Staying safe online and fraud prevention

1 What we do

We're an integral part of the Community Safety & Wellbeing Team in West Sussex County Council. Our role is to raise online safety awareness amongst our communities and professionals across West Sussex.

We run many events, offering different packages, giving top tips and advice to help you stay safe when you’re online.

Social media updates

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Supporting documents

• Amazon scam leaflet (PDF, 551KB)
• Apps, games and your child leaflet (PDF, 1.2MB)
• Banking, card and payment scams (PDF, 962KB)
• Computer software service scams (PDF, 963KB)
• Digital footprint leaflet (PDF, 1.5MB)
• Digital safety resources for businesses (PDF, 574KB)
• Fitness apps leaflet (PDF, 1.5B)
• Fleeceware leaflet (PDF, 2.2MB)
• Investment fraud leaflet (PDF, 576KB)
• Keeping your child safe online (PDF, 1.2MB)
• Neurodiversity - Your neurodiverse child and the internet (PDF, 974KB)
• Prevent social media and email hacking (PDF, 958KB)
• Protect yourself from viruses (the digital kind!) (PDF, 964KB)
• Safe and secure video calls leaflet (PDF, 1.6MB)
• Scam and fraud resource sheet (PDF, 228KB)
• Sextortion - Parent guide (PDF, 379KB)
• Tax phishing scams leaflet (PDF, 689KB)

2 Online safety advice

Many people have concerns about using the internet, however, there are practical steps you can take to use it safely.

Below are resources which offer advice on how to remain safe while using the internet:

• Creating a strong password
• Software and app updates
• Software attacks and internet security software
• Keeping your mobile device safe and secure
• Advice on apps and how to use them safely
• Scam emails and email security
• Keeping safe while browsing the internet
• Backing up your device to prevent loss of data

Note: Videos use YouTube captions which we have checked for accuracy.

Children

Almost all of us are likely to be spending more time online at the moment, including children.

The Government has produced some guidance for parent and carers to keep children safe online. This outlines resources to help keep children safe from different risks online and where to go to receive support and advice.

3 Training events and awareness presentations

Join the Digital Safety and Fraud Prevention Team for one of our free, informative sessions with a variety of subjects from how to recognise and protect yourself from the most common scams in the digital world and keeping safe online. Please note that some sessions are in-person and others are delivered online.

Whether you choose to attend in-person or online, it is essential you book a free ticket.

The South East Cyber Crime Unit

If you would like to find out more about improving your cybersecurity, whether as an individual, a parent or a business, our friends in the South East Cyber Crime Unit have a schedule of webinars covering a number of different topics including their hugely popular ‘The Digital Dilemma: Keeping Children Safe Online’ and ‘Safeguarding Humanity - The risks of AI’. 

4 Report online crime

If you or your business become a victim of cybercrime you can report it to Action Fraud.

If you suspect that a child or young person has been, or is being, groomed or exploited this must be shared with one of the agencies below:

• Police: 101 or in an emergency 999
• West Sussex Multi-agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH): 01403 229900
• NSPCC Online Safety helpline: 08088 005002

5 Digital Safety Volunteers

Would you like advice and support about how to be safe online? Are you interested in learning more about digital safety and current online scams? Our Digital Safety Volunteers can help!

There are a range of ways to support digital safety needs. Our Digital Safety Volunteers offer:

• presentations and informal chats at community groups
• community events.

If you would like some free digital safety support from a friendly and patient volunteer, or you are interested in becoming a Digital Safety Volunteer and help prevent people becoming a victim of online crime, please contact us via email: DigitalSafetyVolunteers@westsussex.gov.uk.

6 Young people and children

We know how fun the internet is; from chatting to friends, playing games, to catching up with the latest TikTok trends. However, the internet can be as dangerous as the offline 'real' world.

Digital stories

Digital stories is a special, four part web-series created by WSCC and Get Safe Online; each episode features a different key message in supporting children and their families stay safe online.

Note: Videos use YouTube captions, which we have checked for accuracy.

• Privacy: A family day out (YouTube)
• Respect online: Video game challenge (YouTube)
• Stranger danger 2.0: The mysterious online friend (YouTube)

Did you know?

In 2022, the Internet Watch Foundation reported 255,588 confirmed child sexual abuse imagery online. It’s a very real, and very scary situation to be in. If this happens to you, it can feel isolating and difficult to know what to do next.

• Report Remove - Report Remove is freely available to help young people under 18 in the UK to confidentially report sexual images and videos of themselves and remove them from the internet. This tool is in partnership between the Internet Watch Foundation and Childline.

Below is a list of websites that can support you, your friends and parents/carers in further protecting yourself when online:

• Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) - If you’re worried about online abuse or the way someone has been communicating online, let CEOP know. One of their experienced child protection advisors will be there to make sure you get the help you need.
• Know about Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE): Young People - Child Sexual Exploitation is a difficult and sensitive topic. It can happen both offline and online. Know about CSE will give you top tips to protect yourself, plus information on spotting the signs. The website also looks at healthy relationships and sexting.
• Barnardos - Help get the support you need to grow and develop. They offer practical and emotional support so that you can enter adulthood with the confidence you need to achieve your full potential. Discover the different ways they can support you.
• National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) - Understanding online safety is tricky for all ages. The NSPCC have advice to help you learn about staying safe online as a family. This website is aimed at children, young people and parents.
• Parents Against Child Exploitation (PACE) - A national charity working to keep children safe from exploitation by supporting their parents, disrupting the offenders and working in partnership with police and family services. They also train professionals to support affected children and their parents using a trauma-informed, family-centric approach.
• ThinkUKnow - The National Crime Agency's CEOP Education team aim to help protect children and young people from online child sexual abuse. They do this through our education programme, providing training, resources and information to professionals working with children, young people and their families.
• Parent Zone - At the heart of digital family life, parent zone’s mission is simple: to improve outcomes for children in an increasingly digital world.
• UK Safer Internet Centre (UKSIC) - Helps to make the internet a great and safe place for everyone. They provide support and services to children and young people, adults facing online harms and professionals working with children. UKSIC is formed of three charities, Childnet, Internet Watch Foundation and SWGfL.