Author: News Team 1

Dear Watch Member,

Action Fraud, the national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime, has published new data showing that in the last financial year, it received 6,457 reports of holiday fraud, amounting to over £15m lost.

Victims reported losing a total of £15,319,057, a 41 per cent increase on last year’s results, which amounts to an average loss of £2,372 per victim. From May – August alone, more than £4.6m was lost.  Their news story can be found at:

Don’t get burnt before you’re on the beach: Action Fraud reports over £15m lost to holiday fraud in the past year | Action Fraud

With the summer months seeing the highest levels for holiday fraud reports, Action Fraud has launched a national awareness campaign to urge the public to think twice before booking a holiday, so consumers don’t get burnt before they are on the beach.

Interestingly, people in their 20s and 40s who reported losses accounted for 44 per cent of all reports, further dispelling the myth that only older people are targeted by fraudsters.

Holiday fraud encompasses many different tactics employed by criminals to dupe unsuspecting members of the public. The most frequent frauds are clone comparison websites, airline websites and holiday websites.

An emerging trend is fraudsters using counterfeit Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing (ATOL) protect numbers on their fake webpage. All credible and trusted companies are provided with a number that shows the company has passed the regulatory checks by ATOL, with this number being unique to the website. Recently, fake websites have used duplicate or fabricated numbers which have been edited onto an ATOL logo.

ATOL recommends double checking all numbers on websites and with travel operators before handing over any money. If you do pay, use a credit card as this can offer greater protection should you lose your money.

If you need to reply regarding this message, tap on this email address: [email protected]

Regards,
Lee O’Brien
Pinner Safer Neighbourhood Team
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 020 8721 2775

The next Cuppa with a Copper will be at Cafe Amici on Wednesday 10 May btween 2pm and 3pm.

It’s your chance to come and talk about policing issues that you might be concerned about.

Dear Watch Member,

To paraphrase Michael Caine, “Not a lot of people might know this”, but this week is National Gardening Week. Which seems an appropriate time for me to remind you of how important it is to secure the outside of your property this summer.

Doing so not only keeps your valuables safe in your shed and garage, but is often the first line of defence against burglars trying to enter your home via rear access points.

Keep them out with the following tips:

• At the front of your house, hedges and walls should be kept low to increase natural surveillance and give burglars nowhere to hide;
• Side and rear hedges, walls and fences should be higher and topped with trellis, thorny plants or other suitable anti-climb topping;
• Ensure side gates are locked at all times; open gates are an open invitation for burglars to easily access the rear of your home;
• Keep power tools and bicycles inside a locked and secured shed.

If you are green-fingered, planting particular shrubs along walls and fences can create a natural defence against burglars and make it harder for them to access your property or even deter them completely.

View the attached document for ideas of what to plant. For further burglary prevention advice, please click here.

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• Create a Natural Defence Against Burglary (240 KB)

If you need to reply regarding this message, tap on this email address: [email protected]

Regards,
Lee O’Brien
Pinner Safer Neighbourhood Team
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 020 8721 2775