West Mercia Fraud Bulletin.
Please see attached report.
MEET YOUR SAFER NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICE TEAM.
View attached Poster.
ACTION FRAUD.
| Did you know?
Fraud accounts for almost 40% of all crime. In just one year, 1 in 17 adults in England and Wales were victims of fraud. That’s nearly 3 million of us. 1 in 5 businesses were also a victim of fraud over a 3 year period. In other words, fraud is rife and it can happen to anyone. Think you’re immune from fraud? Fraudsters can use highly manipulative methods to get us when our defences are down. Nobody is immune from fraud. We can all be more alert to the risks, and we can all do more to protect ourselves. 4 ways to frustrate a fraudster
Q1. Do you stop to check who’s really contacting you? Fraudsters often call or message people, pretending to be from their bank, other well-known and trusted companies, or even someone they know. They can be very convincing, particularly if they’ve already managed to get hold of some personal information, for example by looking on social media. Having earned their victim’s trust, they often ask them to hand over confidential information, make a payment or give them access to their phone or computer.
How to reduce your risk Never take calls or messages like this at face value – always take time to stop, think and check if the caller or sender is who they say they are. If you’ve received a suspicious call or message:
Q2. Do you automatically trust offers and click on links? “Half-price tickets to a sold-out gig!” “Incredible savings on a last-minute holiday – hurry!” Fraudsters know most people love a bargain, so they use discounts, time pressure and FOMO (fear of missing out) to pressure them into paying out for non-existent deals. Or they urge people to click on links in phishing messages that can take them to a fake website, where the fraudster can steal cash and personal details, or infect the victim’s device.
How to reduce your risk If you see a tempting offer:
Q3. Do you use the same password for different accounts? Lots of people use the same password for multiple accounts, such as email, bank account and social media accounts. Less to remember, right? But imagine if a fraudster gets hold of that password. Now they can access all of their victim’s online accounts. How to reduce your risk Choose a different password for each account. Too difficult to remember them all? You can keep track of passwords using a password manager, or by using three random words to make them more memorable. You should:
Q4. Do you use 2-step verification? Even if someone has chosen strong and unique passwords for their email and bank accounts, there’s always a risk – however small – that a fraudster could get hold of them. If they do, there’s nothing to stop them accessing those accounts to steal money and other personal details. How to reduce your risk Setup 2-step verification (2SV) on your most important accounts, such as email and social media. 2SV works by asking for more information to prove your identity when you’re logging into an online account. It’s one of the most effective ways to protect your online accounts from criminals. For more information, please visit: https://stopthinkfraud. (If you found this information useful, please forward it to friends, family and colleagues) |
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Message Sent By Action Fraud (Action Fraud, Administrator, National) |
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Please note that it is not possible to report crimes or incidents via Neighbourhood Matters. To make a report of a crime or incident, please contact West Mercia Police at www.westmercia.police.uk or dial 999 in an emergency.
WEEKLY FRAUD UPDATE FROM WEST MERCIA POLICE – ECONOMIC CRIME UNIT – 27/02/2024
TICKET FRAUD
With many high-profile concert tours arriving in the coming months, this will give the fraudster another opportunity to scam the unsuspecting purchaser with “Too good to be true offers”. This also continues to apply to the many outdoor events and concerts coming up in the summer months too.
Criminals either set up fake websites or social media profiles to sell tickets for major events (such as sports, music or theatre) that are either fraudulent, or just do not exist.
Websites may even look like those of genuine organisations, but subtle changes in the URL can indicate that it is fraudulent. Criminals might have used images of genuine tickets to commit fraud.
They may get in touch via text, email, or direct message to advertise fake tickets. They create fake posts or pages on social media to scam those looking for tickets.
You may be sent, or given, tickets only to be told they are fake when you arrive at the venue.
It is always safest to book tickets through official sellers that are members of the self-regulatory body the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (STAR), as anything else could be a scam. If possible always pay by Credit Card to give yourself some protection on refunds.
WAYS TO SPOT TICKET FRAUD
• You see an offer for a ticket online, in an email or in a message.
• You are offered tickets for a high-demand or sold-out event at a “too good to be true” price.
• You’re asked to pay by bank transfer only, and not via the secure payment methods recommended by reputable online retailers.
• You are told that a customer representative will be arranged to meet outside the venue.
• You see a website that looks similar to that of a genuine organisation but there are subtle changes to the URL.
• As advised previously you can always check any website on
https://www.getsafeonline.org/
and enter the relevant website address where instructed.
HMRC Notifications
HMRC are currently sending out notifications of Tax Code changes for the incoming tax year 2024/25. These may come by Post or Email and can apply to many people, including those on State Pensions with other income, given the rise in State Pension in April.
With any email claiming to come from HMRC, always check that it comes from the correct “.gov.uk” email address and if in doubt, do not reply to it or click on any links.. Suspicious emails can be reported to HMRC.
Please feel free to share this information with any family, friends, neighbours.
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Take Five to Stop Fraud
STOP: Taking a moment to stop and think before parting with your money or information could keep you safe.
CHALLENGE: Could it be fake? It’s OK to reject, refuse or ignore any requests. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you.
PROTECT: Contact your bank immediately if you think you’ve fallen for a scam and report it to Action Fraud
ALWAYS REMEMBER:
• Avoid disclosing security details
• Emails, Phone Calls and Texts may not be authentic
• Always make direct contact with any organisation by using a genuine phone number
• Stop and Challenge any unexpected requests
• Protect others by reporting Fraud and Scams
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If you’ve fallen for a scam,
report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or via actionfraud.police.uk
Scam Text messages can be forwarded to 7726 to help phone providers take early action and block numbers that generate spam on their networks.
Forward Fake Emails received to
If you think your bank account or personal banking details have been used fraudulently, then use the short phone number – 159 – to contact the Fraud Prevention Department of most major UK banks.
Housing Needs Survey – March 2023.
Please view the attached document.
Survey for Neighbourhood Plan
Neighbourhood Plan: The link for the Visions and Objectives survey is below:
http://bit.ly/SLenchesNP
WEEKLY FRAUD UPDATE FROM WEST MERCIA POLICE – ECONOMIC CRIME UNIT – 20/02/2024
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| To reply or forward please use the below or these links: Reply, Rate, Forward / Share. | ||||||||
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| Please note that it is not possible to report crimes or incidents via Neighbourhood Matters. To make a report of a crime or incident, please contact West Mercia Police at www.westmercia.police.uk or dial 999 in an emergency. | ||||||||
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FREE HOME IMPROVEMENTS
Free Energy Home Improvements now available to residents in Worcestershire – For more information, email
The Home Upgrade Grant scheme (HUGs) is designed to tackle colder homes that do not have mains gas central heating. Homeowners and tenants in Worcestershire could benefit from a variety of measures to help reduce energy bills including: internal and external wall insulation, loft and cavity wall insulation, air source heat pumps, solar panels, draught proofing and many more.
Worcestershire County Council is working in partnership with Redditch Borough and Bromsgrove, Malvern Hills and Wychavon District Councils and Act on Energy to deliver this programme.
Worcester City Council and Wyre Forest District Council are administering their own HUG2 scheme and information can be found on their websites.
To qualify, households must not use mains gas to heat their home, have a gross annual income of less than £31,000 with a current Home Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of D to G.
Funding is also available for landlords in the charity and private rented sector.
Those who qualify for the scheme will undergo a free technical survey to determine the most suitable energy efficiency measures.
For more information, including full eligibility, and to register your interest visit: www.worcestershire.gov.uk/home-upgrade-grant-scheme-hug2 OR contact your local energy charity Act on Energy on their free advice line 0800 988 2881
All projects must be completed by March 2025.
Results of Public Works Loan Board Consultation with the Parish.
Consultation:
Results of the consultation vote with parishioners to provide further funding for the Amphitheatre Project through a Public Works Loan Board Loan for £10,000 over a period of 10 years repayable through parishioners Council Tax are:
139 households responded – 78 voted NO, 58 voted YES, and there were 3 spoiled papers.
The Parish Council will therefore not apply for the loan.
CIL report 23
South Lenches Parish Council is required to report on an annual basis information relating to monies received from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) from Wychavon District Council.
For the financial year starting 1st April 2022 and ending 31st March 2023 a total amount of £614.77 was received. £612.oo was used to replenish the play bark in the playing area.