October is Cyber Security Awareness Month
October 2, 2024
According to data from Action Fraud, the national fraud and cybercrime reporting service, more than 33,000 people had their social media or email accounts hacked in the 12 months to August 2024, and victims lost a total of £1.4 million.
Fraud is now the most commonly experienced crime in the UK, with 1 in 17 adults falling victim to fraudsters. The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau indicate that 80% of fraud is cyber-enabled.
October is Cyber Security Awareness Month, an international initiative that aims to educate everyone about cyber safety. To mark the event, Action Fraud and NHS England have launched awareness campaigns to remind people that there are simple ways to protect themselves and our NHS from online threats.
The message from NHS England is clear, cyber crime threatens patient safety, it can be a matter of life and death, but adopting the following good cyber behaviours is a great defence against cyber criminals:
- use strong passwords
- turn on multifactor authentication
- recognise and report phishing
- keep up to date with learning
You find out more about the NHS England campaign and access resources
here.
You can find out more about the Action Fraud campaign here and find more information about protecting yourself from fraud, here.
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SAFE – Security and Fraud Experts and Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust are proud to be part of Project WISE (Workforce Integrity and System Efficiency), a proactive initiative using data and advanced analytics to strengthen fraud detection across the NHS. The NHSCFA estimates that £1.346 billion of NHS funding is vulnerable to loss through fraud, bribery and corruption in England. With fraud posing a significant risk to NHS resources each year, we’ve joined forces with the NHS Counter Fraud Authority and four other NHS organisations across the South East and South West to pilot this first-of-its-kind initiative. The pilot is helping to identify emerging fraud risks and patterns, turning complex data into actionable intelligence that supports local and regional counter fraud teams.
SAFE – Security and Fraud Experts is proud to announce its active participation in International Fraud Awareness Week (IFAW), taking place from 16–22 November 2025. This global initiative unites organisations and communities around the world to raise awareness, promote education, and take collective action against fraud. As a trusted leader in security and fraud prevention, SAFE is committed to empowering businesses and individuals with the knowledge and tools needed to identify, prevent, and respond to fraudulent activity.
Renamed as a supplier on the NHS Shared Business Services Audit Services for Health Framework.
