small businesses may not be able to afford the best internet security.
If you give them your address and credit card details your information could fall into the wrong hands if they are targeted.
Prof Watson says: “You need to be careful where you are leaving your information. It might be a perfectly innocent website, offering perfectly good items, but you need to think twice about how much you trust them.”
Keep your antivirus software up to date
It may sound obvious but with crooks developing new viruses and tricks all the time, you need to make sure your computer is properly protected.
The best way to do that is to make sure your antivirus software is kept up to date.
Martin says: “It is rare, but if you don’t have antivirus software you can actually be held negligent if your computer is hacked.”