Northamptonshire Neighbourhood Watch has many interesting and useful articles; here are some of them. Please click on the links for further information and keep checking back for further updates. To view their website, click here.
Aged 13-18 Interested in becoming an Emergency Service Cadet?
Aged between 13 and 18 and interested in becoming an Emergency Services Cadet?
Now’s your chance to work with the county’s police, fire and ambulance services.
You can find out more here:
Register your interest by April 7th 2023
Message sent by
Nick Paul (Northamptonshire Police, Police Sergeant, Northamptonshire
Door to Door Sellers
There have been recent reports in Brackley of door to door sellers known sometimes as ‘Nottingham knockers’. On Tuesday 31st January there were numerous reports in the town of males trying to sell items to homeowners.
My strong advice would be not to purchase any items from these sellers. The items themselves are usually of poor quality and I would not encourage anyone to open their doors to people they don’t know or aren’t expecting.
The door to door sellers have to have a pedlar’s licence and if they can’t produce one, they are acting illegally.
I conducted a thorough area search in the town on Tuesday evening but couldn’t locate anyone matching the description given.
Please report any such activity on 101 or via the Northants Police website.
Kind regards
Mel
PC 911 Carter
Brackley Station
Northants Neighbourhood Alert
I’d like to draw your attention to a Silver BMW X3 motor vehicle that is actively committing crime. It is using various number plates. It has large black front and back bumpers and a tow bar. Black roof rails too. It may be in convoy with a dark coloured Audi too. These vehicles have been seen committing crime at Welton near Daventry yesterday where they stole a caravan and the X3 was also seen in Guilsborough driving around a farm.
If these vehicles are seen please call us on 999.
Covid Passport Scam
There was a Covid Vaccine Passport scam email going around that purports to be from the NHS and informs recipients that they can apply for their “Digital Coronavirus Passports”
Clicking on the link within the email, takes you to a convincing but fake NHS website that asks for personal and payment details. This website has since been taken down, but in case similar emails/websites appear can you please warn people. And just to reiterate, your vaccination status is obtained FREE through the NHS App, website or by calling the NHS on 119.
More information here.
Worried About Getting Hacked?
Here’s what you need to do to avoid it.
Protect Your Car Campaign
Some advice to protect your car here.
Dog Theft Survey
There is an online survey designed to understand the public’s perception of dog theft, enforcement, and the prosecution of offenders. To access it, please click on this link.
Burglary to Farm Units Helmdon
Between Saturday 27th Feb to Mon 1st March 2021. More information here.
Courier Fraud
There has been a spate of Courier Frauds across the County , with suspects purporting to be Police Officers, for ”safekeeping / forensic examination” from vulnerable people.
The Police will never call to seek any payment.
DON’T give any money or card details to any person at your front door , or calls/texts/emails you receive.
DON’T Let them into your property
DO call the Police immediately on 999 if the person is saying they are a Police Officer.
Lots more useful advice here!
Neighbourhood Police Officer Numbers to Double
The number of neighbourhood police officers focusing on local policing in communities in Northamptonshire, is set to double in a major investment of resources in visible, effective local crimefighting. More information here.
Bitcoin-Related Scam Emails
Beware of unsolicited emails promoting cryptocurrency. Click here to find out how to protect yourself.
Phone Scams/Texts
Claims to be from your building society. It’s not! Follow this link to find our more.
Vehicle Theft Alert
Would-be car thieves target people selling their cars.
Anyone selling a car, particularly at the higher end of the market, is advised to watch out if a potential buyer asks to check the keys, as thieves are swapping working remote key fobs with non-functioning sets in order to steal vehicles. Click here for advice.
Alert – Coronavirus Vaccinations Scams
Several people have received text messages claiming to be from the NHS offering vaccinations – these are scams! If you get one, don’t click the link, which will ask you for personal and financial information. More about this here.
E-Scooter Legislation
If you got one for Christmas (or any other time) here’s some useful information about them!
Stay safe and Protected from Crime over the coming Year
Northamptonshire Police and the Neighbourhood Watch Network are teaming up to provide residents across the county with information on how they can best stay safe and protected from crime over the new year. Follow the link to see how you can protect your home and yourself when out and about, and other useful information.
Stay safe and Protected from Crime
Scam warning: Fake DPD emails and texts
Find out more here
Potential Card Scam
We have had an incident concerning a potential Bank Card Scam reported by a member.
The background is that a member received a new card from their provider, that they were not expecting, as there existing card still had several months before its expiry date
As the card was not contactless card, the member contacted their provider, who advised they had not issued a new card. The scam reported was that if the card had been used it would have removed funds from the account.
Click here to find out more
Silver BMW stolen, 8/12/20, without keys from Hazel Close Brackley. If you have any CCTV footage in the Brackley area between 2 & 4 am this morning 8/12/2020. More about this and how to protect your car, here.
Due to coronavirus, more people will be doing their festive shopping online. For ways to improve your cyber security, please follow this link.
We have received a number of calls over the last 24 hours relating to fraudulent Amazon calls and emails. Click here for more information.
Scam Warning – Fake Paypal Emails
Action Fraud is warning people selling items online to be on the lookout for criminals sending fake PayPal emails. Follow this link for more information.
When was the Last Time you Checked Your Tyres?
October is Tyre Safety Month, find out more here.
Officers Listen to Community Concerns around Speeding
For more on this, click the link:
https://www.northants.police.uk/news/northants/news/news/2020/sept-20/officers-listen-to-community-concerns-around-speeding/
Courier Fraud – Please Warn Elderly Relatives about This Scam
Police officers will NEVER ask you for money – please warn elderly relatives about this emerging scam
Fraudsters pretending to be police officers are repeatedly targeting the elderly in Northamptonshire.
Over the past few months, a number of incidents have taken place across the county where fraudsters have pretended to be police officers conducting covert investigations in order to gain the trust of elderly people with the aim of scamming them out of their money.
For more information, please click on the following link:
https://www.actionfraudalert.co.uk/da/337420/Courier_Fraud_-_please_warn_elderly_relatives_about_this_scam.html
TV Licensing Scam
Please be aware there is currently a TV Licensing scam email that is in circulation. It is important that you DO NOT respond or click on any of the links and delete it immediately.
The email is not addressed to any named person and the sender‘s email address is not recognisable as from TV Licensing.
There are 4 links contained in the email, ie Set up a Direct Debit”, “Continue to your Account”, “Your Rewards” and “Click here”
Please advise all your family, neighbours and friends as the email looks very authentic. Details on how to identify scams of this type can be found by entering “TV Licensing Scams“ in your search engine.
Compromised Facebook Accounts Used To Lure Victims Into Paypal Scam
There has been a surge of reports where the recipient has received messages through Facebook Messenger from friends/family requesting to use their Pay Pal account to receive funds from the sale of items on EBay. Overall, between 1 June 2020 and 31 July 2020 a total of 95 reports have been made which specifically mention that the item sold was a camera.
Messages are sent by fraudsters purporting to be friends/family stating that they have sold a camera on eBay but that they are unable to process the payment as they either do not have a Pay Pal account or because their Pay Pal account is not working. The request is that the message recipient receives the funds into their own Pay Pal account, then, after transferring it into their own bank account, they forward it onto an account controlled by the fraudster.
If the victim agrees the payment is transferred into their Pay Pal account but, after the money is transferred out, the initial transaction is reversed leaving the account in negative balance.
Multiple reports have also been received from victims stating that their Facebook Messenger accounts have been hacked and that these fraudulent messages have been sent to all their contacts on their behalf.
The total reported loss for these reports is £44,035.
What you need to do
Verify financial requests: Be wary of unusual messages asking for assistance with financial transactions. Even if the message appears to be from someone you know and trust, you should check it’s really them that sent the message by calling them or speaking with them in person.
Unusual financial requests: Never respond to any requests to send money, or have money transferred through your account, by someone you don’t know and trust.
Secure your accounts: You can protect your important online accounts by using a strong separate password and, where available, turn on two- factor authentication (2FA).
If you have made a payment: Inform your bank, or payment service provider, such as PayPal, as soon as possible. They can help you prevent any further losses. You should also monitor your bank statements regularly for any unusual activity.
For more information about how to protect yourself online, visit www.cyberaware.gov.uk and www.takefive-stopfraud.org.uk
Every Report Matters
If you have been a victim of fraud or cybercrime, report it to us at www.actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040
Have you bought anything online recently?…
Almost 34% of all retail sales during May 2020 were carried out online, and new research suggests that only 16% of UK consumers intend to return to their old shopping habits post-lockdown.
For tips on shopping online securely, click here: https://www.northamptonshireneighbourhoodalert.co.uk/da/330804/Are_you_shopping_online_.html
Safety In Neighbours Campaign Launches
More people out and about means burglary is expected to rise, which is why we’re launching a new campaign, in partnership with the Home Office, to warn Neighbourhood Watch members, and non-members alike, and provide practical tools to prevent burglary. Find out more here
Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Stephen Mold has been awarded £1.375m by the Home Office to fund crime fighting projects in Wellingborough, Kettering and Northampton.
At the beginning of 2020, the Home Office launched the Safer Streets Scheme, with funding available for Police and Crime Commissioners to bid against. This grant stream was set up to support initiatives to tackle crime in areas particularly affected by acquisitive crime such as burglary, vehicle crime and robbery. Click here for more informaton on security improvements