FIRST:- I have received a correction form my last message from Melanie with regard to ‘The Water Board’ !
Hi Jeff,
Info on ‘water board’ is incorrect. It is Thames Water for sewerage and South East Water, for water supply.
Thanks Melanie - so if anyone comes saying they are from the Water Board to inspect your supply - send them away !!!!
NEXT - AN ENQUIRY ABOUT THE 0300 TRACK AND TRACE NUMBER:
Hi Jeff,
Please could you let me know if the official NHS track and trace telephone no 0300 0135000 can be used fraudulently?
We received a call at 7 am this morning which we didn’t answer . The message left stated the caller was ‘Beth’, from NHS track and trace and to look out for this number for future calls.
It sounded not quite right, as if it was urgent, why would they not leave a more informative message?
I just wondered if there was a scam known about involving this number, which when I googled it, states it was the genuine track and trace no ?
Anne
The official website says:
‘The alert will usually come by text, email or phone call. You should then log on to the Official NHS Covid website:
https://contact-tracing.phe.gov.uk/ which is normally the easiest way for you and the service to communicate with each other – but, if not, a trained call handler will talk you through what you must do. Under-18s will get a phone call and a parent or guardian will be asked to give permission for the call to continue. Text messages will come from 0300 0135000’
I presume ‘Beth’ was the ‘trained call handler’. There are Covid Track and Trace scams out there. Can anyone out there working with Track & Trace, with expertise in this field, let me know what everyone should do if they gate a call like this, to verify if it is genuine, so that I can publicise it please ? Many thanks.
NEXT A MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR OF RBWM CLLR SAYONARA LUXTON:
THE MAYOR’S CHARITY AUCTION:
The Mayor of RBWM, Cllr Sayonara Luxton invites you to take part in a special charity auction in aid of her chosen charity:
THAMES HOSPICE
The auction will be run on-line by ‘Superstars’ from 9 a.m. on Saturday 28th November - to 9 p.m. on Saturday 5th December .
A link to the auction will be advertised just prior to 28th November.
Thank You
For more information email:
mayors.parlour@rbwm.gov.uk or telephone 01628 796223
A Flyer is attached to this message
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.org MAIDENHEAD CENTRAL:
maidenheadcentralgeographical@thamesvalley.pnn.police.ukSR.windsor&
maidenhead@thamesvalley.pnn.police.ukNO CRIME TO REPORT
RIVERSIDE & BELMONT:
NO CRIME TO REPORT
MAIDENHEAD WEST
maidenheadwestgeographical@thamesvalley.pnn.police.ukSR.windsor&
maidenhead@thamesvalley.pnn.police.ukBISHAM, COOKHAM, HURLEY, THE WALTHAMS, LITTLEWICK GREEN & KNOWL HILL:
NO CRIME TO REPORT
PINKNEYS GREEN & FURZE PLATT:
11/11 - 12/11 Wednesday 7.30 p.m. / Thursday 4 a.m. Lincoln Road, Lancaster Road, Blenheim Road & Halifax Road - cars broken into and minor items stolen. Ref. No: 43200373146
MAIDENHEAD SOUTH
maidenheadsouthgeographical@thamesvalley.pnn.police.ukSR.windsor&
maidenhead@thamesvalley.pnn.police.ukBOYN HILL, COX GREEN & WOODLANDS PARK:
12/11 Thursday 5.20 p.m. Westborough Court. Burglary. The homeowners had gone out leaving the front door unlocked. A member of the household was home and heard a noise and went to investigate. They found a man searching the master bedroom. As here was disturbed he immediately made off, running down the stairs and put of the front door. He is described as black, tall, slim, wearing a beige / orange fur trimmed coat. Once outside, he climbed into a waiting white van and drove away. Not yet known if anything stolen. Ref. No: 43200373396
1/11 - 11/11 Cleveland Close. The owner has checked their video doorbell footage, which shows a man walking onto their drive and shining a torch into their car. No entry gained and nothing stolen as the car was locked. Ref. No: 43200371617
OLDFIELD, BRAY & HOLYPORT:
NO CRIME TO REPORT.
MEMBERS’ COMMENTS
FIRST:- A THANK YOU FROM GUSTAV:
Hi Jeff,
Something we wanted to share.
We were victims of a burglary, on Wednesday 28 October. We heard banging noises at about 5:30 p.m.. At this time of the year, at that time, it is quite dark. A neighbour was moving out of one of the apartments that week, so we did not think much of the noises. We just thought it was her moving furniture out.
I went out about an hour later, to put our rubbish in the outdoor bins and on the way back into the apartment block, I noticed that one of the ground floor apartment doors was open. The apartment was at that time, unoccupied, as the residents were away. I entered the apartment to see what was going on and noticed that someone had been through their personal belongings (open wardrobes and shoes on the bed).
I immediately called the police to raise the alarm. We got a visit from two officers at 11:30 p.m. the same evening. I was half-way through giving my statement, when one officer went down to see what more he could see.
It was then that he discovered that the window of the other ground floor apartment was broken and that it had also been burgled. The burglars must have watched the apartments for quite some time. They were quite brazen to break in at such an hour. Saying that, I understand that "day-time" hour burglaries are actually more common than night-time ones.
I have to say that I was quite impressed with the service that we received from the police. Andy McDonald who I understand is a scene investigator, based at Maidenhead Police station, called me and kept us fully up to date with their investigations and phoned me multiple times that evening and the next day.
The two officers who attended that evening, treated us with dignity and were very thorough with their investigation. We also received a visit from CSI the next day and a follow-up investigation, by another officer. They didn't find anything of use forensically in the one apartment, but did find some DNA of one of the burglars, in the other one. The burglars did not take any electronic devices (no phones, tablets, etc.), because I suppose, these can be tracked. They were only after jewellery.
I just wanted to pass on our excellent experience and hope everyone is doing well in Lockdown.
Best wishes
Gustav
Thank you Gustav, not everyone takes the time to sit down and say thank you.
NEXT: from Brian, who has received a failed delivery email regarding an HMRC parcel from the Royal Mail.
The email states that they tried to deliver a parcel from HMRC, but no-one was home, could he please CLICK ON THE LINK, to reschedule delivery.
When you hover your curser over the LINK, the true destination appears. It is neither HMRC, or Royal Mail - so immediately you know it is a scam.
What could it be about ? It could insert a Trojan or a virus onto the computer if you click on the Link. Or when you do, they will ask you some security questions to determine that you are - you ! Or, it may just be a way of finding out if the email address is live.
In any event - how did the Royal Mail, get Brian’s email address, just from a parcel delivery
??
In any event:
BIN IT - DON’T DO IT - DON’T LET IT BE YOU
NEXT: A virgin Media scam:
Hi Jeff
I received a text allegedly from Virgin Media
VIRGIN: Services registered to this number will stop at MIDNIGHT as your account was marked inactive. Restore your account here:
https://virgin-mediauk.com/ As I have never been with Virgin, I know it is a scam and it follows the four points from your alert:
Unaddressed
An inducement
Urgency
Threat
Keep up the good work.
John
Thanks John - you’ve got it !
