February 2016 – Page 2 – Stourpaine Matters

Action Fraud Survey

Good Afternoon,

We are sending you this message to invite you to take part in an important new survey. There are no more than eight questions which will ask you to rate your attitude to frauds and scams and how likely you are to protect yourself from them, particularly if you are online.

It’ll be really quick to complete and at the end you’ll get feedback straight away on how well protected you are and more simple steps you can take to help stop you and your family becoming victims.

We’ll also use the results to help us develop our crime prevention campaigns in the future and make sure the information we send you is as useful and relevant as possible.

We hope you’ll be able to spare a couple of minutes to fill this in to help us. If you have the time to do it now just click the button below. This survey will be live until the end of September so if you can’t fill this in now you can come back and complete it at anytime before then.

Thank you.

Please click here to complete our survey

Dorset County Council – Temporary closure of the A350 at Bosley Hill, Cann

Please find attached details of the pending temporary road closure of the A350, Bosley Hill, Cann, Shaftesbury, Dorset for five days from the 16th February 2016 –

Temporary Road Closure A350 Bosley Hill Cann Shaftesbury February 2016

Advice for Flood Victims: Bogus Trades People

Message sent by

Action Fraud (Action Fraud, Administrator, National)

In December 2015 the UK was hit by three severe storms resulting in widespread flooding across the North of England and Scotland.

The NFIB would like to make flood victims aware of the possible threat that Rogue Traders and Bogus Trades People pose to them. Buying on your doorstep can be convenient. However, a salesman who uses clever tactics can pressurise you into buying something you actually don’t want or something that’s poor value for money.

Protect yourself against bogus trades people fraud

Always ask for identification before letting anyone you don’t know into your house.
Check credentials, including a permanent business address and landline telephone number. The mobile phone numbers given on business cards are often pay-as-you-go numbers which are virtually impossible to trace.
Take control by asking the questions. Ask for references from previous customers or to see examples of their work.
Don’t sign on the spot – shop around. Get at least three written quotes to make sure you’re not being ripped off.
If in any doubt, ask the person to leave or call the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 03454 04 05 06.

If you do decide to buy:

Always get any agreement you make in writing.
Beware when filling in forms or when speaking to the salesperson, and ensure you don’t reveal confidential details that a fraudster could use to assume your identity or take control of your finances. This may allow a fraudster to steal money from your account or order goods and services in your name.
Usually, you have a seven-day cooling off period. So if you decide to cancel the contract, act fast.
Think very carefully about having any work done or goods delivered during the cooling off period. You may have to pay, even if you change your mind.
Never pay for work before it has been completed, and only then if you are happy with it.

If you believe that you have been a victim of fraud you can report it online http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/report_fraud or by telephone 0300 123 2040.

Action Fraud Alert – “Your Package Has Been Seized” Royal Mail Scam Email

Message sent by

Action Fraud (Action Fraud, Administrator, National)

Fraudsters are sending out virus infected emails that claim a package has been seized by HM Revenue & Customs upon arrival into the United Kingdom. The official looking scam emails claiming to be from Royal Mail contain a link to a document which will install malicious software on your computer designed to steal credentials like account names, email addresses and passwords.

An example email reads:

Title: Your parcel has been seized
Royal Mail is sorry to inform you that a package addressed to you was seized by HM Revenue & Customs upon arrival into the United Kingdom.
A close inspection deemed your items as counterfeit and the manufacturers have been notified. If your items are declared genuine then they will be returned back to you with the appropriate custom charges.
You may have been a victim of counterfeit merchandise and the RM Group UK will notify you on how to get your money back. Please review the attached PDF document for more information.
Document (RM7002137GB).Zip
Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused.

To help the spread of the virus, the email also says: “you will need to have access to a computer to download and open the Zip file”. If you receive one of these emails, do not click on any links or download any attachments and report it to Action Fraud.

Protect Yourself

Royal Mail will never send an email asking for credit card numbers or other personal or confidential information.
Royal Mail will never ask customers to enter information on a page that isn’t part of the Royal Mail website.
Royal Mail will never include attachments unless the email was solicited by a customer e.g. customer has contacted Royal Mail with an enquiry or has signed up for updates from Royal Mail.
Royal Mail have also stressed that they do not receive a person’s email address as part of any home shopping experience.

If you believe that you have been a victim of fraud you can report it online: http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/report_fraud or by telephone: 0300 123 2040

Your bus matters – a communication from Bus Users UK

Dorset passengers to have their say on local bus services
In response to the consultations on public transport being run across Wiltshire and Dorset, Bus Users UK is holding a series of Your Bus Matters events in Dorset. Each event is open to the public, and will give passengers in the region the chance to have their say on proposed cuts to local services.
Dorset County Council has been invited to send representatives and visitors will also have the opportunity to speak direct to their local bus operators. The three Your Bus Matters events are being held on:
Wednesday 3 February –
Bridport Bus Station, Tannery Road from 10am – 2pm
Thursday 4 February –
Shaftesbury High Street bus stop (outside Hine and Parsons) from 10am to 1pm
Blandford Forum opposite Corn Exchange (outside Clarks) from 2pm to 5pm
At each event, passengers using Class 2 mobility scooters will be able to get hold of a ‘permit to travel’, the permission needed to carry a mobility scooter on board a bus.
Bus Users, a non-profit organisation that champions the interests of bus and coach passengers, will be running further events across Wiltshire over the next few weeks.
To find out more about these events and the work of Bus Users visit: www.bususers.org

Further information on the Dorset consultation, which ends on 8 February, can be found at: https://consultationtracker.dorsetforyou.com/00,consultation,12145,330,00.htm

To find out more about mobility scooter assessments visit: http://www.transportforall.org.uk/news/newregulations-on-scooters-on-buses
For more information contact Vicki Pulman on 01622 816737 / 07785 768580

Notes
Bus Users is an independent group which champions the interests of bus and coach users and campaigns for better bus and coach services.
We have the ear of all the major bus companies and a lot of the smaller ones too, of their trade organisation and of the Government and local authorities.
We operate a complaints appeals service for bus users who are dissatisfied with the response they have had from bus companies, and we run events for bus users to meet their local bus company management and local authority staff. We act as a support organisation for local bus users groups.

Dorset Police appeal for information – Burglary At Blandford Petrol Station

Detectives are appealing for witnesses to come forward after a burglary at a petrol station in Blandford.

Between 4.20am and 4.30am on Sunday 31 January 2016, three men wearing balaclavas and dark clothing broke into the Tesco Petrol Station in Stour Park in the town.

The offenders were challenged by two members of staff who had been alerted to the incident via the alarm. The pair were threatened by one of the offenders with a crow bar.

A quantity of cigarettes was stolen. No one was injured in the incident.

The offenders left the scene in a white Audi TT.

Detective Constable Tom Hall, of Weymouth CID, said: “I am appealing to anyone who saw three men acting suspiciously in the area of the petrol station at the relevant time yesterday morning to please call me on 101.

“I am also particularly keen to hear from anyone who has been offered or seen cigarettes for sale in suspicious circumstances.”

Witnesses and anyone with information should call Dorset Police in confidence on 101 quoting incident number 31:100. Alternatively, call the free and anonymous Crimestoppers line on 0800 555 111 where mobile phone tariffs may apply.

Free Advanced Driving Lectures

Wednesday 13, 20 and 27 April sees the Institute of Advanced Motorists free lectures commence at 6.45 pm with an 8.45 pm finish. The lectures are being held at Committee Room 1, County Hall, Dorchester DT1 1XJ. Entry to Committee Room 1 is through the glass doors at Colliton Corner and parking is free.

The lectures, given by a class one civilian ex-police instructor with many years’ experience and a sense of humour, contain information and advice that could save your life.

As we strive to better ourselves at most things in life, why not driving? No need to book, just come along and bring your friends.

For further information contact Jane Percy on 01305 820963 or secretary@dorsetiam.org.uk.

Do not reply to this message directly. Alternatively, visit the IAM website for more details: http://www.dorsetiam.org.uk/

Action Fraud Alert – Timeshare Recovery Room Fraud

Action Fraud (Action Fraud, Administrator, National

The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) is warning people of the dangers of Recovery Room fraudsters targeting former victims of Timeshare fraud.
Recovery Room Fraud refers to a scam whereby fraudsters contact the victims of previous frauds, often by way of cold calling them, and claim to be able to recover previously lost funds. In July 2014 the Financial Services Authority (FSA) estimated that 30% of people who had lost money through Investment fraud would also fall victim to a Recovery Room fraud.

When Recovery Room fraudsters target victims of timeshare frauds they usually claim to be a legal professional or a representative of a government agency (normally within the country where the original timeshare property was based) in order to legitimise the scam. The fraudsters know personal details about the victim and their previous investment which gives them credibility. They claim that the advanced fees requested are for ‘local taxes’ or ‘litigation costs’ incurred during the recovery of the funds. It is suspected that the persons behind Recovery Room frauds are often the same people involved in the original scams even though these crimes may have occurred years earlier.

Initially, a small fee, typically in the region of £200-400, is requested by the fraudsters which they often claim is refundable as part of a ‘no-win no-fee’ basis. The fraudsters rely on the victims seeing this as a nominal fee compared to the amounts lost, which often run into the tens-of-thousands of pounds, and therefore worth paying if it facilitates the return of their money. Once paid, various excuses are made by the fraudsters to explain delays in the recovery of the funds. Subsequently, further larger amounts are then requested by the fraudsters. Needless to say, no refunds ever materialise and no money is ever recovered.

Protect Yourself

Never respond to unsolicited phone calls – if in doubt, hang up.
Always check that the details of the organisation or company contacting you (such as website, address and phone number) are correct – the fraudsters may be masquerading as a legitimate organisation.
Don’t be fooled by a professional looking website as nowadays the cost of creating a professional website is easily affordable.
Be wary of any firms or individuals asking for advanced fees.
Consider seeking independent legal and/or financial advice before making a decision.

If you believe that you have been a victim of fraud you can report it online: http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/report_fraud or by telephone: 0300 123 2040