Wednesday 24 August 2016

@NAT - Action Fraud Update Don't Be a Money Mule and more


Don't Be a Money Mule

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Action Fraud (Action Fraud, Administrator, National)

Students are being recruited, sometimes unwittingly, as “mules” by criminals to transfer illegally obtained money between different bank accounts.

What is a money mule?
A money mule is someone who is recruited by those needing to launder money obtained illegally. Criminals advertise fake jobs in newspapers and on the internet in a number of ways, usually offering opportunities to make money quickly, in order to lure potential money mule recruits. These include:

Social media posts
Copying genuine company’s websites to create impression of legitimacy
Sending mass emails offering employment
Targeting individuals that have posted their CVs on employment websites

Students are particularly susceptible to adverts of this nature. For someone in full-time education, the opportunity for making money quickly can understandably be an attractive one. The mule will accept money into their bank account, before following further instructions on what to do with the funds. Instructions could include transferring the money into a separate specified account or withdrawing the cash and forwarding it on via money transfer service companies like Western Union or MoneyGram. The mule is generally paid a small percentage of the funds as they pass through their account.

Money Laundering is a criminal offence which can lead to prosecution and a custodial sentence. Furthermore, it can lead to the mule being unable to obtain credit in the UK and prevented from holding a bank account.
 
Protect Yourself
Be aware that the offence of money laundering carries a maximum prison sentence, in the UK, of 14 years.
Never give the details of your bank account to anyone that you do not trust.
No legitimate company will ever ask you to use your own bank account to transfer their money. Don’t accept any job offers that ask you to do this.
Be wary of unsolicited emails or social media posts promising ways of earning easy money. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Don’t be afraid to question the legitimacy of any businesses that make you a job offer, especially if the recruitment procedure strays from the conventional. 

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Inheritance fraud
Mobile phone upgrade fraud
Fraudsters selling non-existent drones

@WAS - Community Messages (Summary)


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Tuesday 23 August 2016

@WAR - Looking to grow or start your small business?


Based in Warwickshire? Looking to grow or start your business?
Warwickshire County Council is delighted to announce the launch of the "Coventry & Warwickshire Business Support Programme" and you are invited to attend one of two events:-
Thursday 22nd September 2016,  7.30 am - 10.30 am,  Town Hall Leamington Spa, CV32 4AT 
Thursday 13th October 2016, 7.30am - 10.30am, Memorial Hall Atherstone CV9 1AX
The programme provides an integrated and flexible support service to businesses with less than 250 employees and is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund. The services consist of one-to-one and one-to-many support activities, and are targeted at new start-ups and established businesses with growth potential. The support is provided by a range of experienced local providers and includes:
·      Support to people looking to start a business
·      Support to help established businesses address barriers to growth
·      Specialist sector support
·      Workshops, events and seminars to provide networking and supply chain opportunities
·      Support with accessing finance e.g. grants, small business loans
·      Referrals to other specialist business support programmes
·      Recruitment service designed to meet the needs of employees
·      Support on improving health & wellbeing in the workplace
Four 15-minute taster-sessions will run on the day covering:
·      Thinking of Starting a Business?
·      Access to Finance
·      Top Tips for Business Planning
·      Introduction to Social Media.
For further information please contact Coventry & Warwickshire Growth Hub: Tel: 0300 60 3747 Email: contact@cwgrowthhub.co.uk
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/coventry-warwickshire-business-support-programme-launch-atherstone-tickets-27044858901

Thursday 11 August 2016

@WAR - NW entry in September's Compton Chronicle

 FENNY COMPTON NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH

BBC iPlayer and the TV Licence - The law has changed, you now need a licence to watch programmes on i-player http://bit.do/iplayer

Community Messaging Service (CMS) - Did you know that the current service from Warwickshire Police will be changing wef 1st September. Anyone who receives police messages at the moment will have received a request to join up to the new system which is available to all residents of Warwickshire. Just go to www.warwickshire.police.uk/cms or the NW Blog for more information.


CyberTip - Selling online? Beware of anyone offering to pay the full asking price without viewing the goods. If they say that they work on a oil rig (or other place that would make a visit impractical) and will send a courier to pick up the item the next step is to ask for a courier fee and send a fake email confirming that payment has been made. Read more: http://bit.do/advancefee

@NAT - Advance Fee Fraud (Courier)

Subject: Advance Fee Fraud (Courier)


This is a message sent via Neighbourhood Watch. This information has been sent on behalf of Action Fraud (National Fraud Intelligence Bureau)
Message sent by
Action Fraud (Action Fraud, Administrator, National)

People selling their items on online platforms are falling victim to a new type of advance fee fraud. This involves a fraudster, posing as a buyer, sending an email to the seller (victim), agreeing to the full asking price of the item. They state that they are unable to collect the item themselves and will arrange for a courier to pick it up instead.

The fraudster then sends a fake payment confirmation email from a different email address, one which falsely purports to be from a payment platform. In the course of the email exchange, the seller/victim is requested to pay the courier fee. Once the payment is made the contact is broken, the item is not picked up and the money paid for the ‘courier’ is gone.


An example of the most recent emails received by the victim/seller, from the ‘Buyer’, read:


“I want you to consider this a deal as i am willing to pay your full asking price! i actually want to buy it for a family member who is urgently in need of it, i have checked through your posting and i'm fully satisfied with it. Unfortunately, i would not be able to come personally to view/collect, i work offshore as an instructor on a oil rig so i dont have time at all, but like i said i am 100% OK with the advert”

Protect Yourself:

  • Be wary when buyers wish to purchase items at the full asking price without viewing them.
  • Check the validity of the payment receipt confirmation
  • Avoid paying an advanced fee if you are a seller; should you choose to use a courier, arrange your own.
  • Check feedback online by searching the associated phone numbers or email addresses of the seller/buyer. Feedback will give you useful information about recent transactions other buyers/sellers have made.
  • If you, or anyone you know, have been affected by this fraud or any other scam, report it to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040 or visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk.

Tuesday 2 August 2016

@WAR - Warwickshire Police Update

Burglary at home in Snowford Hill, Long Itchington

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Rural Watch Bulletin - 2 August 2016

Please be aware of the following incidents, which have occurred at farms and rural premises, across Warwickshire, over recent days:

  • Incident 394 of 29 July - Long ItchingtonBetween 9.45am and 8.10pm on 29 July, offenders broke into a caravan, used as a dwelling, at a farm premises in Long Itchington.The offenders entered through a rear window and carried out a very untidy search before making off with watches, bracelets, cash and the keys to a Vauxhall van.  The offenders then used the keys to steal the vehicle.
  • Incident 90 of 2 August - NuneatonDuring the night of 31 July into 1 August, offenders entered a waste recycling premises in Tuttle hill, Nuneaton, unbolted the doors and locking mechanism of a shipping storage container and then stole electrical items from inside.
  • Incident 135 of 1 August - MaxstokeAt some point before 11.30am on 1 August, offenders entered and insecure outbuilding at a farm premises in Maxstoke, Coleshill and stole a black wheelchair.
  • Incident 279 of 1 August - MeridenAt 2am on 29 July, offenders attempted to break into an outbuilding at a rural business premises in Meriden Road, Fillongley by using a jemmy on the door.  This activated the intruder alarm and the offenders very quickly made off.  Nothing was stolen.
  • Incident 80 of 1 August - StocktonBetween 4pm on 29 July and 7am on 1 August, offenders stole a diesel bowser from a secure building site in Rugby Road, Stockton.  The offenders are believed to have accessed the site by travelling over nearby fields.

Please remain alert, on the lookout for suspicious persons, vehicles or activity around your own or neighbouring homes and please report anything of concern, to Police, on 101.