Category: Community

The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) and Action Fraud have noticed a rise in the reporting of pets, and in particular puppies and kittens, being advertised for sale via popular online auction websites. The fraudsters will place an advert of the pet for sale, often claiming that the pet is currently held somewhere less accessible or overseas. Upon agreement of a sale, the suspect will usually request an advance payment by money transfer or bank transfer. However, the pet does not materialise and the fraudster will subsequently ask for further advanced payments for courier charges, shipping fees and additional transportation costs. Even if further payments are made, the pet will still not materialise as it is likely that the pet does not exist.

Protect Yourself:

Stay within auction guidelines. Be cautious if the seller initially requests payment via one method, but later claims that due to ‘issues with their account’ they will need to take the payment via an alternative method such as a bank transfer. Consider conducting research on other information provided by the seller, for example a mobile phone number or email address used by the seller could alert you to any negative information associated with the number/email address online. Request details of the courier company being used and consider researching it. Agree a suitable time to meet face to face to agree the purchase and to collect the pet. If the seller is reluctant to meet then it could be an indication that the pet does not exist. A genuine seller should be keen to ensure that the pet is going to a caring and loving new home. If the seller does not express any interest in you and the pet’s new home, be wary. If you think the purchase price is too good to be true then it probably is, especially if the pet is advertised as a pure-breed. Do not be afraid to request copies of the pet’s inoculation history, breed paperwork and certification prior to agreeing a sale. If the seller is reluctant or unable to provide this information it could be an indication that either the pet does not exist or the pet has been illegally bred e.g. it originates from a ‘puppy farm’. A ‘puppy farm’ is a commercial dog breeding enterprise where the sole aim is to maximise profit for the least investment. Commercial dog breeders must be registered with their local authority and undergo regular inspections to ensure that the puppies are bred responsibly and are in turn fit and healthy. Illegally farmed puppies will often be kept in inadequate conditions and are more likely to suffer from ailments and illnesses associated with irresponsible breeding. When thinking of buying a pet, consider buying them in person from rescue centres or from reputable breeders If you have been affected by this, or any other scam, report it to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040, or visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk

Within the past 24 hours a number of businesses throughout the UK have received extortion demands from a group calling themselves ‘Lizard Squad’.

Method of Attack:
The group have sent emails demanding payment of 5 Bitcoins, to be paid by a certain time and date. The email states that this demand will increase by 5 Bitcoins for each day that it goes unpaid.

If their demand is not met, they have threatened to launch a Denial of Service attack against the businesses’ websites and networks, taking them offline until payment is made.

The demand states that once their actions have started, they cannot be undone.

What to do if you’ve received  one of these demands:

• Report it to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040 or by using the online reporting tool
• Do not pay the demand
• Retain the original emails (with headers)
• Maintain a timeline of the attack, recording all times, type and content of the contact

If you are experiencing a DDoS right now you should:

• Report it to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040 immediately.
• Call your Internet Service Provider (ISP) (or hosting provider if you do not host your own Web server), tell them you are under attack and ask for help.
• Keep a timeline of events and save server logs, web logs, email logs, any packet capture, network graphs, reports etc.

Get Safe Online top tips for protecting your business from a DDoS:

• Consider the likelihood and risks to your organisation of a DDoS attack, and put appropriate threat reduction/mitigation measures in place.
• If you consider that protection is necessary, speak to a DDoS prevention specialist.
• Whether you are at risk of a DDoS attack or not, you should have the hosting facilities in place to handle large, unexpected volumes of website hits.

The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) and Action Fraud have noticed a rise in the reporting of victims being recruited via Facebook to sell items for suspects on eBay – often stating that it is a quick way of making money.

The items are said to be bankrupt stock, purchased via auctions, and need to be sold on quickly. The majority of the items reported have been Apple Mac Book Pro/Electrical Items.

The victim places the items on eBay and once the items are sold, the victim will get paid and transfer the funds to the suspect/recruiter.

Once the suspect/recruiter gets the funds, the purchasers are claiming that they have received empty cereal boxes or often no goods at all, leaving the victim being reported as the actual suspect, and leaving them out of pocket as their account will be debited.

Protect yourself:

• Consider conducting research on other information provided by the seller, for example: a mobile phone number or email address could alert you to negative information associated with the number/email address online.
• Be very cautious of unsolicited emails or approaches over social media promising opportunities to make easy money.
• When accepting offers, verify the company/entity details provided to you and check whether they have been registered in the UK.
• If you think the deal or offer is too good to be true then it probably is!

If you, or anyone you know, have been affected by this fraud or any other scam, report it to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040 or visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk

Fraudsters are still conning elderly and vulnerable people over the phone in Dorset, which has cost local people nearly £1,100,000 since it started in 2014.

Dorset Police launched the awareness campaign Hang Up On Fraudsters in 2015 to make residents aware that criminals were claiming to be police officers or bank workers and telling people their account had been defrauded. They told victims they should call them back to clarify their identity – but in reality they kept the lines open and conned unsuspecting locals out of over a million pounds.

A similar warning about phone scams is now being issued by police. Fraudsters are currently pretending to be from a bank, stating that the account holder is due new credit or debit cards but they need the PIN for the current cards so that they can be cancelled.

The caller states the new cards will be with the customer the following day. If a victim queries the caller, the victim is told that the local branch manager will ring to confirm the authenticity. A subsequent call is made to the account holder and they confirm the previous caller’s details.

The victim then receives a further call from the offenders, asking if they have received their new cards. They obviously haven’t, so the offender states that they will send a courier to deliver the new cards and collect the old ones.

Later that day, a person will turn up at the address, stating they are a courier. They give the victim the ‘new’ cards and collect the old ones. Shortly after this transaction, fraudulent activity is recorded on the account both on-line and at local ATMs.

This year, Dorset Police has received 27 reports of phone fraud between 01 January to 25 April 2016, compared to 407 reports for the same period last year.

The victims, who are on average 79-years-old, have lost a combined total of £43,812 this year, compared to £420,500 for the same period last year: a reduction of over 90 per cent. Nine phone fraud victims have lost money to criminals, compared to 35 in 2015.

Police have received reports of this type of phone fraud from residents living in the following areas of Dorset during 2016: Poole, Bournemouth, Christchurch, Ferndown, Portland and Bridport.

Detective Sergeant Garry Knight, of Bournemouth Criminal Investigation Department (CID), said: “We are pleased that there are considerably fewer victims than last year, however; we want this crime to stop completely, so that unscrupulous fraudsters don’t get away with stealing money from elderly and vulnerable people.

“Telephone fraud has traditionally been a faceless crime, but criminals are now defrauding victims over the phone before collecting their cash cards in person. This poses all kinds of risks to the individual concerned, let alone the financial losses they will incur if they are conned.

“We want people to tell their friends, family members and neighbours that they should NEVER give out bank account details, including their Personal Identification Number (PIN), over the phone.

“Nobody, no matter which organisation they claim to be from, will ask you for bank details over the phone or on your doorstep. This includes the police, banks and retailers.

“If people start asking for personal details – make you hang up, dial 1471 and note the number, then call the police immediately on 101 to report it.”

More information about telephone fraud is available at http://www.dorset.police.uk/Default.aspx?page=8318. A recording of a real telephone fraud call is available on Dorset Police’s YouTube account: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lDvlZvwZj8

The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) has recently received an influx of reports that fraudsters are targeting the public, via social media, in relation to football tickets.

Fraudsters are posting pictures or statuses online telling members of the public to contact them via Direct Message for football tickets. This then leads to a mobile messaging conversation. During the conversation, bank details are provided by the suspect so that the tickets can be purchased.

After the victim has paid for the ticket the fraudster blocks them to stop further conversation, leaving victims without the tickets and out of pocket.

Protect yourself:

• Check the security of the website and validity of the post
• Avoid taking the conversation offline to private messages
• When purchasing any products over the internet always try to make the payment via PayPal or a credit card where you have some sort of payment cover

If you, or anyone you know, have been affected by this fraud or any other scam, report it to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040 or visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk.

Fraudsters are targeting members of the public who are expecting to make a payment for property repairs. The fraudsters, via email, will purport to be a tradesman who has recently completed work at the property and use a similar email address to that of the genuine tradesman. They will ask for funds to be transferred via bank transfer and once payment is made the victims of the fraud soon realise they have been deceived when the genuine tradesman requests payment for their services.

Protect Yourself:

• Always check the email address is exactly the same as previous correspondence with the genuine contact.
• For any request of payment via email verify the validity of the request with a phone call to the person who carried out the work.
• Check the email for spelling and grammar as these signs can indicate that the email is not genuine.
• Payments via bank transfer offer no financial protection; consider using alternative methods such as a credit card or PayPal which offer some protection and avenue for recompense.

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

Keep your vehicle safe.

In recent weeks the Blandford area has suffered several breaks to motor vehicle whilst parked unattended. Please make sure you do not leave any valuable in your vehicle or leave any items visible through the windows. Vehicle should be left secure and windows fully closed.

Further crime prevention advice can be found at  http://www.dorset.police.uk/default.aspx?page=6272

Blandford NPT

Please follow the link below to see the April 2016 edition of the Dorset Police Neighbourhood Policing Team Newsletter –

Neighbourhood Policing Team Newsletter April 2016

Burglaries in the Shroton area.

Between the evening of the 2nd April and the morning of the 3rd April, two Burglaries and an attempt break have occurred in the area of Shroton. A trailer, Quad Bike, power tools and jewellery were stolen. If you saw or heard anything suspicious, please contact Dorset Police. We are looking to trace the owner of a dark coloured 4×4 with a silver front and/or bull bars seen in the area at the time of the offences. Please contact Dorset Police on 101 or Crime stoppers on 0800 555 111 quoting Occurrence number 55160052882.

Thank You

Blandford Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT)

Officers from Dorset, Hampshire and Wiltshire Special Constabularies have joined forces to tackle crime in our rural communities.

Operation Seashell involved 20 Special officers who worked with Dorset Police colleagues to patrol parts of the Dorset countryside between 7pm on Saturday 02 April and 3am on Sunday 03 April 2016.

Over 50 vehicles were checked on the outskirts of Shaftesbury, Warminster, Salisbury, Blandford, Wimborne, Verwood, Ferndown, Fordingbridge and Ringwood.

Four Fixed Penalty Notices were issued for speeding and having no MOT.

Specials in Ferndown stopped a vehicle and located cannabis paraphernalia which was seized from the occupants.

Specials in the Sixpenny Handley area spotted a vehicle driving on private farm land acting suspiciously. Officers worked with other police units to gain access to the land and locate the vehicle.

Police checks confirmed the driver was a local gamekeeper and had the landowner’s permission to be there.

The most common rural crime offences reported to the police are poaching, theft from outbuildings and theft of agricultural machinery and tools.

North Dorset Special Inspector, Ben Muspratt, who led the operation said: “Operation Seashell is one of several operations Specials are involved with to tackle a wide range of issues affecting local people and businesses.

“We work 24/7 to support operations which run throughout the year at various times of the day or night.

“We hope we make a difference in deterring crimes from happening which often affect people’s livelihoods and have a big impact on close-knit communities.

“Being a Special Constable is a fantastic opportunity for members of the public to be ‘part of something more’ and give something back to their community, whether they’re in rural areas or in town centres.”

Inspector Mike Darby, Dorset’s Wildlife Crime lead, added: “We would like people to contact us if they see anything suspicious in the countryside or they are aware of stolen goods being handled or sold, so that we can identify and prosecute offenders whenever possible.

“Please call us on 101, speak to your local Neighbourhood Policing Team or call Crimestoppers for free and anonymously on 0800 555 111. Dial 999 if a crime is in progress.”

Your Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) can provide free crime prevention advice, demonstrate wildlife alarms and carry out surveys at your property.

To find out more information, please visit the www.dorset.police.uk website.

For more information about the Special Constabulary, please visit http://www.dorset.police.uk/Default.aspx?page=303.

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