A RECORD-BREAKING number of transactions are being processed in the run-up to Christmas, alongside which, comes a record number of fraud attempts. Since Black Friday, Royal Bank of Scotland customers have spent £11.8 billion.
This is coupled with a record number of fraud attempts, with Royal Bank of Scotland flagging and preventing 39,181 fraudulent transactions, preventing debit and credit customers from losing over £11.64 million.
Over the Christmas shopping period from November 29 to December 19, just under 310m credit and debit card transactions had been processed. This is an increase on last year which saw 251m transactions over the same period.
Jason Costain, head of fraud at Royal Bank of Scotland said: “We’ve just seen one of busiest shopping weekends of the year and we have been working around the clock to keep our customers safe and secure.
“At this time of year customers should also be extra vigilant of scams and if a deal looks too good to be true it probably is.”
To help prevent fraud and scams, readers are reminded to be aware of counterfeits on social media. If the price is far lower than usual and from a retailer you hadn’t previously heard of, it is likely to be a scam.
Using your credit or debit card to pay offers you significant protection from fraud and poor-quality goods. A padlock on a website URL means it’s encrypted for payment but still be cautious, goods might not be genuine even though your details are safe.
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