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A brand new website has just been launched which will help you stay clear of dangerous scams that can steal your personal information and leave you out of pocket. Earlier this week, the Get Safe Online internet safety group rolled out a new web page that will instantly let you check if any website is genuine or not. Created in partnership with fraud prevention service Cifas, users simply need to enter a website’s address to find out if it is real or could be a threat to their security.
The tool, which you can access by heading to this page on the Get Safe Online website, uses an algorithm that is based on more than 40 data sources and malicious website reports.
This data was pooled together from law enforcement agencies, regulators and consumer brands to vet the sites.
After entering in a URL you will receive a report saying whether the site has been used for phishing scams, spreading malware and more.
Which will help you decide whether you can trust it or not.
Over time scammers have got more and more sophisticated, spreading fake or malicious websites which can impersonate genuine, well-known websites to great effect.
BBC Scam Interceptors: Hackers reveal tricks of trade
These convincing sites are used by cyber thieves to trick people into sharing personal and financial data which then can be used for identity or financial theft.
In the first three months of 2022 there was a 43 per cent increase in cases involving identity theft filed to the National Fraud Database, according to data from Cifas.
And along with a spike in scams related to the cost of living crisis, the timing of this new website launch couldn’t be better.
A few of the scams that Express.co.uk has reported on recently include hoaxes about a free Currys gift package worth £250 and a scam surrounding the Ofgem energy rebate.
Speaking about this new tool to help the public spot scams Tony Neate, Get Safe Online’s chief executive, said: “The internet is amazing, but as with so many things, there are downfalls to look out for when using it: scams, fraud, people trying to exploit you and your personal information.
“Launching Check a Website today is revolutionary and we are very excited to be able to finally offer individuals the opportunity to literally check a website before they use it.”
While Cifas chief executive Mike Haley added: “The devastating impact of fraud can result not only in the loss of income or sensitive personal information, but also a loss of confidence when navigating an increasingly digital world.
“By being able to quickly check whether the website you’re visiting is credible, you can be safer online, reduce your exposure to illegal websites and have peace of mind knowing that you are defending yourself from cyber criminals.”
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