Crime: 24 November 2014
 

There was a case of ‘Identity Theft’ reported in Ascot.  A resident has found out several bank accounts have been opened in their name.  They found out, when paperwork was delivered to their address.  As each letter arrived, they made contact with the appropriate Fraud departments of the banks concerned.  They have suffered no losses, as the banks have dealt internally, with any amounts involved.
 
If you get the slightest hint your identity has been compromised, you must do something about it immediately.  Letters addressed to someone else at your address, as well as addressed to you, but you know nothing about them, must be acted upon immediately.  These situations will not go away and will only get worse.
 
Report them immediately to ActionFraud.  You can do this online at:
 
http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/report_fraud
 
CREDIT CARD SCAMS:
As we approach Christmas, there are going to be more and more scam attempts, as we use our cards more frequently.  It is an easy trick, to say that someone has got our card details and is using them.
 
Your personal details, can be purchased very cheaply - from the many online telephone directories.  For £2.50 per entry, you can specify exactly what information you want.  I can ask for a list of all those over 65, who live in RBWM, who own their own homes and perhaps, who live alone !  Everyone needs to be aware that this sort and amount of detailed information, about each and every one of us, is now freely available.  It may be a sensible precaution, to make a list of bank / credit / debit card account phone numbers, so that you have them to hand easily and quickly, should you receive a suspicious call.  It could save vital time.
 
I have had this in from Brian:
 
Hi Jeff.
 
I have just received a telephone call on my land line. The caller has a Scottish accent and telephoned today.
 
He asked if he could speak to me by name.  He quoted my full name and asked if I had recently purchased an item on line, for £900.  I told him it wasn’t me and I rang off.
 
I was sure this was a scammer.  Have you any knowledge of a Scottish male carrying out this sort of scam ? I have the Phone number he was using from 1471.
 
Having checked my Barclays Visa Account today, I can confirm that this call, was a scam. The guy has not called again.
 
The worrying thing is that something very similar happened to me about 8 months ago – which was genuine !
 
My wife received about three calls, from the same person, saying, that he was a Barclaycard representative.  He wanted to know if we had recently used our card.  Each time she said no and rang off.
 
The fourth time, the same Irish voiced male pleaded with her to just listen, to what he had to say.  We did this and he asked us if we had used our Barclaycard on two occasions that day (It was a Sunday) - one of £20 and the other £30.  When I said no, he replied fine, I am cancelling your card now.  We would receive a new card in due course.  He added that the old one would no longer be useable.  We would also receive a letter and form to fill in, from Barclays Anti Fraud department, which we would confirm that neither of us, had purchased the £50 worth of phone top ups that had been fraudulently purchased.
 
The outcome was in fact fine.  We had a full refund and did not have to pay the £50 that had been spent by a thief.
 
Kind Regards. Brian
 
All I can say is – never deal with them on the phone, at that moment.  Always say you will phone them back – not using any phone number they give you – hence the list of phone numbers above.
 
I recently had one of these calls, but only after my card had been stopped.  ‘Unusual expenditure’.
 
I am about to go on my usual December Annual Leave and had been sitting late at night, booking flights / hotels and tours, across Cambodia and Vietnam.  I was really confused that after booking the first one or two, my card no longer worked and I had to use a different one.  A few days later, I received one of these calls on my answer-phone, and I very nearly didn’t bother to phone back – I am glad I did.  ‘Was it you, booking these hotels etc’ ? – YES !  ‘Oh’ !  ‘We put a stop your card as a precaution’ !!  I was not best pleased – If that had happened while I was on a ‘san pan’ up the deepest Mekong, it would have been very difficult to resolve !
 
FOUND DOG IN PEASCOD STREET OVER THE WEEKEND:
I have attached a photo of a dog which was found in Peascod Street, Windsor on Saturday the 22^nd November.  It has been sent to the Windsor Dog Warden.
 
MAIDENHEAD CENTRAL:
maidenheadcentralnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
Your Neighbourhood Page on TVP's Website - Click Here
22/11  Saturday 4.15 p.m. / 9 p.m.  Leighton Gardens.  Burglary.  Offenders must have climbed up the outside and forced a first floor bedroom window and climbed in.  Untidy search – watches X 2, bracelet, necklaces X 2, rings X 2, handbags X 3 – Chanel, Louis Vuitton, clothing and cash stolen.
21/9 - 21/11  Fernly Court.  Garage break.  Door forced.  Boxes inside searched – Morphy Richards kettle, Morphy Richards toaster, microwave, cutlery, hoover, suitcase, clothing and sunglasses stolen.  Opportunist thieves, don’t only steal valuable items !  We all have something, they consider worth stealing !
 
RIVERSIDE & BELMONT:
maidenheadcentralnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
NO CRIME TO REPORT.
 
MAIDENHEAD WEST
BISHAM, COOKHAM, HURLEY, THE WALTHAMS, LITTLEWICK GREEN & KNOWL HILL:
Your Neighbourhood Page on TVP's Website - Click Here
24/11 Monday 3.30 a.m.  Lower Road, Cookham.  Rear of a shop entered via smashed glass in the rear door.  Utility room entered.  They then forced an internal door to the shop and stole the cash box.  Whole building searched.  A Stihl chain saw was also stolen.
23/11 – 24/11  Sunday 10 p.m. / Monday 8.30 a.m.  Winter Hill, Cookham.  Shed break.  Door forced and shed searched – nothing stolen.
19/11 – 21/11  Wednesday 6 p.m. / Friday 6 p.m.  Scout Hut, Winter Hill Road.  CCTV wires cut.
 
PINKNEYS GREEN & FURZE PLATT:
maidenheadwestnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
24/11  Sunday 0.45 a.m.  Business Centre, Gardner Road.  The owner of a car put the keys back in through the letterbox.  In the morning it appears someone has smashed the glass in the door to remove the keys and steal the car – a Silver VW Polo index WL ** DFD.
 
MAIDENHEAD SOUTH
BOYN HILL, COX GREEN & WOODLANDS PARK:
maidenheadsouthnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
Your Neighbourhood Page on TVP's Website - Click Here
23/11 – 24/11  Sunday 2 p.m. / Monday 7 a.m.  Garthlands.  Car badly keyed.
 
OLDFIELD & BRAY:
maidenheadsouthnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
NO CRIME TO REPORT.
 
MEMBERS’ COMMENTS:
 
Re my supplemental message on Friday re people calling at your front door asking for all sorts of things:
Hi Jeff
 
Given most people’s natural instinct is to be a Good Samaritan another option perhaps:
 
“Wait there: I’m sorry, but I do just need to ring the police to check, because there have been reports of door to door scammers in the area”
 
Needless to say, one can assume if they are fraudulent they won’t be there, by the time someone returns!
 
Chris