Category: Crimewatch

Courier fraudsters have been identifying themselves to victims on the telephone as “Detective Constable Martin Benton of New Scotland Yard Fraud Department”. The fraudsters will invent a story regarding fraudulent activity on your card and request your bank/card details.

No such person exists at the Metropolitan Police. If you receive a call from someone purporting to be this individual, terminate the call immediately.

Protect yourself against courier fraud:

• Your bank will never send a courier to your home
• Your bank and the police will never collect your bank card
• Your bank and the police will never ask for your PIN
• If you receive one of these calls end it immediately

Victim Advice:

• If you have handed over any details to the fraudster, call your bank and cancel your cards immediately.
• ​If you want to call your bank, then do it from another telephone.

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.

Fraudsters are targeting individuals who have recently expressed an interest in an online loan. Unsolicited calls are made by fraudsters who appear to be calling from a genuine company. They state that the recently applied for loan has been agreed, but an “advance fee” is required before the money can be transferred.

Once these “fees” have been paid, either directly to the fraudsters’ bank accounts or through a money service bureau, they are unrecoverable.

In many cases, fraudsters have asked for multiple upfront “fees” to address issues arising with the loan.

Protect yourself:

• Authentic credit companies do not charge fees in advance.
• Be wary of anyone calling who says they represent a credit company.
• Report any instances of a credit company attempting to request fees in advance of a loan to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

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.

Please follow the link below to see a copy of the latest newsletter from Dorset Police –

SNT NEWSLETTER JULY 2015

Good evening,

We are asking north Dorset residents to be aware of a motorbike that was stolen from the Shaftesbury area.

The vehicle was reported stolen at 1500hrs today (4th July)

It is a 125cc Pulse Adrenalin in black. Vehicle registration WJ15SVZ

Anyone with knowledge of this incident or if you see the vehicle around, please contact Dorset Police as soon as possible.

Many thanks,

North Dorset Safer Neighbourhood Teams

The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) wishes to remind investors that fraudsters are still active and are using various methods to dupe victims into investing in fine wine.

Whilst it might be easy to identify a fraudulent investment in non-existent fine wine, there is another tactic which is much harder to detect that relies on limited knowledge of the investor in this specific area.

In many cases, the fraud relates to the value of the wine as opposed to the existence of the wine. Therefore, fraudsters will be able to prove to the victims that they have the wine in stock, however the wine in stock will be significantly cheaper than the inflated price the fraudsters ask the victims to pay.

Whilst it may look like a ‘real deal’, the dramatically inflated prices make the promise of any returns unrealistic.

Assessments of reports show that fraudsters charge victims an average of 47% more than the comparative market values at the time of sale.

The brokers who typically cold call victims boast that an increasing market in China will guarantee tax free profits. When questioned about risk, fraudsters will convincingly say that it is “extremely low”.

How to protect yourself against investment fraud:

• If you’re considering any type of investment, always remember: if it seems too good to be true, then it probably is. High returns can only be achieved with high risk.If you get a call out of the blue, be wary; if in doubt don’t be polite, just hang up.
• Take the time to seek independent legal or financial advice before making a decision.
• Always check the credentials of the company you’re dealing with. Check for known fraudulent organisations at the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

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.

Fraudsters are targeting classified advertisement websites like AutoTrader to advertise vehicles for sale. Buyers are then contacting these ‘sellers’ to find out more about the vehicles and are being told to pay for them via ‘Apple Pay’. In this case the fraudsters are not using the genuine Apple Pay service and potential victims pay money directly to bank accounts in control of the fraudsters. Individuals receive emails claiming to be from Apple Pay with a web link to a cloned website with false terms and conditions of the ‘escrow’ service. Any money remitted to the fraudsters is then unrecoverable and the vehicles are not delivered.

Protect yourself:

• Meet the seller ‘face to face’ and view the vehicle before parting with any money.
• Be cautious of web links in an email. They may not direct you to the genuine website.
• Report scam advertisements to the classified advertisement websites.
• If the vehicle is below market value, consider whether this is an opportunity too good to be true!

Theft of fuel cans
We have had a report of cans of fuel being stolen from a construction site in the North Dorset area.

These cans were not secured but hidden away near machinery and the area they were stolen from was closed to the public.

Please can we remind residents that opportunistic thieves are around and to keep items, however small, secured and safe.

Regards,
Kate Hann
North Dorset Safer Neighbourhood Team

Royal Mail e-mail scam
A scam email is currently being sent to victims fraudulently claiming to be from the Royal Mail. Attached to the email is the CryptoLocker virus.

The victim receives an email purporting to be from the Royal Mail stating that they are holding a parcel/letter for the victim. The victim is then required to contact the Royal Mail to arrange for the item to be resent/collected.

By following the instructions within the email the CryptoLocker virus is subsequently downloaded to the victim’s computer. This virus encrypts files on the victim’s system and requests a ransom be paid in order for the files to be decrypted.

Additional incentive is added for early repayment as the ransomware states that the cost of decrypting the files will increase the longer the fine is outstanding.

Protect yourself:

• Look at who the email is addressed to. Is it generic or specifically addressed?
• Look at the quality of the images included on the email. Are they of sufficient high quality that they could come from Royal Mail?
• Do not open attachments from unsolicited emails regardless of who they are from.
• Do not click on the link supplied. Instead, go to the relevant website and log in from there.
• Check the address of any email received to see if it appears legitimate.

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

Good Afternoon

Just a reminder that there will be a “Sheducation” event at the Blandford Rural Homewatch Meeting, held at Okeford Fitzpaine Village Hall at 1030am on Thursday 25th June.

If you would like further information, would like to be involved or have any suggestions for any other crime prevention activities then please reply to this message. Alternatively come and visit us on the day and have a chat or call 101.

Many Thanks

Blandford Rural SNT