Cyber Crime

📢 Mini Police & Cyber Crime Unit Visit – Pear Tree Junior School

Today, our Mini Police team visited Pear Tree Junior School alongside the Cyber Crime Unit, delivering an engaging session on online safety. While the children learned valuable skills about staying safe on the internet, it’s just as important that adults stay informed and protected too.

With cybercrime evolving rapidly, adults are often targeted through scams, spoofing, identity theft, and social engineering. Keeping ourselves safe online helps protect our families, finances, and personal information.

🔐 Why Online Safety Matters for Adults

Online crime continues to rise, and offenders increasingly use sophisticated methods to target individuals. Adults are at risk of:

Being proactive with online safety helps reduce the risk of financial loss, identity theft, and the compromise of sensitive information.

🛡️ Top Online Safety Tips for Adults

Here are key steps every adult can take to stay safe online:

✔️ Use strong, unique passwords

Use a different password for every account. Consider a password manager to securely store them.

✔️ Enable two‑factor authentication (2FA)

Adding an extra layer—such as a code sent to your phone—makes it far harder for criminals to access your accounts.

✔️ Be cautious with emails, texts, and links

Don’t click links or open attachments unless you’re certain they’re legitimate. Check the sender’s address carefully.

✔️ Keep devices and software updated

Updates often include important security fixes. Turn on automatic updates where possible.

✔️ Check website legitimacy

Look for spelling errors, unusual URLs, or requests for information that seem out of place. Only enter payment details on secure (https://) websites.

✔️ Limit the personal information you share online

Oversharing on social media can make you a target for scams or identity theft.

✔️ Back up important data

Use cloud backups or external drives to protect against ransomware or data loss.

✔️ Report suspicious activity

If something feels wrong—messages, phone calls, emails—trust your instincts and report it. You can report cybercrime through Action Fraud.

We were delighted to see the enthusiasm at Pear Tree Junior School today. Keeping young people safe online starts with informed, confident adults—parents, carers, teachers, and community members—leading by example.

If you’d like more advice on cyber safety, visit www.actionfraud.police.uk or speak with your local policing team.