Friday 27 September 2013

@ALL - Amazon infected email scam

Beware of emails (see below) purporting to come from Amazon (or any other online retailer) that don't give details of your purchases and have zipped attachments.

Why?

  • The attachment is infected - Make sure that your anti-virus is up to date
  • There is no name or purchase details in the body of the email - it is totally generic
  • Amazon do not use attachments
If you do have an infected computer use your AV software's recommended procedure for recovery. 
If you suspect that your computer is infected and is not protected you can get a free scan from most of the reputable AV vendors. Just Google "free antivirus scan"


Example:

Good afternoon,

Thank you for your order. We’ll let you know once your item(s) have dispatched.You can check the status of your order or make changes to it by visiting Your Orders on Amazon.co.uk.

Order Details

Order #:A--2589212-7735722
Placed on September 26, 2013
Order details and invoice in attached file.
Need to make changes to your order? Visit our Help page for more information and video guides.
We hope to see you again soon.
Amazon.co.uk

@NAT - Have your say on the proposed new bank notes

LINK

Friday 20 September 2013

@ALL - Your Car - Smashed, hacked and gone in 90 seconds

READ MORE

MORE ON HOW THEY DO IT

@WAR - GP Surgery Experiences - A Survey for 13 - 25yo

Hi All

I am writing to let you know that we have just gone live with our Young People’s survey on GP Surgery experiences.  It is very important for us at Healthwatch Warwickshire to ensure that we are hearing the voices of children and young people. With this in mind we have adapted the survey that has been completed with adults earlier this year, to make sure that we are capturing the views of younger people.

The survey is aimed at young people between the ages of 13-25.   It has been piloted with some young people at the PUSH project ( Thank you to Dan!) and following their support and enthusiasm we have made some small changes and are running the survey until 31st October. We are running a prize draw of 3 £10 Love to Shop High-street vouchers.

It would be fantastic if you could encourage young people you work with and are in contact with to fill in the survey – it is available by following the link         -  http://tinyurl.com/mwxlker

Or by going on to our website www.healthwatchwarwickshire.co.uk

Alternatively if you need a number of printed copies to do in a session with young people then please let me know.

I appreciate that not all of you work directly with young people – however if you could possibly forward to any contacts/networks you may have we would greatly appreciate your support.

If you would like further information please don’t hesitate to contact me

Thanks
Donna

Donna Ranchhod
Community Engagement Officer

Healthwatch Warwickshire Ltd
4-6 Clemens Street, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, CV31 2DL
Company Number: 8181496
Telephone: 01926 422823
Direct Dial: 01926 453961
 



@NAT - Recent Updates from the National NW Website

Latest Newsletter
http://news.angelbc-mail.com/NLI/ViewHtmlEmail.aspx?a=D6CC22594E5801897CD2DB184153CF45&b=BA728B5D843C0C8B99051B7AF24CC85A

For parents worried about the online safety of their children
http://www.ourwatch.org.uk/news_and_events/news/get_safe_online_launches_new_online_safety_hotline_for_parents/

Helping the isolated & vulnerable - survey reveals benefit of Neighbourhood Watch Membership
http://www.ourwatch.org.uk/news_and_events/news/helping_the_isolated_vulnerable_survey_results/

Other West Midlands items
http://www.ourwatch.org.uk/news_and_events/news/?cat_id=9

@WAR - Summary of recent items

http://onlinenews.warwickshire.police.uk/wpnews_pressrelease/hot-weather-opens-the-door-on-sneakin-burglaries/15504
                                                                                                                                                               

http://onlinenews.warwickshire.police.uk/wpnews_pressrelease/police-issue-warning-over-telephone-scam/15525
                                                                                                                                                               

Collectors are going door to door in our village collecting for a well-known charity.  They are asking for contributions by standing order, which means they expect us to reveal details of our bank accounts, our name and address and a specimen of our signature etc and to make regular payments.  These people are usually agents working on a commission basis and almost certainly are not members of the charity they represent.

 As a matter of personal security, it is unwise to reveal information about our banking arrangements to strangers. If you wish to support the charity ask if they will let you have an application for you to complete and post later.
                                                                                                                                                               

I received a text message today stating that my bank debit card is due to expire shortly (they knew the last three digits of my bank account number) and a replacement would be dispatched within 24 hrs and would I check with them if I had any queries, my debit card still has many months to run.

I checked with my bank and they confirm that this text did not originate with them.


Presumably, anyone who replied to the text would be drawn into revealing confidential details of their banking arrangements.
                                                                                                                                                               

SCAM - The money was not expected!
SCAM - Poor use of English!
SCAM - The attached file will either be infected or will deliver your details to a fraudster!
DELETE IMMEDIATELY

Revenues notify message

This is an automated message - please do not reply!

Dear client,

You are receiving this message because of you have been received the money.

Transaction sum: 9570 USD

Transaction date: 2013/09/07

Print the attached file for details.

Thank you for using Western Union!
                                                                                                                                                               

IF YOU GET AN EMAIL FROM BT SAYING YOUR ACCOUNT IS BEING CLOSED BECAUSE YOU NEED TO UPGRADE IT, IGNORE IT BECAUSE IT'S A SCAM

BT Yahoo! Mail 'Classic Version Closing' Phishing Scam

Outline
Message purporting to be from BT Yahoo warns recipients that the classic version of the BT Yahoo! email system is closing and users must click a link to upgrade to the new system. Users are warned that their email will no longer work if they fail to upgrade.

Brief Analysis
The message is a scam. BT Yahoo has rolled out a new system and their Classic Mail has indeed been closed. However, this message is not from BT Yahoo. The "Upgrade" link opens a bogus website designed to trick users into submitting their account login details.
                                                                                                                                                               

ANOTHER SCAM
A very poor try
By single clicking on the links see just how NOT NatWest is the place you may end up.

Unsubscribe me from this list

Dear Natwest Bank Online Customers,

We are currently upgrading our server due to the recent insecurity, we require you to Update your account details to keep your account secured.Click on the Update Link Below

Click Here Update Your Account Information.

Failure to update your account will lead to account suspension

Sincerely,
Online Natwest Bank Staff.
                                                                                                                                                               

Avoid this Tesco Bank free shopping voucher scam email
                                                                                                                                                               



                                                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                            

@WAR - CSW Broadband Website Relaunch



Check out the latest news in your area and take part in the discussion.

CSW Broadband 
Warwickshire County Council
Tel: 01926 738320

@WEL - Community Forum 26Sept - Venue Change

Dear All,

Please find attached the final running order for the above meeting which is taking place on Thursday 26th September from 6.30 pm.

PLEASE NOTE THAT, DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND OUR CONTROL, THE VENUE FOR THIS MEETING HAS CHANGED AND WILL NOW BE HELD AT:-

ST PETERS CHURCH, CHURCH STREET, WELLESBOURNE CV35 9LS

I would be grateful if you could disseminate this information to any contacts that you may have informing them of the change. Thank you.

If you are unable to attend, but would still like to take part in identifying the police priorities for the area, then please vote on line as follows:-


Many thanks.

Kind regards
Amanda Wilson-Patterson
Localities & Communities Officer
Communities
Warwickshire County Council
Telephone: 01926 413642 (internal 3642)
Mobile: 07780 995817

For further information on the Stratford-on-Avon Area Office visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/stratfordarea

@WAR - WCC Community Computers Scheme

Dear all,

This is to inform you that WCC has once again launched the Community Computers scheme.

20 laptops and 5 desktops are up for grabs in Stratford district (100 laptops and 25 desktops countywide) and are available to:

a) locally based community or voluntary organisations, including Parish and Town Councils;
b) small-scale groups who have little or no IT equipment and can show how it will be used to grow their organisation;
c) groups who do not have significant reserves or other resources.

Closing date is Friday 1st November.  Please feel free to circulate to your contacts.  Here's the link to the application form:


Of course, if you know of a group without access to a PC please call Alison Mainey on 07557 565783 and she will send a hard copy -alisonmainey@warwickshire.gov.uk 



Kind regards
 
Amanda Wilson-Patterson
Localities & Communities Officer
Communities 
Warwickshire County Council
 
Telephone:     01926 413642 (internal 3642)
Mobile:          07780 995817
Website:        www.warwickshire.gov.uk
 
For further information on the Stratford-on-Avon Area Office visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/stratfordarea

Wednesday 4 September 2013

Recent scams reported to Warwickshire Trading Standards Service

04/09/2013 Tesco vouchers scam
Beware emails suggesting you have ‘won’ £1000 in Tesco vouchers and requesting your credit card details to obtain your prize. This is a phishing scam warn Warwickshire Trading Standards. Always delete suspicious emails and never follow links in them or download forms. Follow us: https://twitter.com/WarksTSS

04/09/2013 Foam Mattress Warning
Nuneaton and Stratford upon Avon residents are warned to beware of door to door sellers of foam mattresses. The callers are claiming the mattresses come from bankrupt stock but Trading Standards Officers are concerned they may be foreign imports that might not meet tough UK fire resistance standards. Always buy mattresses from businesses you trust. Follow us: https://twitter.com/WarksTSS

04/09/2013 Job Seekers Warned
Warwickshire Trading Standards are warning job seekers to beware of ‘CRB check’ scams. A job seeker from Nuneaton reported that he had received an email offering him a vacancy but he first had to pay up front for a CRB check at a cost of £60, to be paid in Ukcash vouchers. The offer was bogus. If you are ever asked to pay up front using UKcash vouchers, check the offer is genuine. UKcash vouchers are increasingly being used by criminals as an easy (and difficult to trace) way to obtain cash from their victims. Follow us: https://twitter.com/WarksTSS

04/09/2013 Pension Warning
An Atherstone resident contacted Warwickshire Trading Standards to report receiving an unexpected telephone call from someone who said they had been ‘given permission to look in to people’s pensions’. When pressed they admitted they were calling from South Africa.
Never provide persona or financial information to unexpected callers.
Unscrupulous companies are targeting resident’s pension pots and trying to get consumers to move them to news funds. The funds may deliver poorer returns and the rogue businesses always take very large commissions  – beware! Always seek professional and independent financial advice. Follow us: https://twitter.com/WarksTSS

04/09/2013 Entitled to PPI
Nuneaton and Warwick consumers contacted Warwickshire Trading Standards after receiving unexpected phone calls from someone who said the consumers were entitled to a £5000 PPI claim. The caller requested the consumers send Ukash vouchers to him (for an undisclosed sum) and then a cheque would be delivered in under two hours!
In a similar case a Rugby consumer was told they were entitled to £3200 PPI claim money if they paid £50 up front in Ukash vouchers. The caller again said they would visit the consumer’s house with the cheque!
The fraudsters all use English sounding names such as Richards, although they are clearly all based abroad.
Fraudsters often ask to be paid in Ukash vouchers as they enable the fraudster to receive the money quickly are not easily traced. Beware! Follow us: https://twitter.com/WarksTSS

04/09/2013 Pop-Up Computer Scam
A Warwick resident reported to Trading Standards seeing a pop up appear on her computer screen falsely claiming to come from Cheshire Police and demanding the user pay a £100 fine in Ukash vouchers for allegedly accessing ‘dodgy’ websites. These bogus pop ups are generated by computer viruses. Never send any money and clean your PC with an anti-virus program. Follow us: https://twitter.com/WarksTSS

04/09/2013 Fraudsters Target Desperate Timeshare Owners
Fraudsters are targeting timeshare owners warn Warwickshire Trading Standards. One Warwickshire owner reported receiving an unexpected phone call from a ‘trader;’ who claimed he could remove the consumer’s liability for his timeshare from him. The consumer had been trying to sell his timeshare for some time and agreed to pay £4000 in Ukcash vouchers. The ‘trader’ claimed that the vouchers could not be cashed until the consumer provided full details of the timeshare. However in reality, Ukcash vouchers can be cashed as soon as the recipient has the Ukcash voucher numbers.
In this case the vouchers were cashed immediately and the ‘trader’ did nothing to remove the consumer’s liability for his timeshare. When the consumer complained to the trader he was given a telephone number to contact Ukash but the number turned out to belong to the fraudsters as well!
The consumer later received another call from someone else asking for more money.
Fraudsters target people desperate to sell their timeshares with these sorts of bogus claims. In reality, timeshares are almost impossible to sell and owners have instead been faced with paying the timeshare company they are with to release them from their contract and from their ever increasing maintenance charges. Follow us: https://twitter.com/WarksTSS

Please feel free to cascade this information to whomever you feel appropriate (including using the information in your newsletters/websites etc.). If you have any information you wish to provide to Warwickshire Trading Standards Service, either for our information, or to appear in future email alerts, please email me.

For more information on scams, visit: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/scams
Follow us on twitter: www.twitter.com/warkstss

Simon Cripwell
Trading Standards Officer
Warwickshire Trading Standards Service
Communities
Warwickshire County Council
Old Budbrooke Road Warwick CV35 7DP
Tel: 01926 414039
Mob: 07771 975570
Email: simoncripwell@warwickshire.gov.uk
Web: www.warwickshire.gov.uk
Follow us on twitter: www.twitter.com/warkstss
My normal working days are Monday to Thursday

SOU - Southam/Feldon Community Forum - 18th September