Beware 'fantastic' social media deals says expert

Dr Will Sayers said those buying presents online should check how long a website has been up and running before making a purchase

A cyber expert has warned people to be wary of social media advertising in the build up to Christmas.

Gloucestershire County Council's Trading Standards and Counter Fraud Team have set up the "Glass Jar" webpage, designed to provide fraud advice to local residents and businesses.

Standing for Jar, Gloucestershire Against Scams Joint Agency Response, the website was funded from a grant from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner.

Dr Will Sayers, a senior lecturer at University of Gloucestershire, said consumers need to be careful about "fantastic deals" on social media.

The new website has been described by the council as a "one-stop resource" at the forefront of an initiative to tackle fraud.

It features advice for individuals and businesses, alerts on current fraud trends and scams, and reporting tools, including scams involving public money, the NHS and Trading Standards.

Emma Cathcart, head of the Service Counter Fraud and Enforcement Unit in Gloucestershire said: "There's also a huge section on the website from victim support, and that gives advice and guidance on not feeling ashamed, not worrying about reporting it, and how you can hopefully try and get some of your money back."

Emma Cathcart said the webpage signposts those who have been scammed to support and reporting tools

Dr Will Sayers, associate head of the School of Business, Computing and Social Sciences at the University of Gloucestershire, said people should buy products directly from retailers, rather than through social media adverts.

"It's also worthwhile knowing that if you come to a website and you think, 'That is a fantastic deal... I haven't seen it anywhere else', you can Google 'domain age checker' and check how long that website has been around.

"If it's been around for quite a short period of time, the likelihood is you might want to be wary about putting in your payment details or login details there."