Dear Kent Residents, Following the recent cyber attack on the Electoral Commission we are urging residents to be aware and cautious of any attempt to scam you.
Whilst the personal data held on the electoral register does not in itself present a high risk, the information was name and address, used with other data that is in the public domain, such as on social media platforms, could be used to identify or profile individuals. You should remain vigilant.
Data breaches: guidance for individuals and families visit National Cyber Security Centre – How to protect yourself from the impact of data breaches
If you receive a message or phone call about a security breach that doesn’t feel right, here’s what to do:
- if you’ve received a suspicious email, forward it to the NCSC’s Suspicious Email Reporting Service at report@phishing.
gov.uk - if you’ve received a suspicious text message, forward it to 7726 (a free service)
Cyber Aware – Advice on how to stay secure online from the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre
Two steps to protect your email:
- Use a strong and different password for your email using 3 random words
- Turn on 2-Step Verification (2SV) for your email
Read the full information – Public notification of cyber-attack on Electoral Commission systems | Electoral Commission
For the latest scams alerts as we receive them please add us on Instagram or Facebook. Kind regards
Victim Safeguarding Officer
Scam Christmas Fair targeting Kent Residents
Often posted on Facebook, it is an invitation to stallholders to book a place. Once the money is taken they post disappears leaving the stallholder out of pocket.
This is a scam.
The #CostOfLiving means many want to make a little more money by selling homemade crafts, but before paying money ensure they are genuine, check with the venue.
For advice and to report contact Citizens Advice on consumer helpline 0808 223 1133 or report to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.
Sign up to receive email alerts about doorstep criminals, scams, major incidents and more from Kent County Council public protection services: https://loom.ly/FmUMgIE
Scammers love to use events in the news to target you with their fraud.
The best way to ensure you do not fall victim to this particular scam is to not buy anything from sites purporting to be Wilko online, as Wilko is no longer offering online sales.
Always check the website URL when shopping online.
Copycat websites often have similar URLs to the legitimate sites, but with very slight differences.
For advice and to report contact Citizens Advice on consumer helpline 0808 223 1133 or report to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.
Sign up to receive email alerts about doorstep criminals, scams, major incidents and more from Kent County Council public protection services: https://loom.ly/FmUMgIE
