A GOOD 48 HOURS - NO BURGLARIES TO REPORT ACROSS THE WHOLE OF RBWM !
FIRST: A new scam which is apparently now quite widespread across the Thames valley and there has been many cases. We have had a report from a resident that they have lost their dog and reported this fact on Facebook. They have now received a call from someone to say they have found the dog and for £1,000 they will return the dog, or something bad will happen to it.
If you get or have had one of these calls please let me know. If you have had one and paid the ransom and either did have your dog returned or not, we need to know, so email me at my police email below, so that we can establish exactly what is going on here.
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.uk8/4 – 13/4 Court Road. Lawn mower – a Hayter Harrier 561 – stolen from a log store behind a garage. Locked up with a bike lock. Ref. No: 43210155872
14/4 Wednesday 10.55 a.m. Howarth Road. Car left for repair had its catalytic converter stolen. Ref. No: 43210156523
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:
10/4 – 12/4 Church Road, Cookham Dean. Dumper truck stolen from site. Ref. No: 43210152949
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.
MEMBERS’ COMMENTS:
FIRST: A BT Scam from Alan:
Hi Jeff,
I had a phone call this morning from someone purporting to be from BT.
They wanted access to my router, to correct access from people outside of my household who had apparently been able to log onto it. My immediate reaction was that this was a scam.
What was EXTREMELY ALARMING about this call was that, when I tried to get verification that they actually were from BT, they were able to send me an authentic looking text message to my mobile (the call had come into the landline, so they had both numbers), and I also asked him to give me my BT account number which they were able to provide IN FULL, as well as the e-mail address that was connected with my BT account.
After they tried to get me to download a .exe file, I put a halt to proceedings and rang BT, who confirmed that the call had not been from them and was almost certainly a scam.
I suggest you make this widely known.
Alan
Many thanks Alan – always use your common sense when getting a call like this. Ask them for a call reference number and then put the phone down. Then from a number you find – not a number they give you – phone the supplier and check if it is a genuine call. Databases have obviously been hacked again !
NEXT: A Dyson scam from John:
Hello Jeff
Along with many others, I have been receiving, almost daily, Scam emails regarding a fake Dyson Prize Draw. This email is malicious in nature and will lead you to a website that will attempt to infect your computer with malware. It cleverly appears to be branded as if it were sent from Dyson themselves.
It is designed to encourage you to click through and enter your personal details, where the cyber attackers could install malware on your device designed to infect your computer.
Delete on sight please.
Cheers
John
Thanks John.
NEXT: A possible bank scam:
Hi Jeff,
I’ve received a couple of texts, which I believe it to be scams from HSBC – I don’t bank with them. It says it is an ‘HSBC Fraud Alert’ about a transaction just made for £240. If this wasn’t by me – I am to click on the Link !
However for anyone that does have an account, it looks pretty genuine, but I suspect clicking on the link could cause all sorts of problems.
Incidentally my husband has received a similar text message but from Lloyds Bank and again - he doesn’t bank with them. I thought it suspicious and deleted it.
Please can you make people aware of this. Many thanks for all you do.
Kind regards,
Jo
Thanks Jo – if you did bank with HSBC – it does look genuine.
NEXT: an email to me, in my police email.
It comes from a young woman with a foreign sounding name – addressed to me as ‘Dearest one’ ! She tells me her name and age and then adds – she has something confidential, she wishes to discuss with me – can I email her back please !
I deleted it !
NEXT: A delivery scam email:
Hi Jeff,
Another text scam attempt:
I received a text (although the number it showed as sent from, was obviously fake as it would not ring when I tried it) stating:
Hermes: sorry we missed you earlier. We have your parcel, to book a redelivery click on the link below.
Stupidly, I thought I might have been expecting a delivery, so opened the link - (doh!)
It asked for: name, address, phone number, Date of Birth, Postcode and then - credit card details so that they could “charge for re-delivery”.
I did realise at that point – before I entered any details - that anyone intending to deliver something, would of course have all that info - and…why ask for DoB?
I did not complete the form.
But thought you should add it to your list for warning others.
Thanks for all you do,
Jim
Thanks Jim – Just in time !!!! But it does show, just how easy it is to get carried away. When [police staff go on Comms training, the first thing they are taught is – just because someone asks a question, doesn’t; mean you have to answer it !!! We are all trained to be courteous and polite and if a form asks for details – we just fill them in ! If someone at the next table in a coffee shop, leaned over and asked for personal information – would you tell them
Of course not. Why would tell a complete stranger over the phone, that you cannot even see – or worse still, a computer generated email / Text – where there isn’t even a person involved, your personal details??
Next time, take a breath – pause – and think – wait a few minutes – and then ask yourself - why is this company asking for this information – don’t they already know who I am
NEXT: A N.I. scam
Dear Jeff
I just received a call on my mobile phone (from a mobile number not in my contact’s list) with a recorded message, to say that my National Insurance number has been compromised, and there had been some suspicious activity recorded, using my number at the northern border of Wales.
I then heard something about pressing 1 - as I hung up.
I’ve not heard of this scam before, so thought I’d mention it.
Thank you for all of the work you do sharing this type of information and keeping us all aware.
With thanks, Susan
Thanks Susan – she did exactly the right thing. As soon as your brain kicks in and you think scam ! End the call.
NEXT: The old – you have been on an inappropriate site scam email
Hi Jeff,
I received this today. Obviously, I have not responded.
Anne
Anne received an email, quoting an old password. It alleges she had been to an inappropriate website and they had produced a split screen video of her and the
Anne website she was watching. It goes on to say they will forward this to everyone in her personal address book – but they demanded $5.832 and added:
‘We are going to refer to it as a donation. in this situation, i most certainly will without delay remove your video’.
Needless to say, Anne knows it is a scam. BUT – what if you were a man with a family and this appeared on a computer used by everyone in the home ? Would a teenager or the husband, be believed
