Sarkozy waves goodbye to cash as fraudsters strike French president
Sarkozy suffers internet bank fraud
Monday, 20 Oct 2008 11:29
The French president Nicolas Sarkozy has suffered online bank fraud from his personal account.
As Mr Sarkozy wrestles with his nation's and Europe's bank crisis, small amounts of cash were taken from his bank account on a number of occasions.
The thieves were able to take the cash from his account after obtaining his account number.
An investigation is now underway in France after Mr Sarkozy filed a complaint.
It is thought the thieves did not know the identity of the owner of the account, and the method of removing small amounts is a common means of theft, under the hope the victim – especially those with a high income such as the French president's £195,000 a year wage packet – will not notice the losses.
In the UK online bank fraud rose 185 per cent in the last year to £21.4 million, according the latest data from payments association Apacs.
With online shopping set to rise 15 per cent in the run-up to Christmas, Apacs is urging consumers to take extra care buying over the internet.
To help stay safe online, consumers are urged to:
- Keep your PC protected by ensuring you have the latest operating system, browser and up-to-date anti-virus software.
- Look for the padlock symbol especially if you’re buying from a website for the first time. It’s a good indication that they are reputable.
- Register your cards with Verified by Visa or MasterCard SecureCode when prompted. It is quick and easy and makes shopping online even safer. .
- Always log out after shopping online and save the confirmation e-mail as a record of your order.