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The Internet is part of everyday life. Unfortunately, it’s now also an opportunity for criminals. These tips will help you stay safe online.

1. Don't respond to e-mails that say they come from your bank, building society or credit card issuer asking you to log on. These phishing e-mails may look realistic but they are designed to get you to reveal enough personal and account information to impersonate you, steal your money and borrow in your name.

2. Go through your bank and credit card statements every month looking for unfamiliar transactions. One recent trend is for fraudsters to take a little money from accounts now and again.

3. Check your credit report regularly – it’s recommended by the Home Office as a precaution against ID fraud. Your credit report is the history of your credit accounts, applications and payment record, so you can spot suspicious entries and prevent fraudsters swindling you. It’s free to see your Experian credit report online with a 30-day trial of CreditExpert.

4. Don’t give too much away on social networks. Apparently harmless personal details, such as your date of birth and full name, are gold dust to fraudsters. The same goes for your children’s or pets’ names, anniversaries and important dates, which you might use as a password or PIN.

5. Think twice about using public wi-fi for mobile shopping or banking. It’s easier to eavesdrop than a fixed line, so don’t log onto accounts that need a password.

6. If you are shopping online, check that the url begins https and the padlock symbol at the bottom of your browser is locked – both indicate that you are in a secure area.

7. Use a credit card or a Visa debit card for any purchases worth more than £100 – credit card and Visa debit issuers are jointly liable for purchases worth more than that amount – and register for Verified by Visa or SecureCode. Those services allow you to use a password to verify you are who you say you are, like a PIN at a cash dispenser. Some card issuers provide a card reader to plug into your computer that does the same job. Use it.