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Cybercrime

If you’ve experienced cybercrime, read our advice and learn how to get support. You can also report it to us online, by phone, or in person

What cybercrime is

Cybercrime is when someone targets you through the internet or a digital device. They often do it to steal money, cause harm, or to steal your information.

Cyber attackers can take control of your data, devices, and accounts. This includes online banking, shopping, email, and social media.

Types of cybercrime

Some common types of cybercrime include:

  • ransomware: an attacker blocks access to your devices or data until you pay them
  • account compromise: they take control of your user account
  • business email compromise (BEC): they email your work email address to trick you into sending a payment
  • denial of service (DoS) attack: they overload a network or service to make it stop working

How to report cybercrime

If you want to tell us about cybercrime, you can report it online, by phone, or in person.

Report it using our online form

Learn about other ways you can report a crime to us

What to do if cybercrime happens

If you suspect a cybercrime, you can:

Get support from other organisations

You can get support from other organisations:

Cyber security

You can get support to improve your cybersecurity:

Scams and fraud

You can get support to help protect you from cyber scams and fraud:

  • Stop! Think Fraud is the UK government’s fraud advice service
  • Take Five for tools and advice on how to avoid scams and fraud and what to do if it happens
  • Cyber and Fraud Centre Scotland for advice and tools to protect yourself from fraud
  • Cyber and Fraud Hub for advice, self-help tools like scam checkers, and a scam response hotline (phone: 0808 281 3580)
  • Cyber Scotland to report cybercrime and get advice on how to protect yourself or an organisation from cybercrime

Children and young people

You can get support to help protect your children online from:

Ways to prevent cybercrime

Keep yourself safe online

To help keep yourself safe online you can:

  • keep software and apps updated for the latest security updates
  • make sure all devices have antivirus and firewall installed
  • use strong passwords or passphrases
  • never share personal or sensitive details online or by email
  • only download from legal, trusted websites
  • only open emails and attachments from known, trusted sources
  • check the address starts with 'https://' whenever you’re asked to enter personal or sensitive information online
  • avoid using public wifi that’s not secure
  • never use public wifi if they ask you for personal information to use it
  • follow Get Safe Online advice if you do need to use public wifi
  • regularly back up your data
  • keep your social media profiles private
  • regularly check your privacy settings and how your data is being used

Keep children safe online

To help keep your child safe online you can:

  • set up parental controls following steps by Internet Matters or the NSPCC
  • consider letting your children use a child-friendly and safe search engine such as Swiggle
  • monitor your children’s online activities
  • spend time with them to understand what they’re doing online
  • chat to them about their experiences online
  • teach them how to use digital devices and apps safely
  • explain the importance of internet safety and responsible sharing
  • explain respectful communication and responsible behaviour
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