£4k cost to firms of web criminal activity

Frances Pardell, of Pardell PR, in Luton, had to pay £200 to fix her computer after her screen froze. She ignored messages to pay £100.

She said: “The fact that an unknown and unidentifiable person could blatantly and remotely carry out their threatened actions to sabotage my businesses was very scary.”

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), of which Frances Pardell is a member, has issued 10 top tips to stay safe on-line.

New research from the FSB shows 41 per cent of FSB members have been a victim of cyber crime in the last 12 months, putting the average cost at around £4,000 per business.

Luton and South Bedfordshire FSB branch chairman Damian Cummins called on the government to make it easy for businesses to report when they have been a victim of fraud or online crime.

The tips include carrying out regular security updates on all software and devices.