Watch out for phoney Amazon texts

Scammers impersonating Amazon are sending texts asking you to follow a link to secure your account following attempted logins, which is a typical tactic to incite panic. If you click the link it takes you to a convincing fake Amazon website where you’re prompted to enter your login details.

The website could look genuine enough if you don’t take time to assess it. Here’s what to watch out for.

Fake Amazon text

Don’t fall for the lure of high-risk investments

With inflation far outpacing savings account rates and unregulated investments claiming to offer far higher returns, there’s growing temptation for the unwary to be tempted by these types of schemes.

Listen to the latest Which? Shorts podcast as we investigate how large parts of the investment world remain unregulated and how social media is only helping scammers to operate on a global scale. You also have the option to download the full transcript.

The lure of investments

CRIME PREVENTION & SECURITY ADVICE

Secured by Design (SBD) is the official police security initiative that works to improve the security of buildings and their immediate surroundings to provide safe places to live, work, shop and visit.

Their advice offers best practice for you to follow, alongside practical crime prevention methods.

CRIME PREVENTION & SECURITY ADVICE

Vehicle Crime Prevention Advice

• BICYCLE SECURITY - how to protect your bike
• CARAVAN, MOTORHOME & CAMPERVAN SECURITY
• CAR SECURITY - advice to prevent car crime
• CATALYTIC CONVERTER THEFT - how to prevent this theft
• KEY PROGRAMMING
• LORRIES & GOODS VEHICLES - security advice
• MOTORCYCLES & SCOOTER SECURITY - how to prevent their theft
• RELAY THEFT - prevent "keyless theft"
• TEST DRIVE THEFT
• VANS & TOOL THEFT - prevent theft & crime
• INTERACTIVE 3D DESIGN GUIDE

Home Security Advice

• home security advice will help to keep your home and possessions safer and reduce the chances of you falling victim to an opportunistic burglar.

Garden Security Advice

• Theft of property from gardens can be a problem, but having spent time and money on your home garden and equipment you need to consider its security. The value of equipment, structures and plants often amounts to thousands of pounds.

Cyber Security Advice - SBD Internet of Things (IoT)

• cyber security advice will help to keep your IoT devices and products safe and reduce the chances of you falling victim to a cyber-criminal.
• Resources & Guides

Guide to Guides Leaflet (pdf)

CCTV SECURITY ADVICE

• CCTV, together with appropriate signage, can provide a good deterrent to intruders

• CCTV cameras should provide images of recognition quality and should be positioned in such a way that light, natural or otherwise does not interfere with picture quality

• A CCTV system should be designed to cover vulnerable areas at relevant times of the day, such as the need for infra-red technology to record nighttime activity

• For evidential purposes, the CCTV system should have a recording and storage capability of 31 days

• Consideration should be given to garden landscaping and planting to ensure that any growth through the seasons doesn’t restrict the coverage of the CCTV system during the growing season

• In high crime areas, cameras may need protection within vandal-resistant housings. The cameras should also be positioned so that they are not easily accessible

• Images should not be captured of the street scene unless the user complies with the requirements set out by the Information Commissioners Office

• The CCTV cameras including the housing must be regularly maintained and cleaned to ensure that the quality of the images are not inhibited. This could be the removal of a spider’s web or ensuring that moisture is not infiltrating the camera so that remedial measures can be undertaken.

Residential CCTV Guide (pdf)

Source: SBD - crime prevention & security advice hub

Operation to tackle motor vehicle crime sees 17 stolen vehicles recovered

A two-day operation saw 17 stolen vehicles recovered and 14 arrests made as more than 60 officers came together to tackle a rise in motor vehicle crime causing concern to local communities.

Operation Huntsman was a large cross border operation involving officers from the Met and Kent Police using Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology to track down offenders.

A total of 15 vehicles were also seized and 16 traffic offences reported during the operation. The arrests were made for suspected offences including robbery, theft of a motor vehicle, possession with intent to supply class A drugs, dangerous driving and failing to stop for police. Among the stolen vehicles recovered were a BMW, a Jaguar and a delivery van containing parcels.

Several weapons were found including knives, a baseball bat and a stun gun.

The operation built on the work of a new motor vehicle crime unit set up by the Met’s South East Command Unit a year ago. This followed concerns raised by Bexley, Greenwich and Lewisham residents around motor vehicle crime with more than half of local ward panels choosing this as a priority issue to tackle.

The area has seen a rise in offences, particularly high value keyless car thefts and catalytic converter thefts. Last year there were 2,608 vehicle thefts in Bexley, Greenwich and Lewisham. In the first nine months of this year, almost 300 of one make of vehicle alone were stolen from Greenwich, Lewisham and Bromley, and Dartford and Sevenoaks in Kent. Of 4,606 offences of theft from a vehicle, 18 per cent were of catalytic converters.

Many of these have been violent offences with gangs arming themselves with baseball bats, iron bars, machetes and more recently BB guns. As well as stealing cars to sell on, either complete or for parts, offenders also use the vehicles to commit other crimes.

Officers have spent the last year gathering information about individuals and organised crime gangs and carrying out a range of operations. These have concentrated on violent criminals using the road network and motor vehicle thieves who cross the Met/Kent border to commit offences.

Successes include in February the recovery of a pistol, silencer and 11 rounds of ammunition linked to the theft of a high value car in Bexley.

Chief Inspector Russ Joao, from South East Command Unit, said: “We’ve really listened to what local people have been telling us they are concerned about. The rise in motor vehicle crime has had a big impact on the lives of many of our residents and we’ve taken significant action over the last 12 months to tackle this issue.

“Alongside our new proactive unit working day in and day out, Operation Huntsman allowed us to work with colleagues in Kent Police to actively target offenders with some great results.

“Our work does not stop here and there will be more operations in the future as well as crime prevention initiatives, such as catalytic converter marking events, to help people avoid becoming a victim of this type of offence.”

The operation on 28 and 29 September involved officers from Met local policing teams, the Roads and Transport Policing Command, the Violence Suppression Unit, ANPR Interceptor teams, the National Police Air Service and Kent’s Swanley Community Policing Team. Also invited to see the operation were the chairs of Sidcup and St Mary and St James ward panels so they could let their local communities know the action being taken to tackle the issue.

The operation focused on the areas south of the A2 to north of the A20 and the A2 Bexley Village North through Crayford and up to Slade Green and Erith. Of those arrested, two have been charged with more minor offences and the remainder released under investigation or bailed while enquiries continue.

Here's what you can do to help keep your vehicle safe:

• Always leave your car locked and secured. Lots of modern vehicles fold in their wing mirrors when locked – so very easy for thieves to spot when a vehicle has not been locked.
• Take valuables with you when you leave the vehicle.
• Consider investing in steering wheel locks, pedal locks, immobilisers and tracking devices.
• Key fob protectors (Faraday bags) help prevent keyless car thefts.
• Consider installing driveway posts.
• Visit the Secured by Design website for more information – https://www.securedbydesign.com/guidance/crime-prevention-advice/vehicle-crime

+ We're investing in what we call 'precise community crime fighting' - involving communities in our decisions to tackle issues that matter to them.

Source: Met News (11/10/2022)

Helping to protect children and young people online

If you are a parent or grandparent or work with children and young people, the following websites contain very useful and helpful information concerning this topic, reporting and seeking advice to keep your child safe.

Thinkuknow is an education programme from the National Crime Agency’s CEOP Command.

Visit the links and navigate to this resource to find out more.

Fake shipping delivery scam text - how to check and report

screenshot of fake shipping delivery scam text received by a borough resident

Reported the text message and number to 7726

A quick Check of 

fake url

the above fake url at Check a website [Disclaimer.]

fake url check at https://check.getsafeonline.org/

reveals 

click image to view enlarged

not to be safe.

And a quick check of this suspect URL for malicious or phishing scam via virustotal.com at

fake url check at https://www.virustotal.com/gui/home/url

reveals 

click image to view enlarged

a malicious site.

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.

Black Range Rover theft in Crook Log - Appeal for information

Please be aware that on Thursday 6 October 2022 between 02:48am and left at 03:20am Friday 7 October 2022, offenders broke the steering lock stole a black Range Rover Sport, Registration plate EA21UDB, year 2021, from a driveway in Sandhurst Road, Bexley (by Danson Park).

Please be aware that on Thursday 6 October 2022 between 02:48am and left at 03:20am Friday 7 October 2022, offenders broke the steering lock and stole a black Range Rover Sport, Registration plate EA21UDB, year 2021, from a driveway in Sandhurst Road, Bexley (by Danson Park).

The resident immediately reported the incident on the Nextdoor app and to the Police and given a crime reference.

This is an appeal to residents to check your CCTV footage or If you think you may have seen or heard anything suspicious, or have any information related to this incident then please contact Crook Log Police on 101, or 020 8721 2504, or via email at crooklog.snt@met.police.uk alternatively you can call them above or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 1111.

For further information, Ask the Police.