Local Stay Safe Guides
A locally produced printed guide – “Stay Safe” – has just had another print run for the residents of Cleethorpes. It’s been produced using Crime Reduction Fund money and also local support from Big Local North Cleethorpes and it is aimed at older people. It’s stuffed full of simple advice about avoiding scams and frauds (as well as plenty of other wellbeing, health and safety and community safety advice). The recent guides have been distributed around Cleethorpes and a new version has also just been printed for West Marsh. But anyone can download the e-versions of the guide (.pdf) from here. It’s just another way of getting more and more residents to be aware of how to protect themselves against scams.
Which? Online scams toolkit
Which? provide plenty of useful advice on current scams and frauds and they have just released a simple, but comprehensive online Scams Toolkit here. It’s full of useful information and links. Particularly helpful are the various template letters you can use if you’re a victim of scams. Visit the page and share it with others.
The latest focus for Covid scams
First scammers targeted us about covid itself. Then cures or PPE. Then vaccines. Now, the latest seems to be phishing scams around the idea of “Covid vaccination passports”.
The only place you should be visiting for information about this is the Government guide here. Vaccination passports is an ever changing topic, but remember that at the moment there are no fees involved around anything related to covid or vaccinations. If any email or website ever asks you for money or admin fees then run a mile.
Ourwatch fraud seminars
During July, the national neighbourhood watch network, OurWatch, has scheduled a series of free webinars. These are open to anyone who would like to know more about scams, the psychology behind scams, prevention and how a fraud case is investigated.
The webinars bring together experts in their field relating to online fraud, a topic which we are all too familiar with and can affect anyone and everyone, as our lives are played out more digitally.
The dates of the webinars and their topics are as follows:
6th July, 5pm
Exploring the psychology behind scams and how scammers are so effective at their crimes
Paul Maskell, Fraud & Cyber Crime Prevention Manager, Dedicated Card and Payment Crime Unit (DCPCU)
14th July, 5pm
Insights into how a fraud case is investigated and how not to be the next victim
Ben Hobbs, Detective Sergeant; and Catriona Still, Head of Fraud Prevention & Training, Dedicated Card and Payment Crime Unit (DCPCU)
23rd July 5pm
Scams awareness training from the Friends Against Scams initiative
The National Trading Standards Scams Team (NTSST)
30th July, 5pm
Don’t get hooked by scammers! What you need to know about flubot and phishing scams
Christopher Budd, Senior Global Threat Communications Manager, Avast
How to book your place
You can click on the links within this message on each of the webinars topics to register your place or you can go to www.ourwatch.org.uk/webinars and click on the webinar that you wish to attend, you can attend all of them if you wish and so make sure that you complete the registration page for each of them.
New Police Fraud Awareness Groups
For anyone on Facebook. In a bid to help reduce the number of victims of fraud in our area, Humberside Police have launched a brand new Facebook group – Humberside Police Fraud Awareness Group. They are asking you to take part and share details of fraudulent calls, texts and emails so that they can raise awareness of the techniques being used locally by fraudsters.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/hpfraudawareness
Citizens Advice advice
Have a read. Citizens Advice have shared what they’ve learned over the past year as they support people with scams. In particular:
Anyone can fall victim to scams.
Scammers change their tactic regularly
Investment scams are on the rise.
And the importance of reporting scams.
Read a summary of their article here.
And finally
Final reminder that any Phishing scams can be reported to SERS (Suspicious Email Reporting Service): report@phishing.gov.uk So if you get one – pass it on.
And an interesting website for you – the Facebook page for GetSafeOnline https://www.facebook.com/GetSafeOnline/
More fraud and scam advice next week. Please make sure you’re sharing advice with your family, friends and neighbours.