Phishing is a type of scam whose aim is to trick you into giving away personal information or handing over money by clicking bad links. 

This is often done by pretending to be a legitimate company, asking you to click a link or download a file. 

Be mindful of emails that ask you to do something right away or that ask for your personal information. Don't trust offers that look too good to be true. 

Phishing isn't limited to emails, so watch out for suspicious pop-ups, websites, social media posts and SMS. 

Email security:  Emails from COS have recognisable addresses, always ending with @cos.com, such as customerservice.eu@cos.com. 

If you are unsure about where an email comes from, don’t reply or engage with it. Contact us through our official channels and we will help you verify its legitimacy. 

Link safety tips:  Before clicking any link, hover over it to preview the URL and avoid links, QR codes or attachments from untrusted sources. 

Language red flags:  Be aware of bad spelling or unusual variations.  Phishing emails often contain grammatical or other errors. Stay vigilant as that is not always the case. 

Avoid urgent traps:  Scammers want you to act fast and not think your decisions through. Ignore urgent, unexpected requests for payment information. 

We will only ask for payment details to complete your purchase at cos.com and will never ask you to pay to take part in any competition, event or similar. Making a purchase may be required to participate, but no extra payment will be requested.  

Contact us if you are a victim of a phishing scam where someone pretended to be COS and never engage with a message you suspect is phishing. We recommend that you report suspected scams to your local police authority. 

Contact your bank if you think you have initiated a transaction because of a suspected phishing attempt.  

Change the password as soon as possible of any accounts you believe have been compromised. 

By sharing your understanding of these best practices with your friends and family, you can contribute to a more secure shopping environment for all.  

We are here to help you shop securely. 

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Use reliable payment methods like credit cards or trusted online payment systems. These options usually come with extra layers of security.  

Our secure checkout process is designed to protect your payment details. We use advanced encryption and tokenisation technologies to ensure your transactions are safe. 

We will only ask for payment details to complete your purchase at cos.com and will never ask you to pay to take part in any competition, event or similar. Making a purchase may be required to participate, but no extra payment will be requested. 

Pick a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols in your passwords. 

A long password is more difficult to crack than a short one, so aim for at least 12 characters. It may be easier to think of it as a passphrase rather than a password. 

Turn on the automatic updates on your devices to keep them protected from malware.  

Software updates often include security enhancements, so keeping your devices updated helps you stay protected against the latest cyber threats. 

Remember to keep all your smart devices updated. This includes devices like smartphones, smartwatches or smart speakers. 

Check for "HTTPS" and a padlock icon in your web browser's address bar. These indicate a secure connection. 

Even so, stay alert for signs that a website could be a scam: 

• Spelling mistakes or strange formatting 

• A sense of urgency and/or requests for sensitive information   

• Offers that seem too good to be true 

Search for reviews about a website to help you determine if it is legitimate or a potential scam. 

Be careful which information you share on social media. Scammers may see what you share and use personal details to make their scams more convincing.  

A good tip is to adjust your privacy settings to control who can see your content and keep out unwanted strangers. 

Protect the devices you use to shop online with reliable antivirus and anti-malware programmes.  

They can help you detect and remove viruses before they can cause harm by spreading through mail and text messages. 

When shopping online, always use a secure Wi-Fi connection.  

Public networks can leave your personal information vulnerable to hackers, so always choose private networks whenever possible.  

Ensure your Wi-Fi is password-protected and change the password from the default.  

For increased security consider using a Virtual Private Network (VPN).  A VPN adds privacy and security to your browsing. It works by creating a tunnel to obscure your online actions. 

Regularly back up important data that is stored on your devices.  

This will help protect against loss caused by malware attacks or other cyber threats.  

It is also a great safeguard against losing your data if your device breaks or gets lost.