Tips on how to protect yourself from online fraud – NEXT Help Centre

We want to ensure our customers feel safe and comfortable when shopping online with us. We’ve put together some tips below to help protect you.

Be aware of scams

Remember the saying ‘If something seems too good to be true, it probably is’.
Do not give out any personal information to companies or individuals over the phone if they have called you before verifying who they are. If in doubt you can always call them back using a registered number from their website.
‘Phishing’ is the most common technique used to capture your details. It is where a fraudster sends an email or SMS that looks authentic, asking you to provide your information (e.g. account number and/or password).
Next will never ask you to provide your email and password unless you are logging into your account online.

Report it

If you believe you have been a victim of fraud you should report it immediately. You can contact Action Fraud (see below for contact details) to report fraud and find help and support.
Contact your bank, or the payment provider if you notice any unusual activity.
If you have not received your normal statements, contact the company.
If you receive an email about a change in your account details or for an order you have not requested contact the company in question
If your cards have been lost or stolen, cancel them immediately.

Protecting your personal details

Shred or destroy all unwanted personal documents that hold your personal data, such as utility bills, statements and marketing mailing.
Secure all your personal documents/information such as passports, driver’s licence, birth certificates and statements.
Check your credit file to see if any unauthorised applications have been created without your consent.
Check your credit/debit card/store accounts regularly for any unusual activity.
If you are going to, or recently have moved, request your mail to be redirected (this service is only available for mail sent via Royal Mail).
Close all inactive accounts. You can also request to be removed from marketing mailing lists.

Expert support (Full list of contact details found below)

Registering your details on CIFAS. CIFAS is the UK’s Leading fraud prevention database. They are a non-profit organisation and share details of any fraud risk to reduce the exposure to fraud and financial crime. CIFAS also offers individuals protection against identity fraud.
Companies such as Equifax, Experian and Transunion can alert you to activity that may indicate attempted fraud if someone uses your name as part of a credit application.
Clearscore provides free credit scores and reports.
The National Cyber Security Centre website gives advice and guidance on how to protect yourself from online fraud, and what to do if you have been a victim of fraud.
For extra protection some card providers can offer an additional layer of security. For example ‘verified by visa’ ‘mastercard securecode’ and ‘Amex SafeKey’ are all security measures some payment providers offer. Once set up, all future transactions will require you to verify your identity.

Useful contacts

NEXT ACCOUNT INVESTIGATION TEAM