Huge rise in social media 'crimes'

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A new level of door chain security

20 February 2013 

Mixed advice on domestic door chains, leads to new invention
Unfortunately, but understandably, there is mixed advice as to a door chain's effectiveness. Organisations, such as Age UK recommend their use to combat bogus callers and yet some police services will advise people not to open the door, since a closed and locked door will be considerably more secure than a door held on a chain. Instead they suggest shouting through the door or calling out of an upstairs window. Read more here

In action - watch Video 2 HERE

07 = Mobile? - Not always!

25/02/2013: 070 Telephone Number Warning

Consumers are warned about phoning numbers beginning 070 after a complaint received by Warwickshire County Council’s Trading Standards Service.

Phone numbers starting 070 can easily be mistaken for mobile phone numbers, which also start 07. However, in reality phone numbers that start 070 are charged at a premium rate. 

One Warwickshire job seeker reported receiving an unexpected email inviting him to a job interview following his ‘application’. The individual who received the email had sent out many job applications so phoned the number back but was transferred to an answering machine that kept him on hold. The number he phoned was a 070 premium rate number. The consumer now believes that he was tricked in to phoning the number so that number provider could generate profits.

070 numbers are sometimes called virtual or ‘follow me’ numbers set up to divert calls from one number to another so that the person being called can keep their own number private, and remain contactable wherever they go.

The complaints about the 070 premium rate numbers relate largely to consumers receiving missed calls to both landlines and mobiles from 070 prefixed numbers. These calls are terminated after one ring which prompts the consumers to call back the premium rate 070 number, believing it to be a genuine missed call. 

Other inducements to phone the number back include work opportunities and advertisements.

Calls to 070 numbers may cost up to 50p per minute from a BT landline and more from a mobile. The price will not necessarily be explained during the call itself.

If consumers believe they have been misled or tricked in to phoning an 070 number so that the provider of the 070 number service can generate money, they can report the number to the premium rate line watchdog PhonepayPlus on 0800 500 212.

The 070 number complained about by the consumer in this case has been reported to PhonepayPlus.

Please feel free to cascade this information to whomever you feel appropriate (including using the information in your newsletters/websites etc.). 

If you have any information you wish to provide to Warwickshire Trading Standards Service, either for our information, or to appear in future email alerts, please email me.
   

For more information on scams, visit: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/scams

Follow us on twitter: www.twitter.com/warkstss

Simon Cripwell

Trading Standards Officer

Warwickshire Trading Standards Service

Communities

Warwickshire County Council

Old Budbrooke Road Warwick CV35 7DP

Tel: 01926 414039

Mob: 07771 975570

Email: simoncripwell@warwickshire.gov.uk

Web: www.warwickshire.gov.uk

Follow us on twitter: www.twitter.com/warkstss

My normal working days are Monday to Thursday

Crime Prevention Newsletter

There is a lot of valuable information in the latest NEWSLETTER.

Kineton Farmers Market - Saturday 9 Mar 2013

On the second Saturday of March, May, July and October, Market Square, Kineton hosts Kineton Farmers Market between 10am and 1 pm. Local farmers produce is sold, including meat, cheese, vegetables, fresh bread and baked produce, edible plants, honey, ice cream, pickles and jams and locally brewed beer. Live folk music creates a relaxed atmosphere for the event which is held in a traditional market setting amongst properties dating back to the 17th Century.

Market Sq, Kineton Warwickshire Warwickshire CV35 0LP

Recent Scam Summary

SCAMS JAN FEB 2013

Fight Back Britain

Fight Back Britain Flyer

Download here

RDF are producing a new commission for BBC1 called Fight Back Britain. They'd be very interested in hearing Neighbourhood and Home Watch members stories.

The programme concentrates on the role that the public plays in helping the police fight crime. How social networks, mobile phone footage, photos, eyewitness accounts etc. can provide crucial evidence in identifying suspects and assisting in successful convictions. The highlight of each episode will be the inspiring stories of public involvement.

SNT Update

WELLESBOURNE

Includes:

• Theft from motor vehicle - as near as Northend
• Burglary Crime Prevention Advice
• Vehicle Crime Advice

Ron Ball - Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner

Just to let you all know that Ron Ball, Warwickshire's Police and Crime Commissioner is attending the following two Community Forums in Stratford district in March:

Wellesbourne/Kineton at Wellesbourne Fire Station, Loxley Road, Wellesbourne CV35 9JL on Thursday 7th March from 6.30pm

Alcester/Bidford at the Crawford Memorial Hall, Salford Road, Bidford on Avon B50 4EZ on Tuesday 12th March from 6.30pm

Ron and his team have undertaken to come to all forums in Stratford District over the coming year but you are all very welcome to come to either of the above to hear about the role of the Police and Crime Commissioner and to take part in the Q and A session.


Regards
Ali Mainey
Community Development Worker
Southern Area Team
Communities
Warwickshire County Council
Office Phone External: 01789 260134
Mobile: 07557 565783
Internal: 532134
email:  alisonmainey@warwickshire.gov.ukwww.warwickshire.gov.uk

Fur further information on the LAA visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/laa

For further information on the Stratford-on-Avon Area Office visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/stratfordarea

Trading Standards Update

20/02/2013 ‘BBC’ Lottery Scam and other Advanced Fee Frauds

The names of bogus lotteries are becoming ever more bizarre! One resident contacted Warwickshire Trading Standards after receiving a congratulatory email from the ‘BBC National Lottery’, run in conjunction with ‘Microsoft’!

Like all bogus lotteries, the email asked the ‘winner’ to send copies of various personal documents and would then have requested money in advance of the $750,000 non-existent ‘prize’ being released.

James Feng Lui claims to work for the Shenzhen Development Bank and wants you to help him claim $10.5 million, the estate of a deceased person with your surname (so his letter says). He is willing to split the funds 50/50. Sadly those who take Mr Feng Lui up on his offer will only ever be asked for money to help the transfer of the fictitious millions along. And, Mr Lee Hao a bank worker in Hong Kong is writing to Warwickshire residents with the same offer.

Advanced fee frauds come in many shapes and sizes. Never reveal any personal or financial information to people you don’t know or trust and especially cold callers and senders of spam email/letters.

More about advanced fee frauds: http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/Web/corporate/wccweb.nsf/Links/5D0649278E3ED2CB80257886003647F7/$file/20120912_Advanced_Fee_Fraud.pdf

20/02/2013 Are You Really a Winner?

Warwickshire Trading Standards are warning residents about letters which appear to suggest that you may have won prize, often by stating that a prize has been unclaimed or asking you to send in a claim form. The small print is usually the give-away in these cases where consumers are actually required to phone a premium rate number or send an expensive text (often as much as £10), just to find out if they have won and not to collect a prize at all!

You cannot win a lottery you have not entered. Always check the small print and beware of phoning or texting to check on your ‘prize ’. You may not have won anything at all and if you have, it will probably be worth less than the cost of the phone call!

More about scam lotteries: http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/Web/corporate/wccweb.nsf/Links/5D0649278E3ED2CB80257886003647F7/$file/Scambuster+A5+Campaign+English+2.pdf

20/02/2013 Tarmac Gang Warnings

Tarmac gangs are again operating in South Warwickshire villages. Residents are advised not to engage services on the doorstep. Tarmac gangs can be very persuasive/threating. Residents are best advised to keep their doors closed. Warwickshire Councils do not go door to door offering to re-surface residents driveways with left over tarmac. Tarmac gangs will do a poor job and charge a small fortune!

20/02/2013 Facebook ‘Product Testers’

Warwickshire Trading Standards are warning users of Facebook to beware of advertisements etc. from traders offering people the opportunity to ‘product test’ face creams, free for 30 days. One consumer reported taking up the offer for what she thought would only involve paying a small amount for postage and packing. Having provided her debit car details she was then told that if she did not return the goods within 14 day unopened, she would be charged £80!

Never provide your credit or debit cards to traders you don’t know or trust and always check the terms and conditions of any offer – whatever the headline claim may be. Trading Standards know that some traders have taken money from consumers accounts, even after they had cancelled, using a system called continuous payments authority. If you are in this situation the Financial Services Authority state that you can cancel such agreements directly with your bank. See their leaflet: http://www.fsa.gov.uk/static/pubs/consumer_info/know_your_rights_guide.pdf

20/02/2013 Cold Calling Alarm Sales Wellesbourne

Consumers living in the Wellesbourne area have reported cold calls relating to the promotion of monitored security systems. Warwickshire Trading Standards would like to remind consumers that if they are offered ‘free’ alarm systems, they may come with expensive monitoring contracts. Consumers should never buy from cold callers and if they require a security system should seek independent advice from their local Police or NHW organisation.

Further, consumers should be wary of businesses that use spurious/scary crime statistics to sell their systems or claim that the emergency services will respond if their alarm is activated.

13/02/2013 Business ‘Collapse’ Scam

A Warwickshire consumer reported to Trading Standards receiving an unexpected phone call from someone who claimed a business the consumer had a contract with was ‘closing down’ and the consumer was due a ‘refund’.

The caller offered to send the consumer a cheque for £350 and was then asked to send £100 further on to India.

This is a scam. The cheque would initially clear and the money appear in the consumer’s account. The consumer would then send £100 on to India. However, the cheque would almost certainly be stolen or counterfeit and when this was spotted by the bank, they would remove the money from the consumer’s account, leaving the consumer £100 out of pocket.

13/02/2013 Loan Scam

A Warwickshire consumer reported to the Trading Standards Service receiving an offer of a loan after being phoned unexpectedly by someone he had never spoken to before (the consumer has been looking for a loan previously).

The caller (who was phoning from abroad) offered the consumer a £3000 loan over 2 years with a monthly repayment of £94 per month. The caller even sent the consumer a loan agreement, despite the loan repayments covering less than the total cost of the loan!

Consumers looking for loans are warned that they may become targets for fraudsters.

The fraudster will offer the consumer the loan but the consumer will often begin their loan repayments before they receive the loan. The fraudsters never do send the money but keep taking the repayments for as long as they can.

In some cases the fraudsters ask for an admin fee to be paid up front before the loan can be released and again, it never is, leaving people who already have difficult financial circumstances, even worse off.

13/02/2013 Timeshare Owners Targeted

Timeshare owners, often those who have been desperately trying to sell their timeshares, are being targeted by fraudsters warn Warwickshire Trading Standards. One Warwickshire timeshare owner reported receiving an unexpected phone call to tell him that he was owed over £5000 as a victim of a timeshare scam. The caller claimed that the money would be couriered to his door, but that the consumer would have to first pay a £860 transfer fee.

This has all the hallmarks of an advance fee fraud and consumers are advised not to send any money if they are contacted in this way.

Please feel free to cascade this information to whomever you feel appropriate (including using the information in your newsletters/websites etc.). 

If you have any information you wish to provide to Warwickshire Trading Standards Service, either for our information, or to appear in future email alerts, please email me.
  

For more information on scams, visit: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/scams

Follow us on twitter: www.twitter.com/warkstss

 Simon Cripwell

Trading Standards Officer

Warwickshire Trading Standards Service

Communities

Warwickshire County Council

Old Budbrooke Road Warwick CV35 7DP

tel. 01926 414039

mob. 07771 975570

email. simoncripwell@warwickshire.gov.uk

web. www.warwickshire.gov.uk

My normal working days are Monday to Thursday

Wanted in Warwickshire

22 January 2013 12:18

Christopher Coulthard wanted for recall to prison

Officers are appealing for information on the whereabouts of 50 year old Christopher Coulthard who is wanted for recall to prison after breaching the terms of his licence.

Coulthard, formerly of Bedworth, was oringally sentenced to six years in prison for church thefts, released on November 8 2012 and recalled the following day after he breached the terms of his release.

Anyone who knows his whereabouts or has any information which would help to locate him is asked to contact Warwickshire Police on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

Anne Tugwell

SOURCE

Trading Standards Update

05/02/2013 Businesses Warned of Bogus Trading Standards Call

A business contacted Warwickshire Trading Standards after it reported receiving calls from someone claiming to be from the Warwickshire Trading Standards Service, claiming that the service had received numerous complaints about the business’s work.

Warwickshire Trading Standards has confirmed that this was a hoax call. Consumers and businesses should be wary of any unexpected phone call from anyone claiming to represent a Government Department. Always ask to phone back using a publically listed number.

05/02/2013 Another PPI Approach!

Warwickshire Trading Standards is warning consumers about another underhand approach by a company offering to claim back PPI compensation for them. The company phones consumers and claims they have overpaid their mortgages and are due a rebate, so as to get the consumer’s interest and details, from which they can offer to reclaim PPI payments.

One consumer reported such as call despite not having a mortgage or loans at all!

Report all unsolicited phone calls to the Information Commissioners Office (ICO). Your information can help them track down and fine people who pester consumers with unwanted phone calls. Visit: https://www.snapsurveys.com/swh/surveylogin.asp?k=134674895144

If you paid PPI and are seeking compensation, you can do so for free: http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/ppi-loan-insurance

05/02/2013 High Pressure Solar Panel Sellers Warning

 

Warwickshire Trading Standards is warning consumers living in the Leamington Spa area to be aware of high pressure sales phone calls and visits from people selling (or in some cases giving away) solar panels.

Consumers should not buy from the door or from the first person who they receive an unexpected phone call from.

Consumers should obtain professional and independent advice, visit: http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/

Please feel free to cascade this information to whomever you feel appropriate (including using the information in your newsletters/websites etc.). 

If you have any information you wish to provide to Warwickshire Trading Standards Service, either for our information, or to appear in future email alerts, please email me.
 
For more information on scams, visit: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/scams

Follow us on twitter: www.twitter.com/warkstss

Simon Cripwell

Trading Standards Officer

Warwickshire Trading Standards Service

Communities

Warwickshire County Council

Old Budbrooke Road Warwick CV35 7DP

tel. 01926 414039

mob. 07771 975570

email. simoncripwell@warwickshire.gov.uk

web. www.warwickshire.gov.uk

My normal working days are Monday to Thursday

Pedlar charged - selling without a licence

Nottingham pedlar charged with selling without a licence

Please check every time - it deters the chancers.

SNT Updates

SOUTHAM
USING MOBILE PHONES WHEN DRIVING
APPEAL FOR WITNESSES
CATALYTIC CONVERTERS
+ MORE


WELLESBOURNE
Burglary Crime Prevention Advice
Church Security
Action Fraud
+ MORE

Incidents at homes in Stockton, Avon Dassett, Temple Herdewyke & Fenny Compton

Please be aware of the following incidents which have occurred at homes in your area over recent days:

 

Incident 209 of 21 January - Stockton

During the night of 18 into 19 January offenders stole 7 gas bottles from a rural business premises in Station Road, Stockton.

 

105 of 27 January - Avon Dassett

During the night of 26 into 27 January offenders entered a cottage home in Avon Dassett after forcing open the front door.  Once inside, the offenders stole 2 handbags.  One of the handbags was emptied and later found in the wheelie bin.

 

Incident 218 of 3 February

At some point before 4.30pm yesterday, 3 February, offenders used a eurolock device on the rear door of home in Falkland Place, Temple Herdewyke in an attempt to get into the house.  The lock was smashed but offenders failed to get in and nothing was stolen.

 

Incident 180 of 3 February

At just after 3.30pm yesterday, 3 February, offenders stole the numberplates fron a Citroen Picasso parked in Manor Court, Fenny Compton.  The offenders are believed to be 2 males, one white, who made off in a Vauxhall type vehicle.

 

Incident 175 of 3 February

At around the same time offenders stole the rear numberplate of a Ford Focus vehicle parked in The Readings, Fenny Compton.  The offenders are described as 2 Asian males driving a silver Audi.

 

Incident 253 of 3 February

Between 10am and 6pm, also yesterday, offenders stole both numberplates fron a Kia Picanto parked in Brook Street, Fenny Compton.

 

Please remain alert, on the lookout for suspicious persons, vehicles or activity around your own or neighbouring homes and please report anything out of place, or of concern, to Police on 101.  Thankyou.

 

Julie Dale

Watch Co-ordinator

Community Protection

Action Fraud

Trading Standards - Get wise to the latest scams

04/02/2013 Business Rebate Scam

Businesses are warned to beware of cold calls from fraudsters who claim to be able to reduce their business rates. Warwickshire Trading Standards received a complaint from one business that was told that for a payment of £474, their rates would be reduced. The caller invoiced the business and told the owner it would take around five weeks for the process to be completed.

The business paid half the invoice immediately but the caller then disappeared without trace.

Businesses can challenge their rates for free, visit: https://www.gov.uk/business-rate-appeals

04/02/2013 Office of Fair Trading Scam

Fraudsters are cold calling consumers, claiming to be the OFT warn Warwickshire Trading Standards. The callers claim to be able to obtain Payment Protection Insurance compensation for the consumer. One consumer was asked to pay £250 up front in Ukash vouchers for this ‘service’.

Had they done so the fraudster would have simply disappeared!

This is an advanced fee fraud. Beware of anyone asking for up-front fees for any service, especially if they request the money be paid using Ukash vouchers or Western Union money transfer. These legitimate ways of transferring money are used by fraudsters because it makes them difficult to trace.

The OFT will never cold call consumers.

Consumers should be aware that they do not need to pay anything to claim PPI compensation. For more information visit: http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/ppi-loan-insurance

04/02/2013 Porn Virus Scam

A consumer reported to Warwickshire Trading Standards that their computer had been ‘locked’ and a ‘Police’ pop up had appeared claiming this was because the user had been downloading music and pornography illegally.

The user was asked to make a credit card payment of £100 to ‘unlock’ their computer. The pop up notices appeared professional and made use of Police logos.

Trading Standards are warning consumers that this is an example of ‘ransomware’. Ransomware is a kind of malicious software that seizes control of a computer and demands a ransom to relinquish its hold over the machine.

It is possible that almost 3% of compromised users pay these bogus fines, making the scam very profitable.

Law enforcement bodies do not collect fines in this way. If your computer has been compromised do not pay up. To do so will also reveal your credit card details to the fraudsters.

Computer users should instead run good anti-virus software on their machines to clear the virus and protect themselves from future infection. For more information on computer safety visit: www.getsafeonline.org.uk

04/02/2013 Small Business Advertising Scam

A Warwickshire small business that paid £360 by debit card for advertising from a cold caller, later found that other payments had been made to promotional companies from his bank account without his permission, totalling over £1000! The businessman cancelled his debit card but then received aggressive calls and bailiff threats.

Businesses are advised not to accept advertising from cold callers. Check advertising contracts thoroughly and ensure the advertising opportunity is a genuine one. For more information about advertising scams visit: http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/Web/corporate/wccweb.nsf/Links/5D0649278E3ED2CB80257886003647F7/$file/20120111_Business_scams.pdf

04/02/2013 ‘Job’ Offer Scam

Job seekers should beware job offers that could see them out of pocket warn Warwickshire Trading Standards.

A Warwickshire job seeker reported receiving an unexpected email offering her a job. The offer came from someone who wanted to send her money which she would put in to her bank account and then transfer to a third party.

She would then be paid.

Trading Standards are warning that this a scam. The money sent to the unwitting job seeker would probably be a stolen or forged cheque. This would initially clear and the job seeker would send on the money to the third party.

However, when it became clear to the bank that money was stolen, this money would be reimbursed to the rightful account owner, leaving the job seeker out of pocket!

Please feel free to cascade this information to whomever you feel appropriate (including using the information in your newsletters/websites etc.). 

 

If you have any information you wish to provide to Warwickshire Trading Standards Service, either for our information, or to appear in future email alerts, please email me.

For more information on scams, visit: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/scams

Follow us on twitter: www.twitter.com/warkstss

Simon Cripwell

Trading Standards Officer

Warwickshire Trading Standards Service

Communities

Warwickshire County Council

Old Budbrooke Road Warwick CV35 7DP

tel. 01926 414039

mob. 07771 975570

email. simoncripwell@warwickshire.gov.uk

web. www.warwickshire.gov.uk

My normal working days are Monday to Thursday