Crime

Compensation for scam victims who used Western Union

24 January 2018 0 Comments

For years, fraudsters have used Western Union as a way to receive money from scam victims. Following an investigation in America, Western Union agreed to refund victims who sent money to fraudsters between 1 January 2004 and 19 January 2017.  If you lost money to a scam during this time you may be entitled to receive a percentage of the amount you lost.

Types of scams covered by these refunds includes:

  • Lottery or prize draw
  • Discounted products or other financial rewards
  • Emergency scams – to help relatives and/or avoid imprisonment or arrest
  • Advance-fee loans
  • Online dating or romance scams
  • Employment opportunities

How to make a claim

  • To apply you must file a petition of remission to Western Union
  • Filing a petition is FREE
  • Apply online by filling in the Western Union remission form
  • Visit Western Union website to find out more
    http://www.westernunionremission.com/

To be considered you must file a petition on or before 12 February 2018 

FILL IN REMISSION FORM
https://kccsecure.com/westernunionremission/Claimant/UnKnownClaimForm

Contact details

For advice and to report issues to KCC Trading Standards contact
Citizens Advice consumer service

Kent County Council  22 January 2018
http://mailchi.mp/dd6ee5a1cb33/compensation-for-scam-victims-who-used-western-union

Consumer, Crime, Kent County Council, News

Top 10 Tips to Beat the Burglar this Christmas

21 December 2017 0 Comments

home_security_1

The weeks leading up to Christmas are the biggest shopping weeks of the year and for many retailers often accounts for 70% of their annual revenue. Stocking our homes with the latest electronic gadgets, computers, jewellery and must-have accessories is the norm, unfortunately though it provides thieves with the perfect incentive to commit burglaries.

Christmas; A time for giving, receiving… and taking!
Please read these tips on ensuring your home is secure over Christmas and the New Year period.

  1. Deterring would-be criminals is one of the most effective forms of crime prevention.

    Invest in a motion sensor flood-light or even some outdoor Christmas lights to highlight your home’s exterior. This will hopefully make approaching your home too conspicuous for a burglar. Highlighting the fact your possessions are security marked and registered on Immobilise using window decals provides a further warning that your goods are marked, traceable and not worth the risk of stealing!

  2. Festive lighting – be secure.

    A common mistake of many festive decorators is to feed extension cables through partially open windows, criminals know to look for this vulnerability. When it comes to outdoor lighting, opt for solar or battery operated lights or install outdoor electrical outlets.

  3. Dispose of gift packaging carefully.

    Refuse collections over the Christmas / New Year period are normally at different times. If you can’t take packaging to a recycling point, make sure you only put your rubbish out just before the collection and do your best to fold boxes so that they do not advertise your new contents of your home to thieves!

  4. Protect your Identity.

    It is good practice never to dispose of receipts and personal paperwork without first shredding it. Christmas is a time when this is especially important! Be careful though not to shred any important warranty details, make sure documents you keep are stored somewhere secure.

  5. Check doors and windows for weak spots

    Government statistics show that 30% of burglaries happen through windows. Installing a few dead-bolts and new window hinges could increase the security of your home exponentially.

  6. Keep your curtains, drapes and window blinds closed at night,

    making sure valuable items are out of sight. When going out for the evening make use of inexpensive timers to give the illusion of occupancy.

  7. Away over Christmas – plan ahead.

    If you’re going away at Christmas be sure to cancel any newspaper or milk subscriptions. Arrange for a neighbour to park on the driveway to help create the impression someone is home. Do not to leave descriptive telephone answering machine messages like “we’re away skiing for the Christmas holidays” etc and again make use of light timers.

  8. Secure garages & sheds.

    Make sure that garden tools or ladders that could be used to force entry into your home are not left lying around or accessible from an unlocked garden shed. Garages are often targets for burglars looking for tools, bikes and gardening equipment – make sure the garage is secure and your possessions are secured too in the case of bikes and tools. Naturally make sure anything portable / valuable is recorded on immobilise.

  9. Don’t hide keys & use alarms if you have them.

    Burglars know to look for hidden door keys so don’t hide spare keys under rocks, in flowerpots, or above door ledges. Instead give the spare key to family or trusted neighbour. Many houses these days have alarms, many though are rarely set, make sure yours is on and protecting your home.

  10. Register your property for FREE on Immobilise


    at http://www.immobilise.com . This is a national property database that the Police can access and search if we recover suspected stolen property. We regularly search houses of suspected criminals, we check second hand dealers, and visit car boot sales and we have a device that can identify stolen property if the bar code is registered. Don’t let them get away with your gear. Get it logged. Get it back.Most mobile phones have a unique identifier such as a serial number or an IMEI number (International Mobile Equipment Identity) which can found easily by pressing the following keys on your mobile handset: * # 0 6 # . If your gift doesn’t have a unique identifier there are several affordable marking kits available (i.e. Smart Water / untra-violet pens). Contact your local PCSO for further advice.Hopefully your property will not be targeted by burglars but we do hope some of the advice provided helps to keep your home safe over the seasonal period and into the new year.

Lucas Fire & Security Ltd
http://www.lucasfireandsecurity.co.uk/news/christmas-home-security-10-tips-beat-burglar/

Crime, News, Security

Are you scam savvy this year?

18 December 2017 0 Comments

Stop the ScammersCriminals will be taking advantage this Christmas to send a record number of scams to catch us out.

Last Christmas over £16 million was lost to online scams in the UK. 

Types of scams to avoid this Christmas

  • E-Vouchers – criminals share free e-vouchers on social media or by email for well-known brands. Victims are told to click on a link to claim which takes them to a fake website where they are asked for personal and banking details.
  • Wish lists – can be useful to tell your friends and family about what gifts you would like this year however these lists can contain personal information which criminals use steal their identity and they can use the items to send phishing emails.
  • Social Media deals – messages on social media offering deals has increased in the last few years and while some of them may be genuine , criminals will be taking advantage often trying to tempt people with deals on electronics and jewellery.

READ about scams and how to deal with them
www.kent.gov.uk/business/trading-standards/consumer-protection/scams/types-of-scam

Kent County Council 15 December 2017
http://mailchi.mp/bab4ab365891/how-to-spot-fake-electrical-goods-puppy-buying-tips-and-more

Consumer, Crime, Finance, Kent County Council, News, Security

What is a loan shark?

4 December 2017 0 Comments

Call 0300 555 2222If your lender:

  • Offered you a cash loan,
  • Did not give you paperwork,
  • Added huge amounts of interest or APR to your loan,
  • Have threatened you,
  • Have they taken your bank card, benefit card, passport, watch or other valuables from you,

or

  • You are you scared of people finding out

they may be a loan shark.

You are not in trouble if you have borrowed cash or have been paying back a loan from an illegal money lender, the loan shark is. They are the people committing a crime, not you.

Report a loan shark, call Stop Loan Sharks on 0300 555 2222 or complete the form on their website: www.stoploansharks.co.uk/

Stop Loan Sharks is the England Illegal Money Lending Team of National Trading Standards

Crime, Finance, News, Security

Strategic priorities for Kent Police consultation

28 November 2017 0 Comments

Kent Police and Crime Commissioner

As Kent’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Matthew Scott sets the strategic priorities for Kent Police.

Earlier this year he published Safer in Kent: The Community Safety and Criminal Justice Plan.The plan is kept under constant review and is regularly updated in line with what local communities want.

Mr Scott wants to know what matters most to you, so please take the time to fill out our short survey and encourage your friends, family and colleagues to fill one in as well. You do not need to provide your name or any contact details if you do not wish to.

A summary of responses will be published here when the Safer in Kent Plan is next updated.

Please remember that the Safer in Kent Plan only sets the strategic priorities for Kent Police – it cannot amend or change the way officers are deployed or the way operational decisions are made. These are matters for the Chief Constable to determine. The PCC’s job is to hold the Chief Constable to account for the delivery of the plan and its strategic objectives on your behalf.

Consultation, Crime, News, Safety

Don’t leave engine running in an unattended vehicle

25 November 2017 0 Comments

In a Tweet, Kent Police’s Road Policing Unit have warned drivers not to leave their vehicles unattended with the engine running to warm them on frosty mornings.

Note: It is an offence to leave a vehicle unattended on a road unless the engine is stopped.

Crime, News, Safety, Transport

Police appeal after Halstow Way robbery

12 November 2017 0 Comments

Police are appealing for information into a reported robbery in Ashford where a bike was stolen from a teenage boy.

At around 9pm on Thursday 9 November 2017 the victim was cycling along Halstow Way when a car, described as being dark black or blue, pulled up alongside him.

It is alleged a man exited the vehicle holding a large knife. He is said to have demanded the bike and then rode off on it.

The car drove away towards Brookfield Road.

Descriptions of bike and suspect

The bicycle is a grey and green Specialized Rockhopper mountain bike. The word Specialized is in white letters.

The suspect has been described as being black, aged in his 20s and tall. He had a cut to his lip.

Call with information

Officers have carried out a number of enquires including house to house and reviewing CCTV in the area.

Anyone who can assist the investigation is asked to call Kent Police on 01843 222289, quoting ZY/055271/17.

Alternatively, contact Kent Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

Kent Police 12 November 2017
https://www.kent.police.uk/news/appeals-(witnesses-and-missing-people)/1117/robbery-in-ashford/

Crime, News

Modelling Advanced Fee Fraud Alert

21 October 2017 0 Comments

Action FraudThe National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) and Action Fraud have recently noticed that Fraudsters have been setting up fake adverts on social media (including Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp) and job browsing websites to dupe people into believing they are recruiting for prospective models.
Once victims show interest in the job, the fraudsters contact potential victims on the false promise of a modelling career and subsequently advise the victims to come in for a test shoot.

The fraud can then potentially be carried out in two ways;

Firstly, the fraudsters can pressurise the victims in sending an upfront fee to book a slot for the test shoot. Once they have received the upfront fee, the victim will never hear from the fraudsters again.

The second possible method is that the fraudsters will take the advance fee that the victim sends for a photo shoot and arrange a photo shoot with the victim. After the photo shoot, the fraudsters will contact the victim after a few days and convince them that their shoot was successful and offer them a job as a model. The victim will then be asked to sign a contract and pay another upfront fee, usually to secure the modelling contract.

Fraudsters are also creating fake adverts for supposed modelling opportunities for children which do not exist. Fraudsters will inform parents or guardians that a potential career in modelling awaits their child. This tactic convinces the parent or guardian to sign up their child and send an advance fee.

The suspects will also convince the victim that in order to become a model, they will need to have a portfolio. The fraudsters will recommend a number of packages and stress that if a package is not paid for in advance, the process of becoming a model cannot continue.

Over a two year period (September 2015 – August 2017), an average of 28 reports of advance fee modelling frauds have been received per month by the NFIB. In August 2017, 49 Action Fraud reports of this fraud type were received and may continue to rise. The total loss in August 2017 alone was over £71,000.

Tips for staying safe:
Carry out your own research prior to paying any type of advance or upfront fee.

Be wary if you are asked to pay for a portfolio, as many legitimate agencies will cover that cost.

Don’t give your bank account details or sensitive information to anyone without carrying out your own research on the relevant agency.

If you have been affected by this, or any other type of fraud, report it to Action Fraud by visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040.

Consumer, Crime, Employment, News