Lorraine Higgins (Labour) | Oireachtas source

While Cyber Monday, the busiest day of the year for online shopping, has passed, between now and Christmas Irish consumers will spend millions of euro on Internet purchases. While such shopping undoubtedly has its positives, cyber crime rates have climbed steadily over the past few years. According to a business advisory firm, Grant Thornton, cyber crime has cost the Irish economy over €600 million, while research conducted by Irish software firm, S-Net Ireland, in 2013, found that over one in five Irish consumers have lost money through online scams, with 55% of cyber crime in Ireland being the work of international organisations. With new generation criminals now having worldwide reach and operating from afar, it makes these types of crimes harder to prosecute. Consumers should also research sites before buying from them or handing over any personal details. Likewise, consumers should exercise extreme caution when sites or strangers request personal information over the phone, via e-mail or text, even when those doing so purport to be from well-respected institutions, because personal information, once procured, may then be used in identity theft crimes.

Given these facts, I was heartened to see the launch last week of a new online safety campaign in the run-up to Christmas being rolled out by the Garda. Just as I call on consumers to be vigilant as they shop online this Christmas, I also call on the reputable retailers to protect to the highest standard the personal data of their customers and to secure their payment facilities against fraud. I also ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Richard Bruton, to consider rolling out a campaign targeting all small independent retailers in the run-up to Christmas to inform them of how such scams operate and how best they can be avoided in order to protect the Irish consumer.