CogNW

Welcome to Coggeshall Neighbourhood Watch! We're a local community group working in close partnership with Essex Police to help make our village a safer and better place to live.

The UK's first Neighbourhood Watch was set up in Mollington in Cheshire in 1982 following the success of a similar scheme in Chicago in the United States. Many more schemes followed throughout the UK, and 10 million people are now thought to be members.

We'll publish the latest information about crime in the village on this site. So if, for example, there's a sudden increase in burglaries or a door-to-door- scam running, we'll make sure you know about it straight away.

You can also email us with any questions. And, of course, we'd love you to be involved too. Take a look at how you can support the Scheme in lots of practical ways.

HOW TO SPOT THE SCAM MESSAGE

Received a message from your bank that asks you to provide a PIN or full password? ⚠️STOP... it's a scam!

Could you spot the tell tale signs of a phish? 🎣 Find out more here: https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/mulletover #MulletOver

 

FRAUD INITIATIVES

Bank branch staff stopped £19 million of fraud in the first half of 2020 through the Banking Protocol, a scheme that alerts local police to suspected scams.

• The scheme has prevented victims from losing £116 million of fraud and led to 744 arrests since it was introduced three years ago.

• A range of scams that trick elderly and vulnerable customers into withdrawing cash from their branch have been prevented, including courier scams, romance fraud and rogue traders.

• Customers helped through the initiative are typically aged 65 or above, with some over 100 years old.

• The Banking Protocol scheme is now being expanded to telephone and online banking.

The Banking Protocol is a UK-wide scheme that enables bank branch staff to alert their local police force when they suspect a customer is being scammed. Police will then visit the branch to investigate the suspected fraud and arrest any suspects still on the scene.

£19.3 million of fraud was prevented and over 100 arrests were made through the scheme between January and June 2020. The latest figures mean the scheme has prevented victims losing a total of £116 million of fraud and led to 744 arrests since it was first introduced three years ago by UK Finance, National Trading Standards and local police forces.

The scheme is often used to prevent impersonation scams, in which criminals imitate police or bank staff and convince people to visit their bank and withdraw or transfer large sums of money. These can include courier scams, where those targeted are persuaded to take out a large sum of cash and hand it over to a fraudster posing as a courier. They can also include safe account scams, where the victims are told their money isn’t safe in the account it’s currently in and needs to be transferred to another account.

The initiative has also been used to prevent romance fraud, in which fraudsters use fake online dating profiles to trick victims into transferring money, and to catch rogue traders who prey on the elderly by demanding cash for unnecessary work on their property. UK Finance has today published top tips from the Take Five to Stop Fraud campaign on how to stay safe from these scam types.

Branch staff are trained to spot the warning signs that suggest someone may have fallen for one of these scams and make an emergency call to the police. 3,250 calls have been made in the first six months of this year through the scheme, including 637 in June. Data provided by police forces shows that customers helped through the Banking Protocol are typically aged over 65 while some were over 100 years old, demonstrating how these scams are often targeted towards the elderly and vulnerable. Katy Worobec, Managing Director of Economic Crime, UK Finance, commented: It is sickening that criminals are preying on elderly and vulnerable victims during this difficult time. Bank branch staff on the frontline are doing a heroic job in stopping these cruel scams and helping bring those responsible to justice.

“The banking industry is now working with police forces to expand this scheme to telephone and online banking, with a focus on protecting vulnerable customers.

“It’s vital that people always follow the advice of the Take Five to Stop
Fraud campaign, and remember that a bank or the police will never ask you to transfer funds to another account or to withdraw cash to hand over to them for safe- keeping.

T/Commander Clinton Blackburn, from the City of London Police, the lead force for fraud, said: Banks are often the first point of contact when someone is about to fall victim to fraud, so the banking protocol is a vital way of protecting vulnerable victims and preventing criminals from taking advantage of them.

“Having a system in place where an immediate police response can be generated to a suspected fraud, allows officers to gain vital evidence and increases our chances of catching the criminal in person, or following the money trail right to their door.

Those assisted by the scheme are offered ongoing support to help prevent them falling victim to scams in future, including through referrals to social services, expert fraud prevention advice and additional checks on future transactions. In the first six months of this year, 1,149 potentially vulnerable adults were identified after bank branch staff alerted the police to suspected scams through the scheme.

To build on the success of the scheme, discussions are currently underway with local police forces over expanding it to cover attempted bank transfers made by customers through telephone and online banking. This would enable bank staff at call centres to notify police when certain attempted bank transfers are being made which they believe may be the result of a scam, in situations where the customer is unable to visit their local branch to enable further checks.

https://takefive-stopfraud.org.uk/

HARE COURSING

AUTUMNAL PRECAUTIONS.

Words of advice from the Crime Prevention Tactical Advisor

Heating Oil

As it comes to the time when you are thinking about topping up your heating oil tank for winter, with the value of fuel it is worth considering its security.
In the more isolated parts of the countryside it is primarily domestic properties that have been targeted by the heating oil thieves, but we have also seen such thefts at farms and other businesses.
There are several security devices available that will protect your fuel supplies - details of which can be found via your fuel supplier or local plumber’s merchant. One such system is Tank Commander www.commandersecurities.co.uk which has “Secured by Design” accreditation https://www.securedbydesign.com/ . Products like this will detect a dramatic drop in fuel and notify you by phone and/or audible alarm. There are also other similar security products that can add onto an existing intruder alarm system, whilst others may protect the filler cap and there are of course the conventional locks.
Another consideration would be concealing it with landscaping and spiky planting around the tank, restricting access to it with gates or fencing, and where possible locating the tank under lighting in view of lived in rooms within the house.

The Illusion of occupancy

As the nights draw in earlier don’t forget to use table lamps on timers, and there are TV simulators such as “Fake TV” that produces lighting that resembles a television switched on within a room. Consider installing external “Dusk till dawn” lighting and remember to ensure gates are in good condition, closed and locked. Other products available to make it appear that you are home are a movement sensor that activates an appliance plugged into a plug socket and doorbells that you can answer remotely after viewing the caller; an internet search will find these and other security products.

If you would like further advice regarding security please look at the Essex Police website www.essex.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/ and https://www.securedbydesign.com/ .

Naturally we also ask locals to report any unusual activity to police in an emergency on 999 or after the event on 101 or “Do it online” www.essex.police.uk/do-it-online/report-a-crime/ or to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

SAS260820

NOT SO INNOCUOS AFTER ALL

Theft of Metals – A crime that affects us all?

You may well think “theft of metal” how does that affect me? Just look around you, your car has a very desirable catalytic convertor on its exhaust system, a roof has lead if not for the whole roof then it’s there in places, in the ground there is cabling for utilities such as telecommunications and many other examples where around us there are valuable metals. It does not then take a lot then to see that the loss of a catalytic convertor means a trader cannot work resulting in a loss of income to him and your delivery or work delayed or the trip you were taking is cancelled as vehicle cannot be used, the theft of lead from a roof and its resultant water damage catastrophic to a heritage building and potentially also causing the cancellation of a wedding or other function, theft of utility or telecommunication cabling can effectively cut off a village or whole area causing a loss of business or connectivity for the vulnerable, these just but a few of the results of metal theft.
So, what can be done? We can make it more difficult to steal and we can make it more difficult to dispose of.
Making it more difficult to steal or dispose of:
Report any suspicious activity: i.e. the unmarked van or other vehicle parked with activity around a manhole or sub-station etc, an unknown person working under a car late at night/early hours of the morning, activity around a church, heritage or other building when it’s not normal especially on a roof. Protect your neighbourhood by setting up a Neighbourhood Watch, Heritage Watch or Business Watch if you have not got one, the signage deters, and many eyes are better than one pair. NB – If you have planned building work let your neighbours/parishioners/employees know including who they are and what hours they will be there.
Make it harder to steal: i.e. where your vehicle is parked – choose an area where people can see it or put it “under lock and key”, in a yard park vehicles with high ground clearance parked between those with low ground clearance, look at security devices with a vehicle it could be a protective cage, reduce access make them walk further and into public view especially when protecting buildings and their roofs, remove aids to the thief i.e. tools to do the job and climbing aids or something to carry their ill-gotten gains away, consider an alarm, with lead from roofs especially try and make access difficult subject to certain conditions you could use a spiky topping around downpipes fencing and roofs.
Making it harder to dispose of: to start off with if its less attractive its less likely to be stolen so property marking and signage of this and other security devices may deter. Property marking makes it harder to dispose of, and there is something for almost everything from historic artefacts on the seabed to catalytic convertor to roofing material to your day to day property. An unmarked piece of property can be anonymous when stolen, in most cases we don’t know where it came from and therefore any prosecution is that much more difficult. A thief will know this and therefore anything that ties it back to the owner presents a risk not only to the thief but also to the handler, if the handler will not take it or it causes difficult questions at a boot fair or other then it’s not worth stealing it in the first place.
For further advice on crime prevention of crime prevention products see: www.essex.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/ or www.securedbydesign.com/member-companies/accredited-product-search .

CYCLE SECURITY

• Cycle security is always an issue with thefts from a variety of locations including the town centre, residential areas, and educational establishments.

Commonly bicycles are either not secured or not secured properly, and this makes it easy for thieves.
• Where do they go? Number of places: - in a container abroad, to another part of the country, stored in premises or sold as either a cycle or cycle parts via the internet, or third parties.
• By taking some appropriate precautions and using good quality security products, and using them well, should help you to keep your property safe. Use the best security you can afford. Don't secure a £2,000 bicycle with a £20 lock! As a guide look to spend 10-15% of the value of the item on its security. Look for a “Sold Secure” certified chain and padlock or “D – Lock” preferably gold rated but certainly not below silver. Consider what you chain it to whether at home or whilst out, is that secure? Is it well overlooked to provide good natural surveillance?
• Make a note of the frame number, security mark the cycle, there are a number of different methods available such as www.bikeregister.com, www.datatag.co.uk , and www.retainagroup.com. Take a photograph of the cycle and any areas of damage or marks of identification, and some insurance companies may require one with the owner in the picture with it.
• At home remove that first attraction to the thief or burglar: 1) don’t leave garage doors open for long periods showing your expensive cycle and other property, 2) consider a “Ground anchor” or “Shed shackle” within your shed or garage to secure your cycle to, 3) look at your shed or garages security and ensure you have good locks and that the hinges are protected, 4) consider a shed alarm.
• If you can its worth getting your children or grandchildren into good habits, keeping their bikes secure and not leaving them discarded on the front lawn or other, may save problems in the future.
• Check with your insurance company to see what security standards they require for your insurance cover to be valid.
• For suitable security products see www.securedbydesign.com or www.soldsecure.com .
• For further advice see https://www.essex.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/theft-of-a-bicycle/how-safe-is-your-bike/

UNACCOUNTED TRANSACTIONS

SCAM WATCH: MYSTERY ‘SOCIAL SCORE’ PAYMENT

A member of the public spotted a £39.30 deduction from ‘Rank My Social’ on their card statement, which was unauthorised. They tracked down the firm online and emailed it.

It said it analyses social media accounts and provides a ‘social score’ indicating the impression they give to the outside world.

It refused a refund and explained they had likely been enrolled in a free trial in the process of obtaining a loan or finance.

But the member of the public had no recollection of entering a free trial while obtaining any credit.

They then spotted another unauthorised payment, this time from ‘sterling- tracker.co.uk’ for £27.65 Their bank, Bank of Scotland, refunded both payments and prevented further ones, but the mystery of how they were started remains.

What were these mystery payments?

We asked Rank My Social and Sterling Tracker how they obtained the details, but we received no reply.

Sterling Tracker describes itself as ‘an online product designed to help you manage your budget and boost your savings’.

However, 96% of its reviews on Trustpilot are negative, with a majority branding it fraud or theft and describing unauthorised transactions just like this one.

A few describe being unwittingly enrolled while applying or a loan or insurance. You can send a subject access request to both firms and find out exactly where they got your details – here’s how it can be done: -

https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/how-do-i-make-a-subject-access- request

Read checkbox options carefully when signing up for anything and keep an eye on your bank statements for the foreseeable future. Banks must refund unauthorised payments in almost all cases.

Have you ever spotted unauthorised payments on your card? Did you track down the source of the problem?

https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/how-to-get-your-money- back-after-a- scam?utm_source=whichcouk&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=scamaler t200820

WILL THEY NEVER CEASE

It seemed at the outset of Lockdown the number of cold/scam calls reduced or even ceased. The ceasefire now is over as evidenced by our household receiving 5 in one day, 4 to tell us our Amazon Prime account would automatically be renewed unless we pressed A B or C, and 1 to tell us our account had been accessed for goods in excess of £1000. Amazon has confirmed none of these calls originate from them.

Message as ever is to be VERY suspicious of unexpected calls and to check with your known service provider on a telephone number known to you and not given by the caller. Also ensure before making your call that you have a dialling tone as it is common for scammers to hold the line open and for them to respond whilst you think you are talking to the genuine article!!

 

USEFUL CONTACTS

https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/reporting-fraud-and-cyber-crime

For more tips, see our reporting a scam: https://www.which.co.uk/

ACTION FRAUD

0300 123 2040

 

CRIME STOPPERS

0800 555 111

 

For full information on how Crimestoppers works refer to article 'Crimestoppers The Benefits' dated 18/10/18.

LONELINESS OF LOCKDOWN

Staying safe on dating sites and apps: It may be harder to find love nowadays, but be careful who you meet online and what information you disclose to them, especially on social media, dating sites and dating apps. This can be especially devastating as the scammer uses the person’s trust and plays on their emotions. https://www.which.co.uk/

1  How dating and romance scams work
2 Know the signs of a romance scammer
3 How to check if a dating profile is fake
4 How to spot fake profiles
5 Don’t share personal details
6 Beware of moving too fast
7 Don’t give them money
8 Report fake profiles on dating sites and apps 9 Tell loved ones you’re using a dating website 10 Report an online dating scammer

A romance scam is when someone grows to love and trust someone they’ve met through an online dating site, social media or a dating app.

But the profile is fake and the dating scammer uses the person’s trust by playing on their emotions.

They then get the victim to send money or handover enough personal information to steal their identity.

1 How dating and romance scams work: Scammers may take several months to build what may feel like the romance of a lifetime and can even pretend to book travel to visit you, but they never actually arrive.

Once they have gained your trust and your defences are down, they will ask you, either subtly or directly, for money, gifts, or your banking or credit card details.

Often, scammers will pretend that they need the money for some sort of personal emergency or insist they need the money to travel to visit you.

Asking for money before they’ve met you is a telltale sign of a romance scammer and should set alarm bells ringing.

Romance scammer tactics: Scammers will go to great lengths to gain your interest and trust. Romance scammer tactics include:

• showering you with loving words

• sharing apparently personal information

• sometimes even sending you gifts.

  Military romance scams: It’s common for romance scammers to pose as a soldier serving in the military as this gives them a good excuse as to why they can’t meet you in person. It’s also a good way to try and win your sympathy.

  If you’re dating someone who claims to be in the military, you can offer to give them a call, organise a video chat or send them a letter as they should have a number, internet connection and mailing address.

  If the person refuses, this should make you suspicious.

  2 Know the signs of a romance scammer: They want to communicate with you through instant messaging and texts rather than through the dating website where you met.

• The new love of your life has supermodel good looks in the pictures they send you.

• They express strong emotions for you in a very short space of time.

• They ask you lots of questions about yourself but don’t tell you much about

  themselves.

• They start asking you to send them money. They’ll pretend they need money

  from you for some sort of personal emergency or insist they need the money so they can travel to visit you.

  3 How to check if a dating profile is fake: Check the profile picture looks realistic. Professional photos should be a red flag - especially if they look like a model. Look for amateur photos and check if they have more than one.

  A helpful Which? member recommended using tineye.com to check the legitimacy of profile pictures on dating websites.

  This website allows you to upload photographs and uses recognition technology to see if there are matches to the photo anywhere else on the internet.

Check that the profile on the dating website is consistent with what you’ve been told. For example, make sure the profile picture doesn’t look different to their description of themselves.

Another tell-tale sign is language. Has your ‘date’ told you they are university educated, but their English is very poor?

4 How to spot fake profiles: We asked 1,000 dating-website users how they identify fake profiles, and they told us they are suspicious if:

• they ask you to send them money (50%)

• they ask you for too much personal information (41%)

• they use poor grammar or language, despite claiming to be a native speaker

  (40%)

• you’re invited to connect on a different website (36%)

• they ‘fall in love’ with you too quickly (33%).

  Half of respondents also said that they trust their gut feeling when identifying a fake profile.

  5 Don’t share personal details: If you’re talking to someone you’ve contacted online, be careful not to share your personal information.

  This includes credit card details and details such as which bank you’re with, your pet’s name or your mother’s maiden name, which could be used to access financial information.

  In your profile, don’t include your last name, email address, home address, phone number, place of work or any other identifying information.

  If you handover these details, you could be at risk of identity theft.

  6 Beware of moving too fast: Watch out for someone who wants to rush things. A fraudster will usually make the first move, and this will often come out of the blue.

  Sometimes they will create a bogus, dreamy profile that sounds like the ideal mate you’ve described in your own dating profile. They will try to play on your sympathy and strike when you are the most vulnerable.

  Red flags should be raised if they want you to use instant messaging or email very soon after initially making contact, taking you away from the dating site where you originally met, and be wary if someone online, after a short time of corresponding, professes strong feelings for you and asks to chat with you privately.

  Use a different email address: Always create and use a unique email address different from your personal or professional addresses when setting up a dating website profile.

     7 Don’t give them money: We would advise you to never send money to anyone you meet through an online dating website, no matter how convincing they appear to be.

And you certainly shouldn’t wire money to anybody, as there’s no audit trail. It’s like handing over cash – you won’t be able to get it back if it turns out to be a scam.

Romance scammers who are just looking after your money can appear desperate if you don’t send it straight away, and their emails or calls will become more persistent, direct or even aggressive.

And if you do send money, they will just keep asking you to send more, as they will view you as an ‘Easy target’.

If anyone does ask you for money, alarm bells should ring immediately, and you should report this to the dating website.

Finally, never click on a link within an email, as this could be an also intended to extract money from you in some way.

8 Report fake profiles on dating sites and apps: Common fake profiles will use the details of trusted individuals, such as military personnel, aid workers, medical professionals or professionals working abroad, as well as pictures from other legitimate websites.

Be alert for anybody you’re talking to who disappears from the site and you suspect may later have reappeared under a different name.

Different websites have different policies for reporting profiles, although not all of them vet profiles or moderate content.

If you think a profile is fake or suspicious, check the website for details on how to report it and follow the process.

Usually, there will be links or buttons on profiles to block or report individuals.

9 Tell loved ones you’re using a dating website: Don’t be afraid to tell people you trust that you’re talking to someone online – more than six million UK adults visit dating sites each month.

Let someone know if you’re asked for money. The objective viewpoint they can offer is crucial if you’re emotionally involved.

10 Report an online dating scammer If you’ve been scammed for money from someone you met online, inform the website immediately.

Also consider contacting the police to report it. You should also report it to Action Fraud, the UK’s national fraud and crime reporting centre.

Dating websites usually aren’t liable for losses you incur while using them, unless you can argue that the service wasn’t provided with reasonable care and skill, or there were checks the website said it would carry out and didn’t.

https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/reporting-fraud-and-cyber-crime