Dumfries &
Galloway Neighbourhood Watch 
ALERTS
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At this time Dumfries
& Galloway continues to be targeted with various Scams and Bogus
Callers, see warnings on this page and Constabulary press releases. Should
you receive phone calls of e-mails regarding winning money, bargain share
offers or a bank representative asking for security details, hang up the
phone and delete the message. Should tradesmen turn up without an
appointment and offer to do works of any kind politely say NO. If you think you
require work to be done call a local tradesman for an estimate
Watch administrator
RURAL CRIMINALS OPERATING IN THE AREA
Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary are urging
members of the public to be vigilant against rural criminals.
Thieves are currently operating in the region
targeting rural homes that are vacant or those that appear to be.
In the past two weeks three quad bikes were stolen
in the Upper Nithsdale area and on Wednesday the thieves moved onto
Wigtownshire with two more bikes stolen in Newton Stewart. Four rural dwellings
in Thornhill, Sanquhar and Moffat have been targeted. A team of detectives from
Dumfries and Galloway have been designated to work on these cases and are
currently following up several lines of enquiry.
Detective Constable Scott Young from the CID said:
“While there is nothing concrete yet to prove that the same people are
responsible for all these crimes, we have noticed similarities in the approach
and methods used.
“There is every possibility that we have the same
team of criminals moving around the region targeting empty homes and stealing
from within. If so, this team of criminals are constantly on the move.
“They seem to look for good quality or high value
properties that are a bit out of the way rurally that they think are empty.
“We have increased our night patrols however the
winter conditions and the long, dark nights suit the thieves in committing
their crimes.
“These criminals appear to be professional and
ruthless. They will not stop until we catch them. We need the public to assist
us, as we can’t watch all the rural areas alone. The public can be our extra
eyes and ears. Seen a suspicious car? Noticed a van that is out of place or
parked up where it shouldn’t be? Call us. Help protect your property and report
anything that is out the ordinary.”
Information can be left on 0845 600 5701 or
anonymously with Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
19.01.12
SCAM
WARNING
Police
are warning of a scam which appears to have happened a few times now in
Dumfries and Galloway, the latest one involving the purchase of a cat through
an internet site. The victim started off by agreeing the price of £250, however charges for insurance and shipping costs then
inflated the price to nearly £1000. As the delivery time drew near a call was
received demanding more money before the cat would be delivered. The victim in
this case has lost a substantial amount of money and did not receive the cat.
Anyone
with any information on this or similar incidents is asked to contact police on
0845 600 5701 or any police officer. Information can also be left with the
independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800
555 111, or online at Crimestoppers-uk.org. No personal details are taken,
information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court. Crime
prevention advice can be found on our police website www.dg.police.uk
21.12.11
SCAM WARNING
Police are asking
householders to be on the alert in relation to the giving out of any personal
details or dealing with people who they don’t know over the telephone after a
local Heathhall lady was conned out of over
£40,000. The 85 year old lady was contacted by telephone on Monday 31st
October 2011 by a man purporting to be from the police, indicating to her that
there had been an attempt by someone to take money from her bank account.
The lady was then asked to transfer money from her account to another account,
details of which were given to her. The lady thereafter attended at her
bank and made the transactions, which came to over £40,000. It has now
been discovered that this is a complete scam and the victim has been defrauded
of the money.
Detective Sergeant Billy
Thomson of the force’s Fraud and Financial Investigation Unit says “this is a
particularly despicable scam as it uses the trust that local people have in
their local police to give credibility to their scam. Similar types of
scams have come to light across the central belt in
Police are also keen to
hear from anyone who may have been approached in a similar manner and ask them
to get in touch if they can help.
10.11.11
ATM ALERT
Police are once again
warning the public to be vigilant when using ‘hole in
the wall’ cash machines after another device was found on a card machine in Moffat. This is the second time that a bank in the
town has been targeted for this type of scam this year. The previous one being in March. The latest device was
discovered at the bank of
Police are asking for
the public’s help in reporting any suspicious activity near any cash dispensers
to get in touch immediately.
Card skimming or cloning
is a method used by criminals to obtain your details from your card. A
device, created to look like the card entry point on the cash machine is fitted
over the genuine slot, to passively skim the information encoded on the
magnetic strip of the card. The details are stored and then used
fraudulently. Once the cardholder’s details have been obtained the
fraudster’s will focus on getting hold of the cardholder’s personal
Identification Number.
PINs can be obtained in
two ways. Firstly by shoulder surfing, whereby the fraudster will tailgate and
stand behind the cardholder and look over their shoulder as they enter their
number. A second method is by the use of a micro camera which can be
installed in the lighting or false trunking on a cash machine to focus on PIN
entry. Real-time images are then transmitted to a receiver attached to a
hand held camera, typically within 100 metres of the cash machine. The
details will then be matched to the corresponding card data.
Any suspicious activity
at or near any cash machine should be reported to the police immediately.
Any suspicions about cash machines should also be reported, either to the bank
or building society, or to the police if out of business hours
10.10.11
Scam
Warning
Police
are issuing another warning about the dangers of telephone cold calling after a
man in Kirkcudbright was conned out of £250 in Ukash
Vouchers after being contacted by a company purporting to be Reclaims Express,
who told him that they could recover overpayments made on mortgage/insurance
payments. The victim only realised it was a scam after buying the Ukash vouchers for £250, and getting contacted to pay a
further sum. Ukash are a bona fide company
which issue voucher to pay for goods or services. Advice
given out by them in relation to the use of their vouchers include:
- Treat Ukash voucher just like cash
- Only use Ukash with merchants listed on the Ukash
website
- Never use Ukash to pay for purchases in classifies adverts or
give the voucher code to anyone else
- Never e-mail
your Ukash voucher code or give it out over the
telephone.
09.09.11
SCAM WARNING
Police are warning of a
telephone scam currently doing the rounds in the region in which the caller
purports to be from the Ministry of Justice. The caller attempts to sell
a product called a £200 U Cash Voucher, which when exchanged with him at a
later date will be of much greater value, in the region of £3800 to
£4500. All the caller requires to do is buy the voucher and call a
telephone number to arrange for the exchange. As usual the old saying
that ‘if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.’ Police are
keen to hear from anyone who has received such a call, and particularly if they
have noted any information such a telephone numbers or other important details.
26.07.11
Scams Warnings
Most people who come to your door will be genuine callers.
Unfortunately, you cannot always be sure, so it is important to take
precautions before opening the door. Bogus callers can be very persuasive.
They can claim to be from the council, police, health services, gas,
water or the electricity company. They may say that their car has broken down
and they need to phone for help. They may claim to be tradesmen or workmen
calling to carry out urgent repairs.
When somebody rings or knocks on your door, remember:
- look
through the spy hole to see who it is;
- put
the chain on before you open the door to talk to them;
- make
sure your back door is locked, sometimes thieves work
together with
one coming in the back door, while the other keeps you occupied;
- check
caller for their identification before you let them in and if in doubt
shut the door, call the company they represent; and use the
phone number in
the phone book, not on an identity card;
- if
still in doubt, ask the caller to leave and tell them to write and make an
appointment so that someone else can be with you;
- if in doubt do not let them in.
Gas, electricity and water companies are all required to offer
special services for their customers of pensionable age. One of the services is
to arrange for
you to have a personal password so that you will know if the caller is a
representative of the company. To register for these
services you
will need to contact the company (see your bill for contact details).
Scams can take a variety of forms such as unsolicited prize draws,
lotteries or windfalls, pyramid schemes, clairvoyant scams and emails
and text
messages linked to a premium rate telephone line. New scams appear regularly to
evade enforcement or exploit new opportunities. The
following
points may help you to recognise and avoid potential scams:
- the
approach whether in writing, by phone or email is unsolicited;
- you
are told that you won a big prize in a contest that you haven’t entered;
- you
are offered a once-in-a-lifetime investment that offers a huge return;
- you
are told you can buy into a lottery ticket pool that cannot lose;
- you
are told that you are entitled to an inheritance from a long lost friend
or relative;
- you
are offered a deal that sounds too good to be true;
- you
are told that you have to respond in a very short time to the offer;
- you
are asked to part with money for delivery, processing, taxes, duties or
some other fee before you receive a reward;
- the
source of the promotion is based overseas;
- you
are asked to send money out of the country;
- you
are asked to provide credit card or bank account details;
- you
are asked to use premium rate phone lines (number starting
In Identity Theft criminals seek opportunities to access your
personal information to carry out fraud on your bank accounts or to use your
name in another
fraudulent way.
They can steal your information by:
- raiding
dustbins to search for information on statements, bills, receipts etc;
- contacting
you (by phone, email or text message) and pretending to be from a
legitimate organisation eg, your bank and asking
you
for personal
information such as passwords, PIN numbers etc.
The following tips may help to keep your account safe:
- be
cautious of anyone seeking too much personal information; ask why they
need them; your bank would not contact you to ask for
your PIN,
password or other security information in full. Never disclose your PIN to
anyone;
- if
you are concerned about any request for information contact your bank
helpdesk to verify the reasons;
- get
a copy of your personal credit file from one of the three credit reference
agencies regularly to see which financial organisations
have accessed
your details; this is particularly important 2-3 months after you moved house
(there is a small charge for this service) (see Section 9 for details);
- shred
or cut to little pieces anything containing personal information such as
documents, cards, receipts, unwanted applications for bank accounts,
credit cards or loans etc before putting them in the bin;
- keep
important documents and details, such as your birth certificate, national
insurance number, bank statements in safe place;
- check
your statements regularly and contact your bank immediately if you do not
recognize the transactions;
- if
you are expecting a statement, new card or cheque book by post and it does
not arrive, contact your bank immediately;
- keep
your passwords and PIN numbers safe, don’t write them down; avoid using
your mother’s maiden name as a security password - it can be easily
discovered; don’t use the same password for more than one account;
- be
careful when you use your cards (cash machines, shops) and don’t let
anyone see your PIN number;
- if
you move house contact your bank and all other organisations to give them
the new address (the Post Office can redirect post on
request);
- use
a computer that you know is secure - which means one with up to date
antivirus software, and firewall installed; be wary of
making a
transaction using internet cafes or public computers. For more information see
the Home Office website: www.identitytheft.
org.uk.
ALARM WARNING
Police are warning of a company calling themselves
Crime Awareness who have been contacting householders across the region today,
30th June, in connection with the free installation of burglar
alarms in their properties. Numerous calls relating to the methods used
by this company have been received at the Force Communication Centre at Police
Headquarters. The company offer to fit a burglar alarm for free and say
to the householder that they will call back to arrange. Questions relating to
details of the house were asked and most of the receiving the call chose to
hang up rather than give any details out. The telephone number of the
company has been withheld on each occasion.
Police are keen to alert members of the public to
this method of selling and warn of the dangers of giving out any personal
information over the phone.
30.06.10
The Scottish Business Crime Centre
have
alerted us to some trends that have arisen recently. Please remember to always
be careful with your personal details and be vigilant when using your credit or
debit cards.
HOME SECURITY REMINDER
Police are warning all homeowners to make sure their property is secure
and locked at all times.
A spokesperson from the Community Policing Unit said: “The recent spate
of house breakings is worrying. “We are confident we will catch the individuals
responsible, but we want to stop this trend now. “Householders can do their
part as there are a number of steps you can take to deter thieves and protect
your home. “Often people leave their back door open, but we have found that
this is a favourite entry point for thieves. Do not make it easy for them, lock
your property securely. Other advice points are:
• Close the curtains and leave your light on at
night. Don’t leave the curtains closed during the day
• Only tell people you trust when you might be away
and ask them to look on your house for you.
• Make sure all doors, especially the back door, are
locked.
• Check your windows are properly locked and closed,
particularly those overlooking flat roofs or balconies
• Check the garage is locked
• Do not leave expensive goods on show
• Consider installing an alarm system. Even the sight
of one has been known to deter thieves.
• Fit good quality rim and/or mortice locks to all
external doors; use a 'deadlock' on the front door. Use mortice security bolts
or key operated door security press bolts on the top and bottom of both solid
wood and glazed back doors.
• Light up dark areas around your home. House
breakers hate light.
Please contact the Police if you see any suspicious behaviour, people
entering a property unlawfully.
“We can be contacted on 0845 600 5701 or through Crimestoppers
anonymously on 0800 555 111.”
FUEL SECURITY WARNING
FUEL SECURITY WARNING
Police are advising both individuals and businesses to check the
security of their fuel storage areas. This advice follows an apparent increase
in the number of fuel thefts in the region. Incidents which have been reported
to police have included thefts of diesel from lorry fuel tanks, oil being
stolen from garden fuel tanks and also diesel being stolen from business fuel
tanks. However any individual or business that keeps fuel stored on their
premises is asked to be alert.
Acting Sergeant Clark Logie from the Community Safety Unit said: “While
every situation is different everyone can consider the following general
advice.
• Make regular checks of your fuel so if it has been
stolen you are able to contact the
police at the earliest
opportunity.
• Make it as difficult as possible for people to gain
access to the area where the fuel is stored. You can do this by using fences or
gates.
• Consider fitting a closed shackle padlock to the
tap or other areas where the fuel can be accessed.
• If appropriate improve lighting around your fuel
tank.
• Don’t store any more fuel than is necessary, so if
fuel is stolen the loss will not be so high.
• Consideration could also be given to fitting alarms
or a CCTV system. If you plan to purchase one of these items come get some
advice from your local crime reduction officer before you buy. We will try and
help you pick the best one. “Probably most importantly, be aware, if you see
someone acting suspiciously near to a fuel storage area, contact police
immediately on 0845 600 5701.
Bogus workmen warning
Police would like to remind people to be aware of possible
bogus workmen operating in the area.
Police advice is
• If you have a door chain – use it.
• Always ask for identification before
letting anyone you don't know into your house.
Never let anyone into your house you do not know.
• If possible get a phone number as well
so that you can verify someone's identity.
• Take down as much personal detail about
the caller as possible, including name,
appearance, accent and the company they claim to work for.
• Never accept an offer of work from a
tradesman who appears at the door unless
you are satisfied they are bona fide.
• If they are using a vehicle take a note
of the Registration Number.
• If you require work to be carried out,
use a reputable firm and get a quote before work begins.
• Never pay for work before it has been
completed, and only then if you are happy with it.
• Never give out any of your own personal
or banking detail
• If there are any doubts about the
quality of the work or the cost, contact your local authority Trading Standards office.
Bogus tradesmen target vulnerable people who can easily be
persuaded to pay more than they should. Friends, neighbours and relatives of
elderly or vulnerable people are asked to ensure that they are aware of this
advice.
Anyone with any information on these incidents is asked to
contact police on 0845 600
5701 or any police officer. Information can also be left anonymously with Crimestoppers
on 0800 555 111. Further crime prevention advice can be found on our website www.dg.police.uk