Fake Letter Boxes

This is a message sent via Thames Valley Alert and has been sent on behalf of Action Fraud (National Fraud Intelligence Bureau)

The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) has noticed an increase in reports of fraudsters placing fake letter boxes on residential properties in an attempt to harvest the mail. Residents are sometimes unaware of the fake letterbox as the fraudsters will periodically remove the item, which may leave notable markings. The mail is then used to open various lines of credit with financial providers in the name of the innocent resident.

Protect Yourself

• Be vigilant and check for any suspicious activity, tampering of your post/letterbox or for suspicious glue markings on the wall.
• Check all post received from financial institutions, even if it appears unsolicited.
• Consider reporting theft of mail to your local police force and any cases of identity fraud to Action Fraud.
• If you have been a victim of identity fraud consider Cifas Protection Registration (https://www.cifas.org.uk/protective_registration_form)
• If you, or anyone you know, has 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.

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Phishing Campaign Targeting University Students

This is a message sent via Thames Valley Alert and has been sent on behalf of Action Fraud (National Fraud Intelligence Bureau)

A new phishing campaign which has hit students of UK universities claims that the student has been awarded an educational grant by the Department for Education. The email purports to have come from the finance department of the student’s university and tricks the recipient into clicking on a link contained in the message to provide personal and banking details.

One victim reported that after submitting their sensitive information (including name, address, date of birth, contact details, telephone provider, bank account details, student ID, National Insurance Number, driving licence number and mother’s maiden name), they were taken to a spoofed website which appeared like a genuine website of their bank, where they were asked to type in their online banking login credentials.

Protect Yourself:

• Do not click on any links or open attachments contained within unsolicited emails.
• Do not reply to scam emails or contact the senders in any way.
• If an email appears to have come from a person or organisation you know of but the message is unexpected or unusual, contact them directly via another method to confirm that they sent you the email.
• If you receive an email which asks you to login to an online account via a link provided in the email, instead of clicking on the link, open your browser and go directly to the company’s website yourself.
• If you have clicked on a link in the email, do not supply any information on the website that may open.

If you think you may have compromised the safety of your bank details and/or have lost money due to fraudulent misuse of your cards, you should immediately contact your bank, and report it to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040, or visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk.

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Neighbourhood Police Newsletter

The Neighbourhood Police Update for this month is now available here.

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Euro 2016 Ticketing Fraud

This is a message sent via Thames Valley Alert. This information has been sent on behalf of Action Fraud (National Fraud Intelligence Bureau)

The 2016 European Football Championships will begin shortly and those wanting to purchase last minute tickets are likely to be targeted by fraudsters posing as official sellers.  Purchasing from an unauthorised seller or a ticket tout could leave you out of pocket; not only are the tickets advertised at inflated prices, there is a risk that the tickets purchased are counterfeit or do not exist. Any individual with a counterfeit ticket will be refused entry.

Resale Platform
Consumers wanting to sell their tickets can do so through the resale platform, where tickets will be resold at face value. For further information please visit UEFA’s website. Those seeking to purchase tickets are advised to check the site regularly as tickets will be sold on a first come first serve basis and are likely to change regularly as different tickets become available to purchase.

• Only purchase tickets from an authorised seller by using the exchange portal.
• When using the portal do not be encouraged to contact the seller privately and complete the transaction outside of the portal.
• Be wary of purchasing tickets from a social media account. There is a risk that the ticket does not exist or is counterfeit. Consider conducting research on the 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 to them online.
• Avoid making payments through bank transfer or money transfer services, as the payment may not be recoverable.

 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

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Neighbourhood Police Newsletter

The Neighbourhood Police Update for May is now available here.

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Tackling Child Abuse

One of the biggest barriers to reporting child abuse is people's fear of the consequences of being wrong - and potentially breaking up a family.

The County Council is supporting a national campaign launched on 3 March by the Department for Education to encourage members of the public to report child abuse.

The campaign’s main message is that if you’re worried about a child or think their safety might be at risk, then it is important to tell someone. You don’t have to be absolutely certain about whether a child is being abused; if you have a feeling that something is not right, talk to your local children’s social care team who can look into it.

Everyone has a role to play in helping to protect children. All children have a right to be safe and should be protected from all forms of abuse and neglect.
It is not just up to social services, doctors and the police to spot the signs of abuse and neglect. It is important that we all look out for children and young people within our community who may be experiencing abuse or neglect. Members of the public, and particularly other parents, are in a unique position to spot concerns among children with whom they have contact - which may not be apparent to professionals.

Some of the signs of abuse or neglect include changes in:

• Appearance – such as frequent unexplained injuries, consistently poor hygiene, matted hair, unexplained gifts, or a parent regularly collecting children from school when drunk
• Behaviour - such as demanding or aggressive behavior, frequent lateness or absence from school, avoiding their own family, misusing drugs or alcohol, or being constantly tired
• Communication – such as sexual or aggressive language, self-harming, becoming secretive and reluctant to share information or being overly obedient

A third of people who suspect child abuse, do nothing. Some people don’t act on their suspicions because they’re worried about being wrong. It is better to help children as early as possible so that action can be taken to help the child and support the family concerned.

In 2014/15 more than 400,000 children in England were supported because someone noticed they needed help.

If you suspect child abuse or neglect, visit www.gov.uk/reportchildabuse to get the number for your local authority. For Buckinghamshire, call the First Response Team on 0845 460 0001 or email: secure-cypfirstresponse@buckscc.gcsx.gov.uk

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Neighbourhood Police Newsletter

The Neighbourhood Police Update for this month is now available here.

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