FIRST: RESIDENTS IN HORTON RECEIVED SCAM EMAILS SUPPOSEDLY FROM THEIR LOCAL VICAR !! THIS CAN HAPPEN ANYWHERE !
Some people have received a message like this, from "Rev Colin Gibson".
"Rev Colin Gibson ‘Have a great day ahead’. I need a favour from you, Are you available here on email ?"
This is not from Vicar Colin's email address and is not from Vicar Colin!!!
If you respond – the supposed "Rev Colin Gibson" will ask you for money !
I have emailed everyone that is a member of the church, put a warning message on our local Facebook pages and the churches' FB pages, but could you please also mention it, in your next Thames Valley Alert message .
It may well be that scammers have realised that there is often a high level of trust in church congregations and we are being picked out, as ripe for exploitation
Please do not reply to the message - just delete it.
Benta Hickley
The Reverend Colin Gibson's Admin Assistant and PA
These emails are particularly disturbing, as they come from a vicar to everyone in his personal address book – mostly members of his flock – so the email appears to come from someone who they trust and therefore, unlikely to be a scam.
I put out a message a few days ago, from one member of his flock who had received this email and emailed back. They were then asked to purchase £200 worth of I-Tunes vouchers, for his niece. Once these had been purchased and sent, they received a second email asking for another £300 worth – that’s when the resident became suspicious and binned the email – but, they had already spent £200 !
This happened in Horton, but it can happen to anyone, anywhere – often in situations of a shared computer, accessed by several people, who open attachments, believing someone else has asked for the information and it is therefore safe, to click on and open an attachment / update.
Generally this situation is not caused by a virus, but the computer has been infected by a ‘Trojan’. Which would not be caught by their virus software. Trojans are hidden in attachments and slip though ! SO – NEVER OPEN ATTACHMENTS IN EMAILS, UNLESS YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHO THEY ARE FROM AND YOU TRUST THEM !
NEXT: Chris would like me to clarify something:
Hi Jeff
Thanks for the good work.
I think many people are unaware that many scams are now mobile phone text based.
You mentioned the Hermes one (which I have had), but should perhaps make a specific point about texts. I have also had DPD missed delivery, Royal Mail shipping fee, as well as automated calls (press 1 etc).
I think many people assume text, is more likely to be legitimate and/or unaware that scams target phones as well as people using a PC or laptop
Best wishes
Regards,
Chris
Thanks Chris – yes as many scams and frauds come via Text / phone calls as via email. Many thanks for pointing this out.
NEXT: THIS HAPPENED IN WINDSOR – BUT IS RELEVANT FOR EVERYONE:
28/5 Friday 3.40 a.m. Dedworth. Car stolen from outside a house. Aggrieved says they have video footage showing one man came to the car and tried to open doors. As it was locked this was not possible. He has then called another man over, who arrived with a long cable. He walked around the drive and up to front door, obviously looking to intercept a signal. The car doors then opened and they drove it away. A dark blue Mercedes GLC index NL ** LVE Ref. No: 43210231016 This car obviously has keyless entry. The wire was used to copy the signal given out by the fob and obviously the fob was not protected in a metal case, but must have been left near the front door. The device with the aerial wire was obviously able to locate the signal from the fob and copy it, enabling the car to be entered and driven away. If you have a keyless car – the fob must never be left anywhere near the front door and kept at least 30 feet from the pavement, unless it is in a signal dampening metal container.
CRIME
I have attached reference numbers to each crime report. If you live in the vicinity of any of the crimes mentioned and have CCTV or a video doorbell, can you please check the footage. If you have any that might be of interest to the police, can you please make contact with us, quoting reference number given.
I have added a new email address below. The first email address is directly to your local Neighbourhood Team. The second is to our investigation team. Please use it to send any intelligence / video doorbell / CCTV footage you may have, which is relevant to any of the crimes lists below - quoting the reference number.
Alternatively you can call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or email -
www.crimestoppers-uk.orgMAIDENHEAD CENTRAL:
maidenheadcentralgeographical@thamesvalley.pnn.police.ukSR.windsor&
maidenhead@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk.
26/5 Wednesday midnight / 5 a.m. Princess Street. Van passenger window smashed. Vandalism. Ref. No: 43210227928
27/5 Thursday 12/20 a.m. College Avenue. The owners had video doorbell footage of a man opening the garden gate at the side of the property and walking into the garden. They then sat down in the garden furniture and after a while left leaving behind a pair of blue trainers ! Ref. No: 43210229515
27/5 Thursday midnight / 8 a.m. Prince Andrew Road. X 2. 1. Car passenger window smashed – loose change stolen from the centre console. A neighbour has video doorbell footage of 2 men looking into cars and trying car door handles. Ref. No: 43210230248 2. Two cars examined and door handles tried. The offenders used a torch to look into the car – nothing taken. They have doorbell video footage: 1 man stayed on the road, the other then goes to each car and tries the door handles. He then takes out a torch and has a look around both of the vehicles. They both then leave. They then go to the neighbours and that vehicle had its window smashed: Described as 1 white, 5'9 height, slim build, mid 20s. Wearing bomber coat, jumper underneath with hood up, baseball cap, light grey jogging bottoms, dark trainers. Had a rucksack - florescent lines, each corner with a fastener on, large square pocket. 2 person that stood watch: white, shorter than first, slim build, similar age. Wearing dark jacket, hood up, jogging bottoms with 1 fluorescent line down the side, trainers. No bags. Both males on foot. Ref. No: 43210230593
26/5 – 27/5 Wednesday 6 p.m. / Thursday 8.30 a.m. Gables Close. CAR ENTERED BY UNKNOWN MEANS – the owner was sure it was locked – the pockets of a coat left in the car had been turned out and the glove box searched. Mobile phone stolen from the centre console. Ref. No; 43210231373
27/4 – 26/5 Thursday 11 p.m. Bridge Avenue. Locked up bike stolen from a bike shed. A black, B’Twin Mach 720 AW, road bike. Ref. No: 43210228345
RIVERSIDE & BELMONT:
27/5 Thursday 9.30 a.m. Ray lea Close X 2 1. No details. 2 CAR ENTERED BY UNKNOWN MEANS – purse stolen. Ref. No: 43210229212
MAIDENHEAD WEST
maidenheadwestgeographical@thamesvalley.pnn.police.ukSR.windsor&
maidenhead@thamesvalley.pnn.police.ukBISHAM, COOKHAM, HURLEY, THE WALTHAMS, LITTLEWICK GREEN & KNOWL HILL:
27/5 Thursday 9.10 p.m. Waltham Road, White Waltham. Car tyre slashed. Ref. No; 43210230597
27/5 Thursday 11.40 a.m. Henley Road, Hurley. Avant 635 stolen from outside a house. Ref. No: 43210229470
PINKNEYS GREEN & FURZE PLATT:
NO CRIME TO REPORT.
MAIDENHEAD SOUTH
maidenheadsouthgeographical@thamesvalley.pnn.police.ukSR.windsor&
maidenhead@thamesvalley.pnn.police.ukBOYN HILL, COX GREEN & WOODLANDS PARK
NO CRIME TO REPORT.
OLDFIELD, BRAY & HOLYPORT:
NO CRIME TO REPORT.
