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Please find below details of various current scams from the Force Crime Prevention Advisor at Hampshire Constabulary from their November 2019 update.

Cllr Sara Schillemore.

SCAM 1

A scammer calls you, claiming to be from your bank or a Police Officer. They tell you that a fraudulent payment has been spotted on your card, or someone has been arrested using your card details.

They’ll either ask you for your PIN or ask you to key it into your phone. No bank or other legitimate service will ever ask you for your PIN. The scammer then sends a courier or taxi to pick up the card from your home. Even the driver may not know they’re being used as part of the scam. Once the scammer has both your card and PIN they can spend your money.

SCAM 2

A scammer calls you or visits you, claiming to be a Police Officer. They tell you there is a corrupt member of staff at your bank/ post office and the police need your help to catch them.

They ask you to withdraw a large sum of your money, which the police or bank will mark, then put back into the banking system. They say this will help them identify the corrupt person. Once you hand the cash over, it’s gone forever.

SCAM 3

A scammer calls/visits you claiming to be a Police Officer. They are investigating a local jewellers for selling counterfeit jewellery/watches. They ask you to buy an expensive watch or piece of jewellery, to try to find out if counterfeit goods are being sold. Once you’ve bought the item, the scammer tells you to hand it to a taxi driver or courier for transfer to the police. The item is then simply kept by the scammer to be sold for monetary gain.

Bicycle Security Tips

1. When out lock your bike to something immovable, an object a bike cannot be lifted over and cannot be broken, cut or removed. Check the object is fastened to the ground.
2. For maximum protection use two locks (a D-lock and a robust chair and padlock is ideal). Find tested and approved bike locks at Sold Secure
3. Register your bike on Immobilise. Consider marking your bike with a bike wrap or similar. You can also invest in a bike alarm as a further deterrent.
4. Always lock your bike up at home, consider installing a ground anchor and attach it securely to a wall or concreate floor.

Action Fraud Update

Action Fraud is warning people to be on the lookout for fraudulent travel websites and unsolicited phone calls from scammers promising “too good to be true” deals on flights (particularly Africa and the Indian subcontinent).

Fraudsters most commonly cold call pretending to be from a travel company after the victim has unknowingly entered their personal details on a bogus website. After transferring the money for the great deal offered, victims may receive a confirmation email but any further attempts to contact the company will be unsuccessful. For more information click here.

ADVICE:

• Do your research – don’t just check one review!
• Are they a member of a registered trade body like ABTA
• Pay safe – use a credit card but be wary of paying into an individual’s account

Online Shopping: 5 Top Tips

1. Use a secure internet connection when online shopping, and avoid using public wi-fi.
2. Paying by credit card offers greater protection as most major credit card providers insure online purchases. Check your card’s Terms and Conditions for exact details.
3. Before entering payment card details on a website, ensure that the link is secure. There should be a padlock symbol in the browser window frame, which appears when you attempt to log in or register. The web address should also begin with ‘https://’. The ‘s’ stands for ‘secure’.
4. Check reviews to see if there are reviews and recommendations from a trusted source.
5. Check the web address for subtle misspellings, additional words and characters and other irregularities. For more information visit www.getsafeonline.org

You can read more tips in the Christmas Online Shopping booklet on the OPPC website.

Cyber Protect Team: Email Scams

PayPal Scam: A new PayPal scam/phishing email is going around asking email recipients to click on a link to access their PayPal account. Do not click on the link. If you want to check your account visit the PayPal website here.

Action Fraud phishing email: A new Action Fraud scam/phishing email is being sent out telling recipients that they have money owed to them. Do not click on the link. Under no circumstances will Action Fraud, or a police force, ask you to make a payment in order to recover money that you may have lost. For more information visit Action Fraud.