Online Safety Tips for Cardiff Residents

So much of daily life in Cardiff now revolves around the internet. You’re either shopping online, working online, managing your finances, or keeping in touch with friends and family through social media. It’s a digital world, and more than ever, people are very much connected to the internet with multiple accounts across social media platforms and making use of different digital entertainment sites. This, however, exposes users to online scams and hacks from criminals, and that is why it is now very important to learn internet safety tips and rules.

Be Cautious Of Where You Play Or Spend Money Online

Online safety is about more than just having a strong password. In Cardiff, many people spend time and money on the internet while playing games, watching shows, or using new apps for fun. With cashless payments becoming common, services like PayPal, Cash App, and even crypto wallets make it easy to pay for games or add money to gaming sites.

This easy payment solution has also helped iGaming become more popular not just in Cardiff but also across the UK. Players are not more aware about other parts of online gaming, like payment, or security. There is also a rise in no KYC casinos, encouraging players to be more cautious while gambling online. Players can familiarise themselves with the pros and cons of no KYC casinos, since they have a different way of doing things compared to traditional casinos. In general, always make sure you know how a site uses your information and what payment options it offers before you spend any money online.

Protect Your Personal Devices

This one is simple: always make sure that your applications and operating systems are updated. Those constant update notifications can feel really annoying, but they’re important. This is because the developers include new security improvements in each version update, which helps to protect your account and information from hackers.

Also, use reputable antivirus software on your device. AVG & Avira are two free versions from known companies that offer decent protection. Having strong, unique passwords and enabling two-factor authentication in every applicable app is important. With two-factor authentication, even if someone gets your password, it’ll be difficult for them to gain access to your accounts.

Recognise Common Threats

Phishing remains one of the most common problems people face online globally. Even charity organisations are not exempt from it. A UK government report shows that 86% of organisations that experienced any kind of breach reported dealing with phishing attacks, making it by far the most common threat you’ll encounter.

Internet scammers or hackers design fraudulent messages and emails that require and trick people into handing over their personal information. What’s worse is that these messages look very real, like they’re from your bank, the Royal Mail, or even HMRC. It’s also getting difficult to identify fake emails because these hackers have levelled up their game by using better language and more convincing layouts. 

But, if you look closely enough, it’s easy to spot the difference in the details, like a slightly misspelt email address or a suspicious link that doesn’t quite match the company’s actual website. Avoid clicking on such links.

Stay Safe on Social Media

Social media is an open space; if you follow someone long enough and look closely, you can gather enough relevant information about the person. This is why limiting the sort of information you share publicly is important. 

With how content creation has become a thing among many people in Cardiff, it’s also important for creators to avoid showing certain things online, such as routes that lead to your house and significant landmarks that people can identify. Details like your birthday, phone number, home address, and even your daily routine can be put together by criminals to impersonate you or answer security questions on your accounts.

All these safety tips do not mean that you shouldn’t enjoy or be wary about using social media. You can use social media as you please, but just use it with discretion.

Safe Online Shopping and Banking

Stick to sites you recognise or those recommended by people you trust. Check for the padlock icon in your browser and make sure the web address starts with “https”. That little “s” is important; it means your connection is encrypted.

Be careful with deals that seem too good to be true, especially around big sales or holidays. Scam sites appear, take your money, and vanish. In 2024, losses to purchase scams, which are the most common type of APP fraud, amounted to £87.1 million.

For banking, don’t click links in emails. Go directly to the bank’s official website or app. Real banks won’t ask for your full password or PIN over email or phone. If someone does, hang up and call the number on your card. Turning on transaction alerts in your banking app is wise; you’ll know right away if there’s unusual activity.

If you notice any suspicious activity on your account or think you’ve fallen for a scam, quickly contact your bank to freeze your account and block your cards. This will help in halting any fraudulent transactions, and they can issue new cards if needed.

Change the passwords of the accounts that were affected, like your social media accounts, bank accounts, or even gaming accounts. If you used the same password for any other account or device, change it as well, because the hackers might check to see if they can gain access to other accounts.

If your social media accounts were hacked, contact your family and friends to inform them. Scammers will often pretend to be you and ask for money or take loans from your contacts.

Stay alert and informed, don’t let criminals ruin the benefits that the internet brings to modern life in Cardiff.