An online training session is being held today, Tuesday 23rd November, to help people stay safe online and avoid scammers.

Get Safe Online are offering the session between 6pm and 7:30pm on Microsoft Teams, the aim is to protect people from shopping scammers around Black Friday and Christmas.

Cumbria’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Peter McCall, who funds Get Safe Online in Cumbria, said: "Christmas, and the lead up, is a time for joy and many of us are already buying gifts for loved ones.

"The way we shop has changed, with many of us exclusively buying online however online shopping does come with its risks.

"Many cyber criminals are intelligent and can mimic official websites or Facebook pages, steal someone’s information and rob them from a remote area – it’s despicable and can be hard to catch.

"We all need to be aware of the risks and be able to spot the signs of a scam therefore I would recommend everyone taking part in the Get Safe Online training.

"Please join the training, learn more about how to protect yourself and let’s not allow criminals to ruin our Christmas."

The webinar will cover basic online safety training with an emphasis on safe online shopping, encourage people to use strong passwords and use safety software.

There will be time to share safe online shopping tips and there is a focus on website and social media adverts.

Tony Neate, CEO at Get Safe Online added: "Whether it’s getting the Christmas list ticked off, that last minute gift for someone special or a treat for ourselves, most of us will be buying more online this festive season.

"It’s fantastic being able to take advantage of the convenience, choice and value brought by the internet, but unfortunately it is also a favourite haunt of fraudsters, vying to take advantage of the fact that you have so many distractions in the lead-up to Christmas."

Anyone interested in taking part in the training session, please contact commissioner@cumbria-pcc.gov.uk or call 01768 217734. An email address will be needed to access the link to the training session. If you have any questions that you would like covered, please include it in your email or phone call.