Threat Management, Security Strategy, Plan, Budget

London police chief suggests banks shouldn’t refund some online fraud victims

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London Police Chief Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe's comment that banks should not reimburse fraud victims who fail to protect themselves are simply rewarding bad cyber security hygiene has received some backlash, with one group saying he is attempting to shift the blame from cybercriminals to their victims.

“If you are continually rewarded for bad behavior you will probably continue to do it but if the obverse is true you might consider changing behavior,” Hogan-Howe told The Times while discussing how banks could raise cyber security awareness. “The system is not incentivizing you to protect yourself,” he added.

Hogan-Howe's comments received backlash from consumer rights groups, including Which?, whose Executive Director Richard Lloyd told the publication the police chief's comments were “an astonishingly misjudged proposal” at a time when online fraud is increasing.                                     

The Metropolitan police service later attempted to clarify that the commissioner's comments aren't a blanket statement that all fraud victims shouldn't be compensated, but only those consumers who do not practice basic precautions. 

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