Telephone Scams
I sometimes worry that people get tired of receiving the same warning again and again and they think “nobody could be that stupid”. The recent announcement, carried by national news media, that the incidence of telephone scams has tripled in the past year suggests that “oh yes they can”! At risk of being a bore I will repeat some of the old chestnuts and a few of the newer ones:
• The Microsoft/Windows technical department scam. This is one of the oldest ones, the caller, (from the Indian sub-continent by the sound of it), claims that they have detected a problem with your computer. They then try to get you to give them access to your computer in order, not to fix the problem, but to obtain personal and financial information. The only course is to hang up, as politely or rudely as you wish! My wife’s approach is to say that we don’t have a computer!
• The Bank problem scam. This was the subject of the recent national news coverage although it has been around for some time. If you didn’t see the news, it goes like this: The caller claims to be from the bank saying that there is a problem with your account. They ask you to call the bank security number but they don’t hang up, leaving them connected to your line so that when you call you go back to the scammer who purports to be the bank security department. They then ask for your PIN and send a bogus courier round to collect your bank card(s). People have been swindled out of tens of thousands of pounds! Remember, Banks never ask for this sort of information over the phone! If you want to check with your bank use a different telephone or leave it until the scammer gets tired of waiting and hangs up (you should then get your usual dialling tone again).
• Bogus ‘Police Officer’ call. This works in a similar way except that the caller claims to be a police officer. In some cases, to reassure and make the calls appear genuine, names of officers, rank numbers and police station addresses have been falsely quoted. The bogus caller will raise concerns over your credit card and financial issues and will request bank and other personal information to ‘aid the security of the call’. This is a criminal scam and is being investigated by the police who advise anyone receiving such a call to refrain from giving any information. If you have received a call of this nature and would like assistance or to report it for intelligence purposes please call the Police on 101.
• Southern Water. A Monxton resident recently received a call from someone claiming to work for Southern Water who said they were following up a complaint. The resident became suspicious and hung up. On calling SW they were told that this scam was going the rounds coupled with doorstep calls, the objective being to gain access to your property. Considering how twitchy most people in Monxton are about water related problems this is one to beware of.
Hitting the Cold Spots
For the fourth year Hampshire County Council with its partners, are running the Hitting the Cold Spots campaign, which can help and advise you on ways to keep warm and healthy. Their advice line and advisors are ready to help you keep warm at home and reduce your energy bills.
Call on 0800 804 8601 or staywarm@environmentcentre.com Web: http://www.hants.gov.uk/cold-spots.

Have a Happy, Healthy and Safe Christmas!
David James

A theft from a motor vehicle occurred at 14.50 today in Monxton. A wallet was stolen from a panel van parked on a driveway. Did you see a white Mitsubishi Evolution heading towards Grateley from Monxton? Driver described as a white male, about 20, wearing a black hoodie with a baseball cap underneath.
Did anyone see anything suspicious? Please call sightings and vehicle details on 101.

Rural Crime
You may have noticed the recent coverage of rural crime in the news media. Last year the cost of this to the economy was £44.5 million. Livestock rustling, traditionally the stuff of westerns, has resurfaced in Britain. In 2013 the number of sheep stolen from farmers around the country increased by 25%
In our area crime has involved the theft of fuel oil and other chemicals, hand tools, tack and increasingly items such as quad bikes. Larger vehicles such as tractors are also targeted, generally to order by organised gangs, and are then usually shipped out of the country. Earlier this month two hay turners were stolen in Over Wallop and Chattis Hill.
If we want to tackle rural crime then we all need to work together by ensuring all incidents are reported, helping to ensure that the Police are able to target their resources efficiently. Reporting rural crime can be done in a number of ways:
• Always dial 999 in an emergency;
• Suspicious incidents can be reported to the 24-hour Police Enquiry Centre on 101;
• You can also report information and intelligence to your local police station or community support officer;
• If you do not want to leave your name then call Crimestoppers on the 24-hour hotline 0800 555 111 or contact the charity using the on-line form at http://www.crimestopper-uk.org

Rogue Traders
The Police have had several reports of possible rogue traders touting door to door recently, particularly in relation to gardening and hedge trimming or tree surgery.
In the Shipton Bellinger area, an unknown male attended the address of an elderly lady and insisted on cutting her hedges, despite the lady asking him not to. The male then demanded payment, which was refused. Once the male left the address, the lady found that her wallet containing £200 and a cheque book had been stolen.
If you have a caller who is aggressive or persistent please call the Police!
Hampshire Trading Standards have a useful web page which lists reputable tradesmen:
http://www.buywithconfidence.gov.uk/sitepages/bwchome.aspx
If you do decide to have work done the following points may help you to avoid becoming the next victim:
• Get a clear quote before work commences;
• Try to use someone recommended by a friend or neighbour;
• Try to use a local tradesman – News about bad practice travels fast!
• If you have a vulnerable family member or neighbour, try to arrange to have the work done by someone you trust before the rogues get to them!
Finally; during periods of warm weather it is tempting to leave doors and windows open but please remember that insecure properties are an invitation for intruders. Most burglars are opportunists who do not plan their crimes but constantly look for an easy chance to enter a property through a door or window that has been left open.

Summary of reported rural crime
Thefts from non-dwelling premises and cars, usually of equipment and tools remain the major cause for concern. Heating oil thefts still continue and more recently there has been an upturn in fish poaching! Any suspicious activity should be reported to the police by calling 101.
Doorstep, telephone and computer scams continue to be a problem and the Police and Trading Standards frequently warn us to be on our guard.
Cold Calling
If you receive any cold call by phone, on computer or at the door, advice as always is never to give out personal information and if you choose to make an appointment please make sure it is with a reputable company which offers full cooling off periods etc. as advised by Trading Standards. If you feel that you have been misled or are not sure about a company’s credentials then Trading Standards are able to advise and their number is: 0845 603 5638.
Officers currently investigating a series of rogue trader incidents are urging members of the public to look out for their elderly and vulnerable neighbours. These incidents involved elderly members of the public being charged excessive amounts of money for work that was often not needed and then being driven to the bank to withdraw cash. Police advice includes:
• Ask friends or relatives to recommend tradesmen
• Ask for a written quote
• Shop around before making a decision
• Don’t pay upfront and pay by cheque or credit card
• Keep an eye out for any elderly relatives or neighbours
Telephone
Telephone scams are still the most common; they are usually attempts to defraud by obtaining personal information. These include calls purporting to be from the police and banks claiming that fraudulent activity has been spotted on your account. In other cases the caller claims to be a police officer and discusses home security before trying to book an appointment for a home visit.
The police and banks do not make calls of this sort. The advice is never give out personal details over the phone.
Another original scam is a sales call from someone claiming they can stop nuisance sales and marketing calls. Remember you can obtain this service free; the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) is the official central registry with whom you can register your preference not to receive unsolicited calls and register your telephone number by calling 0845 070 0707 or visiting http://www.tpsonline.org.uk.
Computer
Those who have computers and use email regularly will be aware of the amount of junk mail that comes in on a daily basis. Some of this is, however, fraudulent with a view, again, to obtaining personal information or in some cases to cause malicious damage to the computer software. The emails purport to be from banks, credit card companies and utility suppliers such as BT. The message usually claims a problem with your account which needs to be addressed urgently by correcting your account details. Never open any email or more particularly any attachment or link contained in it unless you are certain of the sender. Again, genuine companies do not ask for this sort of information, if you are unsure, a call to your bank will establish if the message is genuine.
Summer Burglary Advice from the Crime Prevention Officer
Spring will be turning into summer and this means that you should be thinking of a seasonal check of your home security now. This can be a time when we see burglaries rise as windows are left open, and doors are left unlocked. If you are in the back garden, with your front door left unlocked, all you are doing is presenting a fantastic opportunity for a burglar… please do get into the mind set of always locking your front door when at home, and always closing your windows when you go out.