ALMOST NO CRIME TO REPORT IN THE LAST 48 HOURS, BUT LOADS OF SCAMS AND FRAUDS:
1. The aggrieved in Cookham was called by someone who said they were the HMRC - Inland Revenue - Their name had come up in a tax fraud case, could they please PRESS 1 - to obtain more details. The aggrieved simply did the right thing - AND PUT THE PHONE DOWN. The scammer called again the very next day - and had the phone put down on them again.
2. The aggrieved received a call supposedly from a ‘police Officer’ based at Heston Police Station, who said he was part of their fraud team. He said there had been a suspicious payment to a cruise company, of £700 taken out of her account - did she make the payment ? Again - this aggrieved was switched on and was suspicious. She said, she would look into it and phone them back. She phoned her bank on another line, who confirmed that no payment of £700 had been made - it was a scam.
3. The friend of an aggrieved, visited them. The aggrieved said, she had been on the phone to Microsoft or BT, in India. Apparently her computer was running slowly and there was possibly, pornographic images on it. They had been on the phone for an hour and they were helping her, to clear it all out. They had asked her to type in some coding letters and to press enter. She had done this and they then directed her around the computer. She was then told, to leave the computer on all that night, so that various cleaning and diagnostic programmes could run. They said they would ring back at 9 a.m. on Saturday 18th January - the day the visitor arrived. The visitor immediately explained that it was a scam. They closed down and unplugged the computer. They checked with BT, who said it was a scam, to remove the battery from the laptop, change all the passwords and cancel all cards with the bank.
The scammers did in fact call back the next day. They called back several times and each time, she put the phone down. On one of the calls, they said they were Microsoft and the call was genuine. The aggrieved has since been plagued with calls from them. The aggrieved said she no longer had a computer and the scammer, called her a liar ! The friend reports that it was very difficult to persuade the aggrieved that it was a scam, and it was only when the scammer called her a liar, that she began to believe it ! They said it was a really difficult message to get through.
I had a meeting today with Honor Ryan from the RBWM Trading Standards Scambuster Group. She asked me to put this message out !
Hi
I will be on BBC Radio Berkshire at 8.20 a.m. tomorrow morning !
It is in relation to a telecommunications business, we have been investigating for a while now – they had been taking direct debits from bank accounts, of elderly victims (they all tended to be over the age of 65 yrs) - for non-existent call blocking services.
The amount was £21.99 pcm and some people, had been paying this for 24 months.
On advice from us, hundreds of residents, obtained refunds.
The company, also engaged in ‘slamming’ telephone lines - i.e. taking the line over from the current service provider, saying it will be a lot cheaper, but the costs were always significantly higher, with lots of unnecessary extra’s added.
They would then make it extremely difficult, for the person to get their line released back to the original provider, without them paying in excess of a £300 termination fee ! In some cases, they cut of the telephone line completely.
None of the contracts had been set up correctly in the first place, as no cancellation rights had been given, therefore the contracts were not enforceable.
Over 13,000 people across the UK were scammed in this way, with 40 being in the Royal Borough.
Our Advice –
When a contract is made ‘at a distance’ i.e. over the phone or online, there is a cooling off period of 14 days, where it can be cancelled.
Make sure, you receive all of the information in writing.
Monitor your bank statements and query any unusual direct debits / payments with your bank.
If you have any concerns about a business or a telephone call, please contact Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 03454 04 05 06, where advice can be given and all notifications, are sent through to your local trading standards service.
Please look out for your elderly relatives and neighbours.
Honor Ryan
FOR THOSE OF YOU NOT SIGNED UP TO RECEIVE RBWMs MONTHLY ONLINE NEWSLETTER:
RBWM wants to hear your views on their plans, to transform ‘early help services’ into integrated, ‘one-stop family hubs’.
The proposals could see local resources refocussed, to support our most vulnerable children, young people and families, helping to reduce the need for statutory intervention.
If approved, the plans will see services being run by ‘children's centres’, ‘youth centres’, ‘parenting service’, ‘health visitors’, ‘school nurses’ and the ’family resilience service’ bought together, into one stop "family hubs" so that residents accessing this support, can get all the help they need in one place.
The hubs will provide services to children aged between 0-19 and up to 25 years, for young people with a learning difficulty, or disability.
The proposed model focusses on using high footfall centres more intensively and responsive outreach work to replace the reliance on a static and inflexible timetable led programme, allowing our resources to keep pace with the needs of our most vulnerable residents.
The consultation is available:
https://surveys.achievingforchildren.org.uk/s/AOO32/ or you can attend a variety of consultation sessions in Children Centres
https://www3.rbwm.gov.uk/news/article/387/your_views_to_be_gathered_on_future_of_children_s_and_youth_centres for more information.
NEXT: I RECEIVED THIS FROM Roger:
Hi
Nottingham Knockers are operating in the area again. One young man visited Tollgate last night. Not apparently, carrying any products for sale.
Best wishes,
Roger
Many thanks Roger. These young lads - and now girls - selling household products, have a new scam. The young sales-people, don’t want cash any more, they have a card machine. They ask you to put in your card and PIN number, then wave the device about – ‘to get a signal’. They are in fact changing the amount charged, which in some cases it was up to £500 !!!
BE ON YOUR GUARD - REMEMBER THE NHW MOTTO:
I DO NOT BUY GOODS AND SERVICES AT THE DOOR !
DON’T DO IT - DON’T LET IT BE YOU !
CRIME
MAIDENHEAD CENTRAL:
maidenheadcentralnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk27/1 - 28/1 Monday 11 p.m. / Tuesday 8.15 a.m. Norfolk Park Cottages. Headlight stolen from a new style VW Beetle.
27/1 Monday 4.30 p.m. Nicholson Centre. The owner of a bike locked it to another bike. When they returned, both bikes had been stolen. One was an orange, Vodoo Cycles, mountain bike. The other bike has not yet been reported stolen.
RIVERSIDE & BELMONT:
NO CRIME TO REPORT.
MAIDENHEAD WEST
maidenheadwestnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.ukBISHAM, COOKHAM, HURLEY, THE WALTHAMS, LITTLEWICK GREEN & KNOWL HILL:
NO CRIME TO REPORT.
PINKNEYS GREEN & FURZE PLATT:
NO CRIME TO REPORT.
MAIDENHEAD SOUTH
maidenheadsouthnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.ukBOYN HILL, COX GREEN & WOODLANDS PARK:
NO CRIME TO REPORT.
OLDFIELD, BRAY & HOLYPORT:
NO CRIME TO REPORT.
COMMENTS:
FIRST - from Bob:
Hi
Many thanks for your invaluable Thames Valley Alerts, the advice is so-useful.
Firstly, I always lock my car on exit, even when paying for petrol, then try the door handles.
I used to get up to 7 scam calls a day, but since fitting a BT Call Guardian, I have not got a single one.
I had a Home Security Assessment, carried out by a PCSO, on my home some time ago and I have followed the recommendations. Motion activated security lights front and back, spiky strips on top of 6ft fences by the road and at the back, accessible windows, kept locked etc.
I am about to buy a video door bell !
I keep nothing of value in my shed. All my tools etc. are in locked in my garage.
I never talk to unexpected trades people at door.
I go on the principle that if I can make things as difficult as possible for the ill-intentioned, then it may be easier for them to try elsewhere.
Cheers,
Bob
Excellent advice Bob !
NEXT: In from James:
Hi,
I received a phone call from an Asian sounding voice recently.
He said he was from ‘Sky’. He then told me my Sky box needed updating, they would do it for nothing and also, they would drop £30 from my monthly payment.
He said for security reasons, he needed to know my date of birth, I thought it was a scam from the start, so I gave him a fictitious birth date, which he ‘verified ‘confirming that the date was correct. He then asked which bank I used, for my direct debit. Again, I gave him a different bank from my own. He then asked for my bank sort code - at which point - I told him where to go.....
I think some elderly or vulnerable people might fall for this scam, so I’m informing you, so you can hopefully warn others of this scam.
Kind Regards, James
Many thanks James
I have received an email into my Police email box from the Warren Buffett Foundation. I have been chosen to receive a donation of $1,500,000. To find out how to get this money - please reply to the email !!!
DON’T DO IT - DON’T LET IT BE YOU !
