Uploading old posts to the new blog made me think about a charity I used to volunteer for, and continue to support.
The Cyber Helpline (https://www.thecyberhelpline.com/) are a fantastic organisation who support people who have fallen victim to online crime or abuse.
They work closely with other charities, including fraud and domestic abuse, as well as the police.
This service has raised over 30,000 cases in the few years that they have been operating. That is a staggering amount of people who have been affected.
They assist anyone over the age of 13 in the UK, and can help individuals and sole traders, but not business users as of the time of writing. They do have a guide for businesses which can be read here.
The Cyber Helpline are a true success story, and assist the end users for free.
Unfortunately, success comes with a price. Several scammers have been using their identity online, especially on social media to impersonate and scam victims.
On their webiste, they have had to issue a warning
Scam WARNING: If you have been offered help on twitter by an account other than @HelplineCyber this is a scam. Please contact us ASAP and do not respond, provide details or pay them any money.
This sickens me beyond belief. To impersonate a charity trying to assist victims is one of the lowest forms of abuse I can think of.I
I also understand that some people may not feel being classed as a victim is incorrect. Anyone who has suffered from crime, be it online or offline, is a victim. It is not something to be ashamed of. If you have suffered any form of online abuse, scamming, fraud, catphishing, please reach out to them.
As they are a charity, and help all users of the service for free, they rely on donations to keep the service running. You can donate by using the following link: https://www.thecyberhelpline.com/donate
