FROM NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH – APRIL 2021
Following recent reports of knocks on windows and doors a situation has arisen which sends a warning to be aware. A property in Bittering street has had an attempted break in. No entry was gained but some damage was caused. The police were in attendance.
With many people out and about walking away from their properties and the streets being quiet there is opportunity for criminals to make attempts to enter properties.
If you are out and about ensure your property is secure when you leave and check it out on your return for any evidence of attempted break in eg damaged windows and doors. Also be on the lookout for anything suspicious eg a person or people hanging about or seemingly interested in a property.
Should anything suspicious be seen take as much detail as possible such as vehicle make registration number colour and where possible a description of the person or people and contact 101. If an actual offence is witnessed contact 999.
Doug Curd Neighbourhood Watch Gressenhall
FROM NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH – MARCH 2021
Residents of Gressenhall, there has been another incident of evening knocking, this time on the front door and once again in Swan Drive. Although the resident concerned endeavoured to identify the source, whatever or whoever it was, was not in evidence. Whilst both incidents that have been reported have been in Swan Drive I would ask everyone to be watchful for any early evening suspicious activity in their respective areas. Should another incident of this kind occur anywhere in the village please let me know and I will pass any available information to the Police.
Thank you all for your cooperation.
Doug Curd Chair of the Gressenhall Neighbourhood Watch Team
Tel: 01362860803
Scam Alert – February 2021
The following is a Police Connect message.
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Scam Alert – January 2021
The following is a Police Connect message.
Have you had someone come to your door offering to carry out unnecessary work to your property? We are aware of incidents of colding calling in and around Breckland. if you’ve had a doorstep caller report to Norfolk County Council Trading Standards on 0808 223 1122, to Police on 101 and alert friends, family and neighbours. |
Scam Alert – November 2020
Good Morning, Please find below the Latest Consumer & Scam alerts from Norfolk Trading Standards. These can also be found on the Trading Standards website > https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/business/trading-standards/scams/consumer-alerts Many thanks PC Pete Davison Community Engagement Officer – North Norfolk
Scam Alert – Fake Facebook pages – 1 October 2020We’re continuing to receive reports of fake pages on Facebook claiming to be well-known brands or retail chains. Recently this has included several pages claiming to be large holiday companies offering ‘free holidays’. The fake pages then attempt to get people to engage with them by claiming to be offering discounts, prizes and giveaways. Sometimes this will be by asking you to like, share and comment on the post – which increases the reach of the fake page. They may also provide links to other pages that you must follow as part of the competition entry. These fake pages can often gather tens of thousands of shares within hours of being posted. If you see a competition on Facebook, take a moment to check before you click on it:
If you can’t be sure about the authenticity of a Facebook page, do not interact with it. If you have responded to what you now think could be a fake Facebook page:
You can report fake Facebook pages, or other scam contacts, to Trading Standards by contacting the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133. Information Alert – Green Homes Grant vouchers – 30 September 2020Green Homes Grant vouchers are available from Wednesday 30 September 2020. TradersRemember that you must register with TrustMark to carry out work under the Green Homes Grant scheme. Visit greenhomesgrant.campaign.gov.uk for more information. ConsumersFind out if you are eligible for a Green Homes Grant voucher at greenhomesgrant.campaign.gov.uk. Remember to check whether any trader offering to carry out work under the Green Homes Grant scheme is registered to do so – look for the TrustMark. Report anyone cold calling to us via the Citizens Advice consumer service on freephone 0808 223 1133. Scam Alert – Emails claiming to be from Netflix – 28 September 2020Scammers are continuing to exploit the popularity of streaming services by sending large numbers of emails claiming there are problems with your billing or subscription. A Norfolk resident has reported receiving the email pictured above, where they are asked to follow a link to update their payment details. Always be wary of claims made in unexpected emails and never click on any links or open attachments. Netflix offer the following advice regarding scam emails:
You can report suspicious emails to us via the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on freephone 0808 223 1133. Information Alert – Damage caused by bad weather? Make sure you choose a trader with care – 28 September 2020If your home has been damaged by the recent bad weather, getting repairs completed will be something you want to do as quickly as possible. Make sure in the hurry to get things fixed you don’t end up with a rogue trader or poor-quality repairs. The following advice will help you get the right trader and smooth repairs. Never use cold callers who arrive at your property offering to undertake workRogue traders may use bad weather and an opportunity to try and get householders to agree to them undertaking repairs. These cold callers rarely give householders proper contact details or their legal rights to cancel within 14 days. They may also claim more work is required than is actually necessary to increase their profits, and the work they do can often be of poor quality. Choose reputable traders like a Norfolk Trusted TraderWhen looking for someone to undertake work on your property, make sure they’re a trader you can trust. This could be a member of the Norfolk Trading Standards Trusted Trader scheme, a business you’ve used before, or a recommendation from a friend or family member. You can search the Norfolk Trusted Trader directory at www.norfolk.gov.uk/trustedtrader or call the Norfolk County Council customer service centre on 0344 800 8020. Get at least 3 quotes for the workTry to get at least 3 traders to come to your property and provide proper, written quotations to undertake the work required. Compare them carefully to help you choose the right trader for the job. Never pay the full price upfrontGood businesses and tradespeople will not require payment until the work is finished to your satisfaction. Some may ask for a percentage to cover materials or specific parts if they are expensive, but it the trader is asking for full payment upfront don’t contract with them. Talk to your insurance company firstIf you have insurance on your property, speak to your insurance company before arranging any repairs. They may require you to use a company approved by them, or want to see quotations before authorising the work and subsequent payment. If you need further advice on choosing a trader, or help dealing with disputes with companies, contact the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on their freephone number 0808 223 1133. Scam Alert – Emails attempting to blackmail the recipient – 25 September 2020Norfolk residents have reported receiving emails which attempt to blackmail the recipient. The emails often state they have ‘accessed your device’ or have been ‘monitoring you online’, and sometimes include a password that will be known to the recipient. In the emails, the sender often claims to have access to ‘accounts, social networks, email, browsing history’ and makes accusations about websites you have visited. They then threaten to post this information online or share it with your contacts unless they’re paid an amount in Bitcoin. Action Fraud offer the following advice on how to protect yourself from this type of email:
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Warning ~ October 2020
The following is a Police Connect message.
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WARNING ~ October 2020
The following is a Police Connect message.
Police are appealing for information following a burglary in Beetley, near Dereham, which happened at the weekend.
Suspect(s) targeted a property in Green Lane between 10.30pm on Saturday night and 11.10am on Sunday morning (3/4 October 2020) and broke into the property by smashing a window.
Jewellery, watches, a laptop, safe and a wallet containing cash and cards were stolen from the address.
Officers would like to hear from anyone who may have witnessed the incident or people acting suspiciously in the area.
Anyone with information should contact Detective Constable Sophie Harris at Thetford CID on 101 or alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
WARNING ~ August 2020
Ladies and Gentlemen a suspicious vehicle has been reported. It is a pick up truck with a trailer. The trailer is like a tank for carrying liquid and could hold maybe 500Ltrs. It was spotted by a local resident at approx 21:00 hrs (09.00pm) on 19/08/2020 and seemed to be behaving in a manner as to avoid being identified.
Due to the nature of the trailer it may be advisable to check your heating oil levels to ensure that they have not been tampered with.
If you do find that your level is significantly less than it should be please report it to the Police by telephone on 101.
As a precaution the vehicle details have been passed to the Police for them to check ownership etc . It may well be that the vehicle was bona fide and that the driver was going about his lawful business.
If there is any outcome I will publish the results as and when I get them.
Doug Curd
Gressenhall Neighbourhood Watch Team
WARNING ~ July 2020
This is a warning regarding a mail scam.
A parishioner recently received a letter from a person relating to a large legacy from an unknown distant relative. The letter suggested that because of the amount of work and cost of finding someone related that the legacy be shared 50/50 and to respond immediately.
The scam bit is that the letter did not have a proper address or telephone number, just an E-mail address.
The conclusion drawn from this is that any response would be answered with a request for bank details so payment can be made. Just another scam to defraud people and clear out their bank accounts.
Any letter received without proper contact details should be disregarded. The old adage of “if it looks too good to be true then it probably is” should be borne in mind.
Take care stay safe and enjoy the summer as much as you can within the limits of Covid-19 protection.
Doug Curd
Chair of Gressenhall Neighbourhood Watch.
01 362 860 803