Author: Fraser Pithie

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Telephone Scam operating in Warwickshire (including Kenilworth)

Whilst there are several scams operating at any one time Kenilworth Neighbourhood Watch is issuing a warning this afternoon about a telephone scam.  The scam has been tried on residents within Kenilworth in the last few days and we have made contact with Warwickshire Trading Standards earlier today to confirm the scam and seek their advice.

Consequently, Trading Standards have supported us in issuing this alert. Please make sure that any relatives that perhaps do not have computers, access to the internet or mobile phones are advised and warned. Please give particular thought to elderly people and/or those who live alone.

The scam is very clever, sounding and appearing to be very plausible. All residents that have a landline telephone can easily fall victim to this scam. The following is the actual course one of these scam calls took when it was made to a person.

Person receives a telephone call from a person stating it is BT. They informed the caller that they are disconnecting the line because of an unpaid bill. The caller then demands payment immediately, in the case we are quoting it was the sum  of £31.00 or it would be £ 118.00 to re-connect at a later date.
The caller wasn’t even fazed when the person told him they were with Virgin Media (cable TV company). He said that Virgin Media have to pay BT a percentage for line rental. (This is NOT true)
The person asked the caller’s name – he gave said John Peacock but his accent suggested he was from another continent, and as such unlikely to have such a name. He gave his phone number as 0800 0800 152.
By this time the caller realised that the person didn’t believe his story, so offered to demonstrate that he was from BT. The person asked how could he do so?  The caller told the person to hang up & try phoning someone else – he would disconnect the phone to prevent this. Such a call was indeed prevented. (How this is done is explained shortly)
The person’s phone was dead – no engaged tone, nothing. Then the caller phoned the person again. (he had cleared down the line from his end which would enable him to then call back). Very pleased with himself, the caller asked if that was enough proof that he was with BT. The person asked the caller how the payment was to be made & he said by credit card, there & then.
The person said that he didn’t know how he’d (the caller) had done it, but had absolutely no intention of paying him. The person also told him that he didn’t believe his name or that he worked for BT. The caller then hung up.
The person then dialled 1471 -number – it came back as ‘number withheld’ then they phoned the 0800 number he had given – it was not recognised. The person then telephoned the police to let them know. They were not the first! This scam has only recently started, but it is escalating.
Police advice is to let as many people as possible know of this scam. The fact that the phone does go off would probably convince some people it’s real, so please make as many friends & family aware of this.
How is the prevention of a call done?  Its good but not that clever. The caller gave the wrong number – it should have been 0800 800 152 which takes you through to BT Business.
The cutting off of the line is very simple, the caller actually stays on the line with the mute button on so you can’t dial out – but he can hear you trying. (This is because the person who initiates a call is the one to terminate it). When you stop trying he cuts off and immediately calls back. You could almost be convinced!
The sad thing is that it is so simple that it will certainly fool many. By the way this is not about getting the £31 cash as this would not get past merchant services.  It is all about getting the credit card details which include the security number. This is then used  for larger purchases or a spending spree.
If you have been affected or are concerned in anyway please contact Warwickshire Trading Standards. More information is available at http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk. Telephone number 01926 410410
If you have received such a call and provided any personal credit card or banking details contact your credit ard or bank IMMEDIATELY to advise them and get your cards stopped.
PLEASE REMEMBER TO ALERT AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE SO THEY DO NOT FALL VICTIM TO THIS  DECEPTION.
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Kenilworth Crime Alert – 5 April 2013

Kenilworth Residents are being urged by Warwickshire Police and Neighbourhood Watch to be much more vigilant after a spate of burglaries in various parts of the town have taken place this week.

 

Police advise that it seems most of the crimes are being committed between 1800hrs through to the early hours of the morning.

 

Since Wednesday 3 April this week there have been  5 burglaries in Kenilworth.

 

Homes in Eden Croft, High St and Thornby Avenue have been hit with two more homes now added to the list for which we have not yet got details from Warwickshire Police apart from confirmation that they are in Kenilworth.  We ask that everyone remains vigilant and alert.

 

If you see:

 

  • any suspicious persons, vehicles or activity in your area

 

  • people you do not recognise going from door to door

 

Please contact Warwickshire Police immediately on 101 to report what you have seen.

 

Please dial 999 in an emergency or if you believe that a burglary maybe in progress.

 

Don’t leave it to others to report things, they may think the same as you, that someone else will report it and in the event no one reports it! Kenilworth is normally a low crime area so please do not become alarmed or seriously worried.

 

Warwickshire Police have increased patrols across the town but they need us to play our part by keeping a keen and close lookout for what is going on around us in our neighbourhood. We want to keep our community a low crime area but that requires all of us to play our part.

 

If you require any assistance or crime prevention advice please contact the Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) for Kenilworth on 01926 684404.

You can email the SNT at:  kenilworth.snt@warwickshire.police.uk 

 

This Crime Alert was published by Crown Watch, providing Neighbourhood Watch for Windy Arbour North, Tulip Tree Avenue and the eastern end of  Whitemoor Road. It has also been posted on the Kenilworth Neighbourhood Watch website at: http://www.kenilworth.wordpress.com

 

Remember, if you see something going on that looks suspicious don’t delay call the Police.

Click below for printed Crime Alert

Crime Alert 5 April 2013

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Vigilance Needed – 3 Burglaries in One Night – High St, Eden Croft and Thornby Avenue, Kenilworth

Residents are being asked to be vigilant as burglars visited Kenilworth overnight on the 2 and 3 April 2013. If you see or hear anything out of the ordinary then please check what you can safely (don’t approach persons or put yourself in danger), but if what you can see or hear seems suspicious then it probably is. In these circumstances, don’t delay or think someone else will do something, pick up the phone and dial 999.
Please see details below for information on events that took place overnight between 2 and 3 April 2013 ;
Incident 68 of 3 April
  • During the night, 2 into 3 April, offenders entered a home in High Street, Kenilworth and stole the keys to a Honda vehicle.  They keys were then used to steal the vehicle from outside.
Incident 97 of 3 April
  • Also during the night, offenders smashed the rear patio doors of a home in Eden Croft, Kenilworth and entered the premises to steal several items.
Incident 110 of 3 April
  • Again during the night, 2 into 3 April, offenders entered a home in Thornby Avenue and carried out an untidy search before making off with several items.
If anyone saw anything at or near these locations, or indeed anything suspicious in and around the town on the evening of the 2 April or the early morning of 3 April please contact Warwickshire Police on 101. You can call anonymously if you wish by contacting Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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Kenilworth Update for April 2013 Now Published

Latest Kenilworth Update  (April 2013) (published by Crown Watch in support and with the assistance of Kenilworth’s Safer Neighbourhood Team and endorsed by Kenilworth’s Community Forum)

Ken Update April 2013 A

Latest Kenilworth Update  (March 2013) (published by Crown Watch in support and with the assistance of Kenilworth’s Safer Neighbourhood Team and endorsed by Kenilworth’s Community Forum)

Kenilworth SNT Update March 2013