Code danger for young Facebook users

We’ve just received this advice from Eliza Channin at Leicestershire Police:

Below you will see the content of an email which has been brought to the attention of our Child Protection Units. It details a method that young people are using to try and prevent their parents or guardians from knowing what they are talking about online. We believe the original email was not written by children.

The main concern for the Police is that some parents may be unaware of this method. And as such, they may miss a dangerous situation developing and be unable to take preventative action to protect their child online.

Please pass this message onto as many parents as possible and look out for the ‘code 9′ system appearing in emails. Another code in use is POS (parent over shoulder).
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General advice |

Beware giving personal information

We’ve had reports that someone has been posting cards in Waltham offering a chance to win a car in return for providing personal information. Some residents have investigated the company and found that it seems highly dubious.

We understand that quite a few people have given their personal details to the company. The police have been informed and are advising residents not to take part in the promotion. Please pass on this advice to others.

Click here to read a report about a similar campaign in Wigan. In this case the local Trading Standards and Consumer Protection department said: “Our advice is always not to give out details on the door step if you are in any way uncomfortable with the request.”

General advice, General warnings, Waltham on the Wolds |

Bogus callers: a national campaign

Burglars who trick their way into houses and target the elderly and vulnerable are the targets of a new national police campaign.

‘Not Sure? Don’t Open The Door’ is the message at the heart of Operation Liberal’s public awareness campaign against distraction burglars. The campaign, sponsored by the Energy Retail Association (ERA), aims to make people aware of the tactics used by distraction burglars, and how they can prevent themselves from becoming potential victims.

A distraction burglary is defined as where one or more offenders trick or distract an occupant in order to gain entry to the premises before committing burglary. Deputy Chief Constable Peter Goodman, who is the DCC for collaboration in the East Midlands and the Association of Chief Police Officer’s Lead for Operation Liberal says:

“This type of crime is despicable; victims of distraction burglary can suffer terribly both emotionally and physically. When you consider the average age of a victim is 81, you can understand why many suffer a decline in health afterwards, and why it can seriously affect their trust and faith in people afterwards.

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General advice, General warnings |

General warning to Facebook users

A number of people have warned us about a new scam aimed at anyone with a Facebook account. The account-holder is sent an email which appears to come from Facebook, saying that someone has applied to be their friend. The email looks exactly the same as any Facebook email, and includes a link to what appears to be the Facebook login screen.

It is in fact a spoof website designed to capture personal information, and is known as ‘phishing’. The scam is typically used to capture bank account login information – by presenting a login screen that is an exact copy of an internet banking log-in screen.

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General advice, General warnings |

Distraction burglary

On 3 March two white males visited an elderly female resident at her home in Orston stating words to the effect; “You need to get out of the house, there’s going to be an explosion.”

They then entered the premises turned on all the downstairs taps, searched cupboards and took a metal box that contained money. They then left.

The victim – who is 90 years of age and deaf – was very upset by their actions and unfortunately unable to give any description of the offenders. A neighbour realised something was amiss reported the matter to the police.

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General advice, General warnings |

Police issue warning to all motorists

A man claiming to be a police officer stopped a woman motorist near Orston after flashing his lights at her to pull over. Now police are warning motorists not to stop if other cars flash their lights at them after the incident, which happened in Bottesford Lane, Orston, at around 6.50pm last Thursday (21 January).

The woman, who was driving from Scarrington to Bottesford, pulled over and the man got out of his car and walked up to her vehicle. He claimed he was a police officer but could not produce any identification, so the woman drove off.

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General advice, General warnings |

Policing blog: Distraction burglaries

From Neighbourhood Beat Manager for Melton Rural North, Pc Darryl Cunnington.

Over the past month we have seen a worrying increase in what the police call “distraction burglaries”. In these offences the elderly and vulnerable are targeted and a story is told in order to gain entry to the house.

The offender can work alone, or more commonly with an accomplice. The occupant will be distracted whilst rooms are searched and property stolen. Often the victim is not aware that anything has been taken until some time later.

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Beat blogs, General advice |

Halloween & bonfire night: avoiding anti-social behaviour

A campaign to reduce incidents of anti-social behaviour over the Halloween and Bonfire Night period is being launched by Leicestershire Constabulary in conjunction with Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service and Melton Mowbray Crime and Disorder Partnership.

Halloween celebrations often involve young people taking part in ‘Trick or Treat’ activities. Unfortunately, in previous years this has involved a minority of youngsters throwing eggs and flour at people and houses after the occupants decline to give them a treat.
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General advice, General information |

Melton Mowbray: suspicious incidents involving children

The following information has just been received from Leicester Constabulary: Police are asking parents and children to stay alert after three suspicious incidents in Melton Mowbray.

The first incident happened at around 8.30am on Wednesday September 16, on Staveley Road. The victim, an 11-year-old boy, was stopped by a man in a dark coloured people carrier who asked him if he wanted a lift into town. The victim refused and ran away.
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General advice, General warnings, Melton Mowbray |

General advice: dealing with unwanted phone calls

This advice comes from Bottesford Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator, Brian Kelk.

Over the last few years I have had many calls from NHW members about the problems of uninvited and unwelcome telephone calls. My usual answer has been to advise them to register with the (free) Telephone Preference Service (TPS).

However, another member has provided the following information of an alternative solution which recipients may find useful. By the way, members who are registered with the TPS may wish to heed the advice of Leicestershire Trading Standards which is to re-register every few years.
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Bottesford, General advice |

General warning: yet another phone scam

There seems to be a spate of email and phone scams at the moment. Here’s another warning we’ve just received from Lincolnshire Police:

There have been incidents over the past two weeks where the elderly have been receiving cold caller telephone calls from people claiming to be representatives of their banks. Some have claimed there is too much money in the bank and they are offering to manage their accounts for them. Others have asked for the elderly to confirm their bank account details for security reasons.
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General advice, General warnings |

General warning: phone call scam

We have just received this advice from Colsterworth Police:

A lady in Colsterworth received a call from a male who asked if she banked with TSB, which she did. He then went on to tell her that he could help her to claim back bank charges. He said she would receive a pack in the post, but asked her to give him the expiry date of her card. She refused to do so and asked for more information, telling him she would make some enquiries herself and he could call her back later.

It would appear that this may be a scam. However, even if it is genuine, please DO NOT give out any bank details or expiry dates, etc., over the phone in order to prevent crime. Thank you.

General advice, General warnings |

Beware Tax Office ‘phishing’ scam

Please be aware that increasing numbers of people are being caught out by an email scam known as ‘phishing’. Many of us have received emails from sites looking like online banks or eBay which ask for passwords and account details. But the most recent one appears to come from the UK Tax Office.

The email contains a link forwarding people to a site which is an exact copy of the UK Tax Office. It works by offering tax rebates and encouraging people to provide important personal financial information and passwords.

The Tax Office is aware of the scam and offer advice on its own website. Click here to read it.

General advice |

Waltham on the Wolds: travellers’ encampment

We have received an email from a CrimeAlerts subscriber about the travellers who have reappeared on Goadby Road, beside the Severn Trent waterworks, asking why they haven’t been moved on.

As ever, the issues aren’t simple, as Neighbourhood Beat Officer Pc Mark Longden explains in his blog (click here to read in full) .

As long as no criminal offence has taken place, it’s a civil – rather than a police – matter. The responsibility lies with the land owner to take out a civil case through the County Court.
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General advice, Goadby Marwood, Waltham on the Wolds |

Harston: another cold-caller warning

Yesterday afternoon, a ‘bagman’ called at a house in Harston which is up a long drive and not visible from the road. He drove up to the house in a dark peacock blue, Ford Escort LX, reg no. similar to L390 HON.

He was described as ‘well built, medium height, black short curly hair and of African look’. He had a black holdall and an orange piece of paper which he said was a pedlers’ license (from Nottingham).
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General advice, General warnings, Harston |