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The Fraud & Scam Bulletin November 2024 Your monthly update direct from West Mercia Police on the latest scams and frauds

BLACK FRIDAY

Are they bargains or scams ?

Whilst “Black Friday” is a relatively new event in the UK, it did not take long for criminals to seize another opportunity to defraud unsuspecting members of the public of their hard-earned cash.

Although Black Friday started life on the last Friday in November, this year, as in previous years, seems to start earlier and earlier each year and the adverts are already appearing on our TV screens.

So take your time –

  • In the heat of the moment, it can be hard to tell if it is a bargain or a scam, especially in the run up to Black Friday!
  • Criminals may try to trick you into purchasing goods/services that don’t exist by advertising them at too good to be true prices.
  • Protect your money and information by only using retailers you trust, or authorised sellers named on official websites when shopping for deals online.
  • Beware of Phishing emails that appear to come from reputable retailers with “too good to miss” offers, never click on links in emails from unrecognised senders
  • Check out the security of the Website by looking for the Error! Hyperlink reference not valid. in the website address and the padlock symbol which should be in the address bar, and not in the body of the site, as confirmation of a website’s security
  • Fake websites can copy mainstream online retailers and enticing buyers with unbeatable prices, always stick with well-known, reputable retailers online
  • Some online sellers may be selling counterfeit products at Black Friday prices

 

SPOTTED AN ULTRA-LOW PRICE FOR A SOLD-OUT GAMES CONSOLE?

#TAKEFIVE – IT COULD BE A SCAM.

  • Does the offer sound too good to be true? Are they refusing to provide you with additional photos? Do they want you to pay up front by bank transfer?
  • Only use the secure payment method recommended by retailers and auction sites, where possible, use a credit card for purchases over £100 and up to £30,000 as you receive protection under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act.

Please feel free to share these messages with any vulnerable friends, relatives or neighbours

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IF YOU THINK YOU ARE BEING SCAMMED

OR DO NOT RECOGNISE THE CONTACT

Take Five to Stop Fraud

  • STOP: Taking a moment to stop and think before parting with your money or information could keep you safe.
  • CHALLENGE: Could it be fake? It’s okay to reject, refuse or ignore any requests. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you.
  • PROTECT: Contact your bank immediately if you think you’ve fallen for a scam and report it to Action Fraud

If you’ve fallen for a scam, report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or via actionfraud.police.uk.

Scam Text messages can be forwarded to 7726 to help phone providers take early action and block numbers that generate spam on their networks. Scam mobile calls can also be forwarded to 7726, followed by the word “CALL”, then the scam phone number

Forward Fake Emails received to report@phishing.gov.uk

For further information visit:

https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/    https://takefive-stopfraud.org.uk/

 

Replacement of Stile with Gate – HY 544 at The Leys

Honeybourne PROW volunteers with the help of  WCC footpath officer replaced the stile with a 1.2m self-closing pedestrian gate.  This will allow easy access for push chairs.

a cone shaped like a bird

Christmas Tree Light Switch on and Craft Fayre

Join us for an evening of fun and festivities on Friday 29th November. We have something for all the family!
• Christmas Tree Light Switch On
• Carol Singing
• The Alcester Silver Band
• FREE Merry-Go-Round rides for children
• Balloon modelling
• Raffle with super prizes
• Delicious hot food
• Hot Drinks, Wine & Beer
• Meet Santa
Why not visit the craft & gift market for some Christmas shopping. There is so much on offer……
• From woodwork to steelwork
• From decorations to Christmas Cards
• From jewellery to walking sticks
• From cakes to pet gifts
• From crystals to textiles
• From accessories, toiletries to that perfect gift
• Everything is original and unique
………WE HAVE IT ALL so come and enjoy the festivities
There will be no parking at the village hall

AN INVITATION TO ATTEND THE GWR POPPIES TO PADDINGTON EVENT ON Monday 11th NOVEMBER 2024 AT HONEYBOURNE STATION

Great Western Railway have invited the Chair of Honeybourne Parish Council to participate in their Poppies to Paddington event. This will take place on Monday 11th November at 7:57am on Platform 2, when the Chair will hand a poppy wreath to the GWR team at the door of the leading First Class carriage.

On arrival at Paddington Station the wreath will be placed at the War Memorial on Platform 1 along with dozens of other wreaths from across the GWR network.

GWR have been running the Poppy Trains for five years, since Covid, when local Armistice Day ceremonies were not possible.  The Poppy Trains became very popular and GWR were asked if they would continue to run them. The Chair hopes you will be able to join him at the station on the morning of 11th November.  This year, the event is specifically commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and the 80th anniversary of D-Day.

 

Have your Say!

Evesham Neighbourhood Team will be in the car park at Honeybourne Village Hall

Saturday 19th October from 0900-1000 hours

The Team will also be at the following locations on;-

Friday 18th October – Sedgeberrow Village Hall car park, 1400-1500

Sunday 20th October – Meon Way Gardens, Langate Fields 0900-1000

Wednesday 23rd October – Broadway Signpost, Russell Square 1000-1100 

Thursday 24th October – The Old Post Office Shop, Beckford, 11.30 -12.30

Friday 25th October, Wayside Farm shop, Wickhamford drop in, 1200-1300

It is your opportunity to raise any concerns and to find out what the local Neighbourhood Team are doing to tackle the issues that matter to you.

All are welcome!

a yellow and black train traveling down train tracks

Advance notice of HS2 work affecting GWR services

We’re getting in touch as the construction of the HS2 station at Old Oak Common just to the west of London Paddington continues, meaning the railway into London Paddington will be closed on Sunday 17 November and between 27 and 29 December this year. At the same time, Network Rail will also be carrying out track maintenance designed to improve punctuality and reliability of services in the Thames Valley area.

All lines between Ealing Broadway and London Paddington will be closed on these dates, as well as the usual Christmas closedown of all GWR service on 25 and 26 December.

We will be diverting some of our high-speed services from Devon & Cornwall, and South Wales to London Euston instead of London Paddington. These services will be reservation only and will not call at Reading.

On Sunday 17 November, all other GWR services will start/terminate at Reading, where customers can change for Elizabeth Line services to Ealing Broadway and then from there to London Underground. We’ll also have ticket acceptance in place on Chiltern (from Oxford) and SWR services into London Marylebone and London Waterloo respectively. The Night Riviera sleeper will instead run to/from London Euston instead of Paddington. More information on this date is available at www.gwr.com/engineering.

Between 27 and 29 December, we will again be running some of our Devon & Cornwall and South Wales services into London Euston, with other high-speed services terminating at Reading. Our services from Didcot Parkway will terminate at Ealing Broadway, with some extended back to Swindon, Bristol Parkway or Cardiff Central. Again customers can use the London Underground from Ealing Broadway into Central London, as well as Chiltern (from Oxford) and SWR services too.

Our Thames Valley branch line services (Greenford, Windsor, Marlow, and Henley) are unaffected by these works. I should say too that the Heathrow Express will not be running to the airport on the dates listed above or Saturday 16th November.

All the revised journey details have been updated and are now in online journey planners.  Customers buying tickets for these dates will therefore have the right information about their services. We have also set up a dedicated page for more information at www.gwr.com/christmas. We will be making customers aware through traditional and social media, on board and at station announcements, as well as station posters. We will also have GWR colleagues based at London Euston on the affected dates to help customers who may be unfamiliar with travelling from there.

Old Oak Common is the most significant addition to the UK’s railway network in more than a century. Once complete HS2 will link the country’s key cities of Birmingham and London with fast, reliable services, while easing congestion on the existing network. We’re working with HS2 to rigorously plan the construction work to reduce the impact on customers as much as possible, with much of the work taking place overnight and at weekends when regular maintenance takes place on the railway.

We’re also working across the industry to understand the impact of Old Oak Common on GWR services and our timetable once the station build is complete and HS2 services start – again we will keep you updated on any news.

GWR Public Affairs.

 

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The Fraud & Scam Bulletin October 2024 Your monthly update direct from West Mercia Police on the latest scams and frauds

ROMANCE FRAUDS

Romance Frauds continue to cause both financial and mental harm to their victims, hence our need to cover this topic more frequently to make everyone aware of its dangers.

Whilst the majority of people using dating sites are genuine and honest, users should always be vigilant when discovering new relationships online to protect yourself and your bank account.

Check that the dating site you are using is a member of the Online Dating Association (ODA) which offers levels of protection, and also a means to report abuse of the site online. Never be afraid to report a suspected scammer to the ODA, as you should not be the person to feel ashamed.

Ways to spot a Scam:

  • Remember scammers after only one thing – your money
  • Do not provide too much personal information on a Dating Site profile
  • Look out for spelling and grammatical errors in their Profile
  • The person you are talking to tries to get you to move from the dating site onto a Chat site early in the relationship
  • Declarations of love start flowing too early in the contact; they will tug at your heartstrings and send messages of tenderness or neediness
  • Scammer will play on your emotions with sad stories about needing money to exit a country, or to come and meet you, or for finance for medical expenses for sick relations and many, many more plausible stories
  • Never respond to requests to send money to someone you have only just met and especially if they ask for payments by Gift Cards or Bitcoins which may be untraceable afterwards
  • Scammers may suggest they want to send you money, and ask you for details of your bank account so they can then access it – NEVER give out bank account details
  • Beware of requests for finance to help set up a new business, or even to pay for an ongoing business operation
  • Never share personal images of yourself that are revealing and inappropriate with anyone you have never met; these very often lead to blackmail situations
  • Scammers may also request money to be sent to a named bank account, but the name on that account will not be the one from their online profile, and may well be in another country

And finally, never be rushed into making any decision, if you are unsure then sign off, talk to a friend or relative and if still unsure, block that contact to save any further problems.

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DVSA Scam

Texts have been circulating recently claiming to be from the DVSA and telling the recipient they “Have a Parking penalty due”

and “if you do not pay your fine on time, your car may be banned from driving, you might have to pay more or you could be taken to court”

Firstly, DVSA does not deal with parking fines so never send such texts, and secondly the texts are easily recognised by the date format, as well as spelling and grammatical errors.

Do not click any links in the message, but just delete it straightaway.

Please feel free to share this information with any family, friends, or neighbours that you think it may be able to assist.

 

IF YOU THINK YOU ARE BEING SCAMMED

OR DO NOT RECOGNISE THE CONTACT

Take Five to Stop Fraud

  • STOP: Taking a moment to stop and think before parting with your money or information could keep you safe.
  • CHALLENGE: Could it be fake? It’s okay to reject, refuse or ignore any requests. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you.
  • PROTECT: Contact your bank immediately if you think you’ve fallen for a scam

and report it to Action Fraud

 

If you’ve fallen for a scam, report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or via actionfraud.police.uk.

Scam Text messages can be forwarded to 7726 to help phone providers take early action and block numbers that generate spam on their networks. Scam mobile calls can also be forwarded to 7726, followed by the word “CALL”, then the scam phone number

Forward Fake Emails received to report@phishing.gov.uk

For further information visit:

https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/    https://takefive-stopfraud.org.uk/

 

 

 

 

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The Fraud & Scam Bulletin SEPTEMBER 2024 Your monthly update direct from West Mercia Police on the latest scams and frauds

Honeybourne PROW Volunteers

Live Music with Micky Dee at Honeybourne Village Hall