It is estimated about 24 million people in the UK used the internet from home during December 2005.

People use the internet for various reasons - to buy goods such as books, clothes and electrical items, to download music, for banking, to send emails, to access information, and to take part in online auctions.

However, the huge growth in the popularity of the internet has led to a corresponding rise in the amount of online crime and fraud. The Home Office estimates the annual cost could be as high as £1.7 billion.

To protect data, privacy and cash, City of York Trading Standards recommends residents follow these online safety rules:

  • Use a firewall - this is hardware or software designed to prevent unauthorised access to a computer or network over the internet.


  • Look out for spam - spam is unsolicited commercial email. Never respond to junk emails, as this just shows your email address is live.


  • Make online payments through secure websites. These have https:// at the start of the web address.


  • Keep your operating system up-to-date with regular security updates from the parent site.


  • Beware attempts at phishing - an attempt at identity theft in which criminals lead users to a counterfeit website, in the hope they will disclose private information such as names or passwords.


  • Protect your computer against viruses, which can do harm and which are used for criminal activity - install anti-virus software to offer the best protection against data being corrupted, and damage to other peoples systems
  • Get an anti-spyware program to keep it up-to-date.


  • Change your password regularly, and don't use any personal information other people could easily guess or find out. Make it as long as you can, and use a combination of upper and lower case letters, numbers and special keyboard symbols.


  • Warn children they should never give out personal information such as their address, school, phone number or photograph. There are filtering tools available to monitor usage and block access to the internet at certain times and to inappropriate sites.

For advice about online fraud, phone Consumer Direct on 08454 040506.