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ONLINE SHOPPING IS becoming more popular in Ireland and an increase is expected over the Christmas period.
Over 50% of Irish people shop online and around 30% of people will use their mobile phones as their main shopping tool.
A recent CSO household survey found that 79% of people who made purchases online did not experience any problems, while just 2% reported fraudulent activity.
However, with a 15% increase in online purchases last December and another boost expected this month, consumers are being warned of the possible dangers.
An Garda Síochána launched the SOS (Safe Online Shopping) campaign ahead of the busy Christmas period.
Detective Garda Jim O’Meara of the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau, said: “We would caution people to protect their personal and financial details online.
If purchasing online only trust your own Wi-Fi networks as opposed to public Wi-Fi where you could be vulnerable to having your payment card details compromised and then sold on the dark web.
“Here, they can be accessed by criminals who go on to use the compromised payment card details either online, over the phone, or even through mail order transactions.”
Golden rules
Last year €41 billion was spent worldwide on credit and debit cards issued in Ireland, €13.2 billion (32%) spent on line.
Sergeant Kelvin Courtney of the Garda Crime Prevention National Centre of Excellence said, “Shopping online is safe so long as we use our credit and debit cards correctly.
We are asking people to take greater precautions when shopping online then they would if purchasing in the shops.
In the first six months of this year there has been €16.6 million gross card fraud.
Detective Superintendent Michael Gubbins, Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau, said, “An Garda Síochána and its partners in Europol are actively targeting cybercrimes such as online fraud.
“The public need to be aware that the proceeds from these fraudulent activities go to fund organised criminal gangs.”
Gubbins advised anyone shopping online to follow the 12 golden rules of safe online shopping:
The DO’s
The DON’Ts
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Cool article. The Brits are hilarious.
@Lisa Saputo: and they make your corps wait wks till burial . We just prefer a 3 day bender
Another tradition is one hundred years old this week, the tradition of Irish Republicans refusing to swear allegiance to the British queen and refusing to take their seats. Surely it’s time FG and FF put their money where their mouth is, run candidates in the north and take their seats in Westminster? Surely if they believe SF should take their seats then they would do the same? Surely they would win seats in the north after all they’ve done for Northern Nationalists? Surely!!
@European Bob: that tradition is not 100 years old. The tradition died out in 1921 when Ireland got its independence, but was started again in the 70s by a splinter faction of the Workers Party calling itself Sinn Fein.
@European Bob: calm down Shirley.
@European Bob: surely you can’t be serious?!
@Big Red: Actually the Workers Party came from Sinn Fein not the other way.
Sinn Fein split into Provisional and Official, the Officials became “Sinn Fein the workers party” then just “The workers Party” from which Democratic Left split, who then merged with (took over) Labour. I think The Workers Party is still around, but I believe that Thomas McGiolla was the last to be elected to any major position.
@European Bob: slight lack of understanding what a republic is, there Bob. A office holder of a republic cannot swear alligeance to any royal of any origin or to any other power that does not eminate for the people of that republic. FF, FG or anyone considering that would have to form an external party, taking note that any crossing of the party whip (over serving office holders) would be illegal and treasonous to that republic. I dont know, but I suspect it’s similar for the house of commons over there.
@Greg Blake: I’d imagine taking up the oath in the UK, would negate any right of SF MPs to direct or influence the voting of any SF TDs.
@Big Red: You might want to recheck your facts there. They are a little bit on the alternative side.
@Big Red: Note to Red, Ireland didn’t get its independence in 1921. 6 counties still occupied.
@European Bob: its a pity it can’t just become another British parliament tradition, where they symbolically deny sinn fein mps entry a few times, and then just let them take their seats…
@Big Red: partial independence
Maintaining all the fuss and feathers of empire is the root cause of the British sense of self importance.
@Kevin Barry: like wearing a shamrock to commemorate a 1,500 year dead kidnap victim Welsh “saint” who drove the non-existent snakes out of Ireland?
@Robin Pickering: you have us on that one. ;-), All countries have their quaint customs, it’s what makes the world interesting. As long as they are harmless, then let them at it.
@Greg Blake: true. Life would be boring if we were all the same.
A total bunch of clowns the lot of them
@Ciarān: word
@Ciarān: Why are they a bunch of clowns?
@jo mixon: Do i need to explain or have you not been following the news for the the last 2 years?!
I knew a village bycicle who loved the black rod
“Right honourable” means a member of the privy council. Nothing to do with ministerial office
@Dave Ringer: that’s correct. Jeffrey Donaldson from the DUP gets referred to as “the right honourable” just because he is on the queen’s privy council. He is not a minister.
I find this very offensive to Blacks & Rods
MPs are traditionally called ‘honourable’, or ‘hon’ for short. They aren’t referred to by name by other members, but by the constituency they represent. The Speaker calls them by name.
A ‘friend’ is an MP in the same party; referring to others, they are just a ‘member’.
‘Right hon’ means the member is a member of the Privy Council; the get the letters PC after their name.
‘Hon and learned’ means the member is a QC, the equivalent of a SC.
‘Hon and gallant’ means the member is a Sir, a knight.
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