THROUGHOUT September, Thames Valley Police are running a series of online safety discussions to raise awareness of cyber crime and how to protect yourself, writes Hollie McDevitt.

Older people are frequently targeted for scams, as it is often presumed they have more money and less awareness of cyber crime.

Age UK found 53 per cent of online fraud victims are aged 65 and over.

The launch of this new scheme coincides with Force’s #ProtectYourWorld campaign, which focuses on staying safe on the web.

One victim, who did not want to be named, said: “A friend emailed me and said he’d had everything stolen and needed £2,000. I tried to ring him but there was no reply so I went to my bank and while they warned me to be careful, I sent the money as requested via American Express.

“I emailed my friend again and he replied that his email address had been taken over.

“I called the National Fraud Agency and they were able to stop the transaction and I was able to collect my money the next day, for a fee.”

As of last year, cyber crime rates in England and Wales have rocketed by 107 per cent.

The police have released leaflets and stickers to raise awareness of cyber crime by promoting the #ProtectYourWorld campaign.

Detective superintendent Nick John, head of Force Intelligence and Specialist Operations for Thames Valley Police, said: “While anyone can become a victim of cyber crime, older people can be specifically targeted and may be more likely to fall victim to scams.

“There are some basic steps, such as having strong passwords, never giving out personal information, updating security software and not clicking on links in emails from unknown or suspicious sources, that everyone can take to protect themselves.”

Thames Valley Police are running an online discussion on their website issue tonight at 6.30pm.