Information » Law & Rights » Crime » Fraud
- Fraud is linked to deception and forgery and includes faking something such as a signature, passport or credit card and using it as if it were genuine
- Counterfeiting is the term used specifically for copying/forging bank notes
- Piracy is also fraud, so downloading pirate films, music, computer programs, and computer games is against the law and punishable with serious consequences if caught
- Any item that has a copyright cannot be copied unless permission is given by the publisher and in some cases a fee is paid
- Being a victim of fraud and deception can be distressing and there are ways of protecting yourself
- Always keep important documents with you or make sure you know that they are in a safe place
- Don’t share your personal information with anyone unless you are sure you know who they are
- Never tell anyone your PIN numbers, even if they say they are from your bank or the police
- Check your card and bank statements against receipts to make sure there aren’t transactions you didn’t make yourself
- Only use secure, well-known internet sites when shopping on line
- Do not buy from web sites that do not display a phone number and full postal address and check them out before buying to be absolutely sure see Shopping Online
- Shred all documents that contain personal and financial information, do not throw them in the waste bin not shredded
- If your mobile phone has a PIN number or security code, make sure you use it
- Security mark you mobile phone.
