Neighbourhood Watch

Added 31/10/2017

North Yorkshire Police have been made aware, you may also have heard/read in the news, of a scam where people are being emailed with false Notice of Intended Prosecution letters (NIP) regarding alleged speeding offences. North Yorkshire Police is keen to alert people to the fact that these are scam communications and are not sent from their Traffic Bureau department. A genuine NIP (Notice of Intended Prosecution, Section 172 request for driver details) is sent by first class post or recorded delivery, along with a request to identify the driver at the time of the offence. There would not be a request for any form of payment at this stage. The letter would also carry the North Yorkshire Police crest. People are urged not to make any payment in response to these emails and not to click on any links contained. Police are advising that if a member of the public receives a NIP and is unsure of its legitimacy, they can visit the FAQ section of the Safety Camera pages on the North Yorkshire Police website https://northyorkshire.police.uk/what-we-do/road-policing/safety-cameras/ Alternatively North Yorkshire Police Traffic Bureau can be contacted via email TrafficBureau@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk or by dialling 01904 618968 Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm.

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Added 24/04/17




From the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau – City of London Police Fraudsters are sending out a high volume of phishing emails to personal and business email addresses, pretending to come from various email addresses, which have been compromised. The subject line contains the recipient’s name, and the main body of text is as below: “Hi, (name)! I am disturbing you for a very serious reason. Although we are not familiar, but I have significant amount of individual info concerning you. The thing is that, most likely mistakenly, the data of your account has been emailed to me. For instance, your address is: (real home address) I am a law-abiding citizen, so I decided to personal data may have been hacked. I attached the file – (surname).dot that I received, that you could explore what info has become obtainable for scammers. File password is – 2811 Best Wishes,” The emails include an attachment – a ‘.dot’ file usually titled with the recipient’s name. This attachment is thought to contain the Banking Trojan Ursniff/Gozi, hidden within an image in the document. The Ursniff Banking Trojan attempts to obtain sensitive data from victims, such as banking credentials and passwords. The data is subsequently used by criminals for monetary gain. Protection Advice Having up-to-date virus protection is essential; however it will not always prevent your device(s) from becoming infected. Please consider the following actions: · Don’t click on links or open any attachments you receive in unsolicited emails or SMS messages: Remember that fraudsters can ‘spoof’ an email address to make it look like one used by someone you trust. If you are unsure, check the email header to identify the true source of communication (you can find out how by searching the internet for relevant advice for your email provider). · Do not enable macros in downloads; enabling macros will allow Trojan/malware to be installed onto your device. · Always install software updates as soon as they become available. Whether you are updating the operating system or an application, the update will often include fixes for critical security vulnerabilities. · Create regular backups of your important files to an external hard drive, memory stick or online storage provider. It is important that the device you back up to is not connected to your computer as any malware infection could spread to that as well. · If you think your bank details have been compromised, you should contact your bank immediately. · If you have been affected by this or any other fraud, report it to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040, or visit www.actionfraud.police.uk.

Added 20/02/17

Bogus fish sellers

Beware of Fish Sellers who are cold calling Ryedale residents trying to persuade them to buy large quantities of fish they neither want nor need.

Added 20/02/17





The Little Book of Big Scams – please use this link Every year, the British public loses billions of pounds to scammers who bombard us with online, mail, door-to-door and telephone scams. This booklet does not contain all the answers but to avoid being a victim you need to be aware that someone who is not suspicious and has a trusting nature is a prime target for a scammer. Be suspicious and remember if it sounds too good to be true it probably is.




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Added 23/01/17




4 dangerous WhatsApp scams you need to know about As WhatsApp adds its billionth user, take a look at some of the common scams and tricks virtual conmen try using the messaging service. You just need to con a tiny fraction of these users to make serious money. Fraudsters using WhatsApp often try to persuade you to hand over details that can be used in identity theft, such as your name and address. Other scams will try to install malware – malicious software – on your phone. This effectively spies on you and collects information that can be used for sinister purposes. A third type of tricksters just starts charging you for services that should be free. So what should we be looking out for? 1. The voicemail You’ve been left a voicemail. But what is it? You just need to press the helpfully large ‘Listen’ button to hear the message. But rather than revealing a mystery caller, the button leads you to a dodgy website that tries to install malware on your phone. The website Hoax Slayer says: “Be wary of any email that claims that you have a voice message from WhatsApp and should click a button to hear it. “Genuine WhatsApp voice messages will be delivered via the app itself, not via a separate email.” 2. The vouchers Aldi, Sainsbury’s and M&S have recently warned shoppers over the scam. Watch out for fake vouchers! You get pinged a link on WhatsApp. It promises you a discount at a supermarket or retailer. In return, you have to fill in a short survey. The link takes you to a counterfeit website, and when you plug your details in it goes straight to the scammers. 3. The ‘premium’ version You see an ad for WhatsApp Gold, an exclusive service with special emoticons JUST FOR YOU. In an instant, you download it. In fact, you’ve downloaded a fee-paying messaging service. From enjoying free messages, you’ll go to paying for every single text you happily type out. 4. The Spy App You stumble across a WhatsApp Spy app that allows you to see what your friends and colleagues are saying to each other on the messaging service. You download the link provided at once. There is no way of listening in to other people’s conversations on WhatsApp . Instead, you’ve just signed up to a fee-paying messaging service. Whats App advice about scams: The team behind WhatsApp doesn’t appreciate fraudsters jumping on the instant messaging bandwagon. The WhatsApp blog confirms it does not send messages to us and it warns us to be particularly cautious of messages where: •The sender claims to be affiliated with WhatsApp •The message content includes instructions to forward the message •The message claims you can avoid punishment, like account suspension, if you forward the message •The message content includes a reward or gift

Added 22/11/16

Facebook/Twitter Accounts Ryedale Police has a new facebook twitter accounts Which can be found at www.facebook.com/ryedalepolice @RyedalePolice

New leaflet on scams issued by Metropolitan Police
http://www.met.police.uk/docs/little-book-cyber-scams.pdf

Added 18/10/16

SCAMS and COLD CALLERS

There have been reports of a scam taking place around the Country where an individual knocks on the door and offers ”cheap” goods for sale. They pretend to be either dumb or part of a rehabilitation scheme. In fact they are checking the house to see who is in and the security measures in place. It is even said that if someone buys something they will be able to sniff the note to tell if it comes from a bundle meaning cash is kept in the house. Sometime later another similar person will come back to check the first “report” and burglaries have been known to follow.

Please keep a lookout for such events, especially if there are elderly neighbours or relatives in the neighbourhood.

The following cold callers have been reported in the County. Fish sellers who are often aggressive towards the elderly, workmen who say they come from nearby roadworks and have surplus tarmac for sale and a Company using an 01642 number wanting addresses to make home visits to discuss security systems. The number is false.

Added 25/09/16





There is a phishing email currently in circulation that claims to be from the City of London Police. The departments that it claims to represent include the ‘Fraud Intelligence Unit’ and the ‘National Fraud Intelligence Bureau’. The email is titled ‘compensation fund’ and has a letter attachment that claims to be offering financial compensation to victims of fraud. The letter uses the City of London Police logo. The letter states that in order for compensation to be arranged, the receiver of the email should reply disclosing personal information. It states that HSBC and the South African Reserve Bank have been chosen to handle the compensation claims. All of these claims are false. The email and letter are fraudulent and should not be replied to and should be deleted. Opening attachments or clicking links contained within emails from unknown sources could result in your device being infected with malware or a virus. The City of London Police and the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau will never email you asking for you to disclose personal information. If you believe you have become a victim of this fraudulent email get your device checked by a professional and make a report to Action Fraud, the UK’s national fraud and cybercrime reporting centre: www.actionfraud.police.uk





We have launched a new app to help you get the most from North Yorkshire Community Messaging. Our app, now available to download for iOS and Android devices, lets you receive push notifications straight to your phone or tablet. It also takes advantage of geolocation technology, allowing you to receive important alerts wherever you are in North Yorkshire – crucial for avoiding road closures, helping to find missing people and even staying safe during a large-scale emergency. If you currently receive alerts via text or email, you may want to consider switching to push notifications to give you even greater control over when and how you receive our messages. The North Yorkshire Community Messaging app is free, and available via the App Store for iPhone and iPad, and Google Play for Android devices. Just search for “North Yorkshire Community Messaging”, or visit www.nycm.co.uk.

Added 24/08/16

Subject: Online shopping

Online shopping websites are being utilised by fraudsters to advertise nonexistent drones of various specifications for competitive prices. Drones are personal flying devices that often carry cameras and can be navigated remotely by smartphones or hand-held controllers. Fraudsters are capitalising on their recent popularity and advertising non-existent drones at a lower value than their recommended retail price to tempt buyers. After victims agree to purchase the drone, the fraudsters request payment to be paid via bank transfer saying that it will quicken the delivery process. After transferring the money the buyers never receive the drone and the fraudster blocks the victim to prevent further conversation. How to protect yourself: • Check the validity of the post. • Avoid paying by bank transfer and instead use an online payment option such as PayPal, which helps to protect you. • Check feedback online by searching the associated phone numbers or email addresses of the seller. Feedback will give you useful information about recent transactions other buyers may have made. • If the item is below market value consider whether this is an opportunity too good to be true. • If you have been affected by this, or any other scam, report it to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040, or visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk

Added 24/08/16

Subject: Illegal tobacco

There has been an increase in counterfeit tobacco in Ryedale and Scarborough.
Often being sold to underage children.
Illegal tobacco is a way of funding large organised crime groups.
Genuine tobacco must have written and picture warnings (the writing would be in English).
If you have any concerns please contact trading standards on 01609 534810.

Added 02/08/16

Subject: Pedlars

North Yorkshire is a popular destination for travelling pedlars, also known as door-to-door sellers. Many of them have criminal records and they often state they’re operating under the Probation Service rehabilitation scheme, or something similar. The Probation Service do NOT run these sorts of schemes.

The Pedlars Act gives Officers the power to demand to see a certificate from pedlars and it’s an offence if they fail to produce one.

Many pedlars in North Yorkshire carry cards with photographs and their personal details. Don’t be fooled – these cards are NOT pedlars certificates and are completely worthless.

Pedlars certificates are documents issued by Police Forces, so will have the names of the issuing force and a Police crest.

Added: 02/08/16

On Mon 1st August 2016 in the Ryedale area a couple were flagged down whilst in their vehicle by a young Asia male, when they spoke with him he stated he had run out of petrol and had no money to buy any, he offered his gold ring in exhange. This is a scam, if you are approached/flagged down please contact NYP on 101 giving all details especially the car registration number.