Come and get your bike marked with @bikeregister kits

#BikeMarking

Come and get your bike marked with @bikeregister kits no need to book just turn up

Sunday 27th November

11am - 3pm

Danson Park, Outside the boat house

@BexleyCSP @BexleyCyclists

Source: @BexleyPolice

The Mayor's Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) for London

The Mayor has announced that the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) will be expanded across all London boroughs from 29 August 2023. 

The ULEZ in central and inner London has been very effective in rapidly reducing air pollution in those areas. The Mayor now wants to extend those benefits to outer Londoners, and set the whole of London on a path towards becoming a zero pollution city.  

The ULEZ standards are not changing – this means that if you do not currently pay the charge for your vehicle, it will remain compliant after these changes come into effect. You can check if your vehicle is affected on the TfL website, search “TfL vehicle checker”, or click below: 

Check if your vehicle is affected

The ULEZ will continue to apply 24 hours a day every day of the year except for Christmas Day (when there is no public transport).

For further detailed information visit The Mayor's Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) for London website (source).

ULEZ Expansion 2023 - for coverage, discounts, penalties and map.

UPDATE: Joint statement by Hillingdon, Harrow and Bexley Councils: https://www.hillingdon.gov.uk/article/10280/Joint-statement-from-Hillingdon-Harrow-and-Bexley-councils-on-ULEZ-expansion

Community Weapon sweeps - Good news from SE

On Wednesday 16th of November officers from Thamesmead and Belvedere SNT carried out a number of activities in support of Operation Sceptre.

Great work by Belvedere and Thamesmead East SNT The activities were carried out in partnership with Bexley and Greenwich Community Safety unit, Peabody Wardens and Greenwich Community Wardens.

We carried out weapon sweeps in Picardy Street, Belvedere and Arnott Close, Thamesmead where a number of knifes and dangerous implements were found. In addition to this a number of used syringes were discovered in accessible areas posing a clear risk to local residents.

The operation continued in the afternoon where a knife arch Operation was carried out outside Mcdonalds in Thamesmead, this particular area has recently suffered with an increase in robberies so local residents were happy to see a proactive approach to tackle the problem.

Today’s operation was a great example of joint working and each weapon seized could potentially be a life saved.

We will continue such operations and continue to safeguard local residents.

More than 100 arrests in UK's biggest ever fraud operation

An international one stop spoofing shop has been taken down in the UK’s biggest ever fraud operation, led by the Metropolitan Police.

More than 200,000 potential victims in this country alone have been directly targeted through the fraud website iSpoof.

At one stage, almost 20 people every minute of the day were being contacted by scammers hiding behind false identities using the site.

They posed as representatives of banks including Barclays, Santander, HSBC, Lloyds, Halifax, First Direct, Natwest, Nationwide and TSB.

Scotland Yard’s Cyber Crime Unit worked with international law enforcement, including authorities in the US and Ukraine, to dismantle the website this week.

This was a crucial phase in a world-wide operation, which has been running out of the public eye since June 2021, targeting a suspected organised crime group.

iSpoof enabled criminals to appear as if they were calling from banks, tax offices and other official bodies as they attempted to defraud victims.

Victims are believed to have lost tens of millions of pounds while those behind the site earned almost £3.2 million in one 20 month period.

Detective Superintendent Helen Rance, who leads on cyber crime for the Met, said: “By taking down iSpoof we have prevented further offences and stopped fraudsters targeting future victims.

“Our message to criminals who have used this website is we have your details and are working hard to locate you, regardless of where you are.”

Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said: “The exploitation of technology by organised criminals is one of the greatest challenges for law enforcement in the 21st century.

“Together with the support of partners across UK policing and internationally, we are reinventing the way fraud is investigated. The Met is targeting the criminals at the centre of these illicit webs that cause misery for thousands.

“By taking away the tools and systems that have enabled fraudsters to cheat innocent people at scale, this operation shows how we are determined to target corrupt individuals intent on exploiting often vulnerable victims.”

The Met’s Cyber and Economic Crime Units co-coordinated the operation with the National Crime Agency, Europol, Eurojust, the Dutch authorities and the FBI.

In the UK, more than 100 people have been arrested, the vast majority on suspicion of fraud.

iSpoof allowed users, who paid for the service in Bitcoin, to disguise their phone number so it appeared they were calling from a trusted source. This process is known as ‘spoofing’.

Criminals attempt to trick people into handing over money or providing sensitive information such as one time pass codes to bank accounts.

The average loss from those who reported being targeted is believed to be £10,000.

In the 12 months until August 2022 around 10 million fraudulent calls were made globally via iSpoof, with around 3.5 million of those made in the UK.

Of those, 350,000 calls lasted more than one minute and were made to 200,000 individuals.

Losses reported to Action Fraud as a result of the calls and texts via iSpoof is around £48 million. Because fraud is vastly underreported, the full amount is believed to be much higher.

The Met, which has also worked closely with the Cyber Defence Alliance and UK Finance, is asking anyone who believes they were contacted as part of a scam where a number was spoofed to report this online via Action Fraud.

The Met’s Cyber Crime Unit began investigating iSpoof in June 2021 under the name of Operation Elaborate. It was created in December 2020 and had 59,000 user accounts.

Investigators infiltrated the site and began gathering information alongside international partners.

The website server contained a treasure trove of information in 70 million rows of data. Bitcoin records were also traced.

Because the pool of 59,000 potential suspects is so large, investigators are focusing first on UK users and those who have spent at least £100 of Bitcoin to use the site.

A wave of UK arrests followed with details of other suspects passed onto law enforcement partners in Holland, Australia, France and Ireland.

Earlier this month the suspected organiser of the website was arrested in East London. He has been charged with a range of offences and remanded in custody.

There are more than 70,000 numbers that have been contacted via iSpoof that the Met has linked to an identified suspect.

We are actively contacting those numbers this week asking owners to visit our website for more information and to report any fraud losses online.

Eurojust President Mr Ladislav Hamran said: “As cybercrime knows no borders, effective judicial cooperation across jurisdictions is key in bringing its perpetrators to court. Eurojust supports national authorities in their efforts to protect citizens against online and offline threats, and to help see that justice gets done.”

Europol Executive Director Ms Catherine De Bolle said: “The arrests today send a message to cybercriminals that they can no longer hide behind perceived international anonymity. Europol coordinated the law enforcement community, enriched the information picture and brought criminal intelligence into ongoing operations to target the criminals wherever they are located. Together with our international partners, we will continue to relentlessly push the envelope to bring criminals to justice.”

Commander Nik Adams, from the City of London Police, said: “As the national lead force for fraud, we have coordinated activity across the country with other police forces and Regional Organised Crime Units (ROCUs) to provide a co-ordinated response to support the Metropolitan Police Service with their action and help make this operation a success. Our collaborative approach has supported this operation, which is also underpinned by our work with the National Economic Crime Centre (NECC) within the National Crime Agency.

“Collaborative and proactive operations like this to tackle fraud are vitally important in clamping down on criminals and preventing innocent members of the public from being targeted for their hard-earned money.”

We would always encourage members of the public to follow the Take Five to Stop Fraud advice and if they think they have been a victim of fraud, to contact their bank immediately and report to Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk.

Source: Action Fraud (24-11-2022)

A New Prize To Shout About This Christmas!

Bexley Community Lottery

 

Win a £1,000 John Lewis Voucher this Christmas!

Christmas is on the horizon, and we’ve got the perfect prize to fill you full of holiday cheer - on Saturday 17th December, one lucky supporter will win a fantastic £1,000 John Lewis eGift Card!

Don’t worry if you’ve left things ‘til the last minute! From tech to toys and furniture to fashion, you can one-stop-shop your Christmas shopping with plenty left for some Waitrose treats – AND you’ll be supporting a good cause too. It’s a WIN-WIN situation!

https://www.bexleycommunitylottery.co.uk/support/bexley

Beware "Congrats You have won an Amazon Reward Open Now!" phishing scam email

 

The above are screenshots (click each image to view enlarged) of The Black Friday scams doing their rounds received on 23 Nov 2022, observe the tell-tale signs of urgency, short spellings, unprofessional and one you would not expect from the genuine Amazon store.

Suspicious text messages should be forwarded to the number 7726 which is free of charge. Suspicious emails should be forwarded to report@phishing.gov.uk

Needless to say do no click on links that turn out of the blue. Take time to research and check out this blog for advice and further information on similar scams.

Phishing: Spot and report scam emails, texts, websites and calls

Beware fake Amazon sign-in attempt phishing scam

fake Amazon sign-in attempt phishing scam and reported

f
VT flags as malicious

Another fake Amazon phishing scam received on 22 Nov 2022 and reported.

Suspicious text messages should be forwarded to the number 7726 which is free of charge. Reported and sent above to this number.

Needless to say do no click on links that turn out of the blue. Take time to research and check out this blog for advice and further information on similar scams.

Phishing: Spot and report scam emails, texts, websites and calls

Phishing: Spot and report scam emails, texts, websites and calls

Phishing: Spot and report scam emails, texts, websites and calls

What is phishing?

'Phishing' is when criminals use scam emails, text messages or phone calls to trick their victims. The aim is often to make you visit a website, which may download a virus onto your computer, or steal bank details or other personal information.

This page explains how to report phishing attempts, and protect yourself from scammers.

Why you should report phishing scams

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is a UK government organisation that has the power to investigate and take down scam email addresses and websites.

Reporting a scam is free and only takes a minute. By reporting phishing attempts, you can:

• reduce the amount of scam communications you receive
• make yourself a harder target for scammers
• protect others from cyber crime online

What to do next

Report a scam email

How to report suspicious emails, and what to do if you think you’ve responded to a scam email.

Report a scam text message

How to report suspicious text messages, and what to do if you think you’ve responded to a scam text.

Report a scam phone call

How to report a suspicious phone call, and what to do if you think you have been the victim of a phone scam.

Report a scam website

How to report a suspicious website, and what to do if you think you’ve shared personal information.

Report a scam advert

How to report an online advert that you suspect is trying to scam you.

Phishing scams: What to do if you’ve shared personal information

What to do if you’ve shared personal information with someone you think might be a scammer.

How to spot a scam email, text message or call

Recognise the signs someone is trying to scam you, and learn how to check if a message you have received is genuine.

NCSC advice - Shopping online securely video:-

NCSC Source: 

• Report phishing scam
• Shopping online securely

Festive shoppers urged to be Cyber Aware as figures reveal average online losses of £1,000

Cyber security and law enforcement partners join together to issue warning ahead of Black Friday and Christmas sales.

BARGAIN HUNTERS are being urged to bolster their cyber security in the approach to the festive season after new figures revealed victims of online shopping scams lost on average £1,000 per person in the same period last year.

Scams ranged from one shopper losing more than £150 trying to purchase a mobile phone on social media to another being duped out of more than £7,000 during an attempted online campervan purchase. Meanwhile, another victim lost almost £500 when trying to buy shoes on a social media platform, and a fourth lost £145 trying to make a similar purchase.

The new figures from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) come as the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) - which is a part of GCHQ – launched a nationwide drive to promote its Cyber Aware campaign to help shoppers protect themselves online.

The Cyber Aware campaign advises simple steps for shoppers to reduce their risk of suffering similar losses during this year’s Black Friday (25 November) and pre-Christmas period.

Anyone who think they have been a victim of fraud should contact their bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud online at actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040. More information is available by searching #FraudFreeXmas.

The figures, which come from reports made to Action Fraud and analysed by NFIB, showed that shoppers across England, Wales and Northern Ireland were scammed out of £15.3m between November 2021 and January 2022, and that the age group most likely to fall victim was 19 to 25-year-olds.

They also showed that average losses rose year on year. Between 1st November 2020 and 31st January 2021, the average loss per person was £549 including reports with no financial loss, while for the same period last year that figure increased to £775.

The findings from reports made to Action Fraud and analysed by the NFIB revealed that:

• Almost half of the scams reported to Action Fraud mentioned one social media platform, showing that this is by far the most likely medium for shopping and auction fraud to take place. One victim lost £480 when trying to purchase shoes via a seemingly reputable social media account.
• Of the 19,744 reports, 20% were related to the purchase of electronics and 13% to mobile phones.
• Fraud related to the purchase of selling vehicles was the third most common (8%), with one victim losing over £7,000 to criminals while trying to purchase a campervan online.

Action Fraud and the NCSC are urging online shoppers to protect their accounts, check before they buy, and use secure payment methods in order to stay ahead of the threat from criminals this shopping season:

• Protect your accounts: set up 2-step verification and use three random words passwords to prevent cyber criminals from gaining access to your shopping, bank or email accounts.
• Choose carefully where you shop: Research online retailers, particularly if you haven’t bought from them before, to check they’re legitimate. Read feedback from people or organisations that you trust, such as consumer websites.
• Pay securely: Use a credit card when shopping online, if you have one. Most major credit card providers protect online purchases and are obliged to refund you in certain circumstances. Using a credit card (rather than a debit card) also means that if your payment details are stolen, your main bank account won’t be directly affected. Also consider using a payment platform, such as PayPal, Google or Apple Pay. And whenever you pay, look for the closed padlock in the web address bar – it means your connection is secure.

NCSC CEO Lindy Cameron said:

“Online shoppers will understandably be looking for bargains during the Black Friday and Christmas shopping period and we want them to do so safely.

“Sadly we know that criminals will look to exploit consumers at this time of year which is why good cyber security has such an important role to play.

“I would urge everyone to help us fight the scammers by following our Cyber Aware advice to set up two-step verification and use three random words passwords.”

Pauline Smith, Head of Action Fraud, said:

“The festive season is an expensive time for many of us. It’s natural for shoppers to get caught up in the excitement of Black Friday deals, and rush into making a quick purchase online to bag a bargain.

“Unfortunately, Christmas will come early for criminals who see this as an ideal opportunity to take advantage of us with the tempting promise of bogus cheap deals.

“I urge shoppers to be cautious of where and who you’re buying from. Our figures show that most scams last year involved mobile phones and electronics, so always shop with official retailers and don’t be enticed by deals that seem too good to be true. Where possible, use a credit card when shopping online as this will offer you more protection if anything goes wrong.

“Follow our practical advice to enjoy shopping online safely and ensure you’re not targeted this Christmas, especially given the cost of living crisis we’re facing.”

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Oliver Dowden, said:

"We know criminals ramp up their targeting of online shoppers in the weeks approaching Christmas, so it is crucial that over this period we are all even more vigilant when buying goods over the internet.

"Our cyber experts will be working closely with the police to help thwart these groups but the best defence against them is for us all to take some very straightforward steps to protect ourselves online and prevent scammers profiting from their illegal activity at our expense."

The data reveals that the demographic most likely to fall victim to online shopping scams are those aged 19-25. 47% of the victims were male and 41% were female, with the remaining 12% not providing that information.

Source: Action Fraud (17-11-2022)

TV Licence and DVLA scams are doing the rounds again!

These emails persuade you to click on suspicious links to update your TV or driving licence information or claim a refund. They use official logos to create convincing scam emails that urge you into clicking.

We show you the fake emails and explain how to check if an email is genuine.

Fake emails

The latest news: fraud accounts for 41% of crimes against individuals

The government department responsible for tackling fraud has been criticised for its inadequate response to a growing crimewave. The UK is in the grip of a fraud epidemic – fraud now accounts for 41% of all crimes against individuals, compared with 30% in the year ending March 2017.

Find out more about the latest report, what we want to see change and how to report fraud.

The fraud epidemic

Watch the Dirty Rotten Scammers and stay safe online

Michelle Ackerley and her mum, Mavis, scrutinise the world of cyber fraud, hacking and other internet crime.

https://bbc.co.uk/scammers

Dirty Rotten Scammers

Exploring the world of cyber enabled fraud, hacking and crime online.

Beware Suspended Apple Pay phishing text scam

 

Fake Apple Pay text scam

One of our local borough residents received the above (screenshot of a) fake phishing scam on his mobile (on 16 Nov 2022). He reported it but alerted us to warn others.

His antivirus app flagged it as a suspect url as in the screenshot below:-

Bitdefender app flags warning

VirusTotal flags the fake url as malicious

VT flags fake url as malicious

Suspicious text messages should be forwarded to the number 7726 which is free of charge. Reported and sent above to this number.

Needless to say do no click on links that turn out of the blue. Take time to research and check out this blog for advice and further information on similar scams.

Which? also reported the scam.

Beware Fake online social media scam ads and how to report them

Famous names that have been used illegally in fake ads to con unsuspecting people to part with their hard-earned money. Martin Lewis DOES NOT DO ADS and reveals his fury in the following videos:-

The following video highlights such a bitcoin scam:-

In the following video, Martin Lewis reveals his fury on an online ad and praises a retired teacher who shares her scam story:-

Examples of such ads include:

• - fake celebrity news, such as reporting a celebrity has been assaulted or has died when that is not true, or links through to websites making these claims
• - false celebrity endorsements, such as claiming a celebrity made their money through cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and is encouraging others to do the same
• - false claims that a celebrity or TV programme endorses products such as CBD gummies, diet supplements, or other health products
• - clearly false or outlandish claims for products, for example that a device can save 90% on energy bills, or offering miracle cures.

Reporting to the ASA online scam ads watch the following video:-

For further information on online harms, the Online Safety Bill factsheet may be helpful.

Use the ASA online form to quickly tell them about an online ad if you think it might be a scam at www.asa.org.uk/scams.

It starts with a message from a Facebook friend… who’s been hacked

Fraudsters are hacking Facebook accounts and sending convincing messages to friends, luring them into applying for a fake grant. These scammers use harmless conversation starters such as 'Hello, how are you doing mate?' and tell you about their day to convince you that you're talking to a friend.

They go on to say you could be eligible for a grant worth thousands of pounds and send you a link to apply, but don’t click it.

The scam is effective as it comes from your existing Facebook contacts and presents itself as a normal conversation. Here’s what to look out for and what to do if you encounter this scam.

Fake grant message

The article also includes how to check if your passwords or emails have been compromised and keeping your account safe (so you can try to avoid getting hacked yourself).

ICO Social media privacy settings Facebook factsheet (pdf)

Beware Energy Bills discount phishing scam text

Fake url of Energy Bills phishing scam text

One of our local borough residents received the above (screenshot of a) fake phishing scam on his mobile. He reported it but alerted us to warn others.

Suspicious text messages should be forwarded to the number 7726 which is free of charge. Reported and sent above to this number.

Report as SPAM to 7726

VirusTotal flags the url as malicious

VT flags fake url as malicious

Needless to say do no click on links that turn out of the blue. Take time to research and check out this blog for advice and further information on similar scams.

The discount is automatic. If you get a message telling you that you need to apply, or asking for your bank or credit card details, this could be a scam. You can report messages you think are suspicious.

Energy bills support Official Fact sheet

Make the White Ribbon Promise

This year, White Ribbon Day, 25th November, falls on the same week as the start of the FIFA men’s World Cup. There has never been a better time for us to come together and start playing as a team to end violence against women and girls. 

The campaign encourages all men to join the team to end violence against women and girls - that's #TheGoal. Whether you're a football fan or not, let’s work together to achieve gender equality. White Ribbon Day 2022 highlights 11 traits men and boys can nurture to help create a world of equality and safety for women.

The White Ribbon UK charity is asking people in their communities, organisations and workplaces, to come together to say ‘no’ to violence against women by raising awareness and encouraging people to make the White Ribbon Promise to never commit, excuse or remain silent about male violence against women. 

Make the promise now.

 

There are activities and events across the country - please let us know what you are doing and share on social media.  We want to reach as many of our members and supporters as we can to get them involved in this campaign. 

 

"I have already signed the promise and encourage you to do likewise to show your support for this important issue."

 

John Hayward-Cripps of NNHW has signed up

click me to make the promise