COMMUNITY WATCH MAGAZINE ESSEX BWC CAN KEEP COWBOYS OUT OF YOUR LI FE - P1 8 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2 C I T I Z E N S A DV I C E H I G H L I G H T S T H E TO P S C A M S - P 6
criminals - P2-3 Investment
Old people hit by scam warning P11
Paul’s warning on equity scams - P16 FBI hunt for the crypto queen - P15
And exper ts fear the true figure could be higher, as many pensioners are too scared to repor t crimes or don’t realise they’ve been a victim
2 ELDERLY FRAUD VICTIMS commun itywatchp ublishing@gmail.c om T: 01268 566743 M: 07958753 92 Published by: Community Watch Publishing, 110 Clifton Avenue, Benfleet, Essex SS7 5QU Tel: 01268 566743 07958 475392 Email peterfau67@ gmail.com Editor: Peter Faulkner Website communitywatchpublishing.co.uk
million stolen, an average of £6,097 each
And this is despite the age group accounting for 19,059 of the total 178,772 cases logged among the over-70s.
Of all age groups, it was victims in their 50s who suffered the biggest total loss in each one of the three years, Action Fraud’s figures show continued on page 3
People in their 20s and 30s repor ted the most incidents of fraud, but their losses averaged less than half those of the over 90s, at £2,391 £825 million over the same period
The ver y elderly, aged between 90 and 99, repor ted £116
Money Mail analysis of Action Fraud figures reveals scam victims aged over 70 lost about £977 million in total between April 2019 and 2022
Pensioners have been cheated out of almost £1b and now crooks are buying their personal data for just 16p
THE elderly could be suffering a ‘silent epidemic’ of fraud after it emerged the over 70s have lost almost £1 billion in the past three years.
Pensioners are easy prey to the criminal gangs after their cash
Professor Brown added: “It’s about loneliness, too. Older people who live alone and do not have someone in the house to “ sense check” things are more susceptible to coercive control.”
Anyone can find the private details of a person on the dark web, but now it seems the criminals are buying that data off Facebook groups for just 16p a person
The Daily Mail revealed last month that Britain has become the fraud capi tal of the world and is campaigning for a major overhaul to the system.
where they are pressured into sending money to crooks posing as banks and tax officials, as they tend to trust figures of authority
Wealthy pensioners are particularly at risk, the BBC says, with many Face book posts advertising sets of data with tags such as “rich people”, “high income”, “home owners”, and “old age”
BBC Breakfast Live was apparently able to purchase the details of 1,000 people living in Britain for just £160.
This might not have been the first in stance in which Meta has handed data over when it shouldn't have.
But today’s pensioners are also the potential victims of today’s criminals who see them as easy targets.
The news comes as the way in which Facebook handles data is coming under greater scrutiny, at least within the EU
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He also warned that Google and Facebook need to do ‘ a lot more ’ to stop people’s money disappearing ‘in a puff of smoke’ after responding to a fraudulent adver t online
Fraudsters also know younger people typically have less money to lose , whereas those approaching retirement have often accrued large sums of sav ings
The concerns follow repor ts last week that sensitive and private data of wealthy elderly people is being sold to scammers on Facebook for as little as 16p.
Posts adver tising data for sale such as ‘UK old age high income leads’ are prevalent on the social networking site , according to an investigation by the BBC
UK businesses are reportedly getting caught by fraudsters more often than the global average.
Unfortunately being young and a long way from home ownership might not protect you from cyber crime
Professor Keith Brown, formerly of Bournemouth University and an exper t in safeguarding adults, says: “The fraud that occurs among elderly people who live alone is under repor ted and victims are too ashamed to come forward.
Exper ts suggest older generations are more at risk from impersonation scams,
Personal data and wealth sold online for just 16p
The BBC laid the blame squarely on Meta for not scrubbing its platform clean from this type of illegal activity.
The personal data was said to in clude names, home addresses, email addresses, estimated net worth as well as estimated income bracket.
A solid majority 64% of UK firms experienced an instance of fraud in the last two years, an increase from 56% in 2020, and well above the global average of 46% according to PWC's Global Economic Crime Survey
“It’s a silent epidemic If you have eld erly relatives, or people you care for, you can almost assume they are going to be a victim.’
When confronted with this investiga tion on LBC radio, technolog y and digi tal economy minister Chris Philp admitted fraud is a ‘huge problem’ and ‘shockingly’ still growing
“This is in contrast to the more com mon purchase scam, where we typically see younger people tricked into buying things such as fake trainers, with the amounts involved smaller overall but occurring more frequently.”
One major bank says its figures also show the amount of money lost to fraud increases with the victim’s age
from page 2
TODAY’S pensioners are able to live a fairly luxurious lifestyle with mortgage free homes, holidays abroad and regularly dining out with friends on their pension pots.
Liz Ziegler, director of fraud and fi nancial crime at Lloyds Bank, explains: “Older people tend to be at higher risk of more complex scams, like investment, impersonation or romance scams, with fraudsters going to great lengths to con vince their victim to hand over their cash
“And vulnerable elderly people , such as those with dementia, are at higher risk as they are unlikely to realise they have been scammed.
Meta has responded to the allegations, saying: “We remove this content when we become aware of it and have taken down the groups in question.”
Irish regulators have decided to force the social media giant to stop sending users ' data to the US, forcing them to store data locally.
A Bloomberg report has accused Apple and Meta of handing over sensi tive data to cybercriminals who had been impersonating police, and who managed to steal data from numerous tech companies using the trick.
The 7726 anti scam ser vice provides operators with information and intelli gence to help them tackle fraud.
The Home Office said figures show that repor ts to the ser vice had dropped by nearly 90 per cent from 500,000 repor ts down to 50,000 since August last year.
to be from reputable companies to gain access to personal information from other networks by 76 per cent.
It claimed this was “in line with the reduction in scam messages reaching customers”, adding the National Cyber Security Centre’s takedown ser vice had also removed 2 7million scams online in the past year
The Home Office said another net work reduced fraudulent texts by 97 per cent and cut “smishing” when fraudsters sent text messages claiming
However, Detective Chief Superin
tendent Oliver Shaw, from City of Lon don Police’s Action Fraud, said this month that phishing scams “continue to pose a significant threat for both indi viduals and businesses”
“I would urge ever yone to be vigilant of unexpected messages or calls that ask for your personal or financial infor mation,” he added
His comments came alongside a re por t from Action Fraud that stated the public had made over 12million repor ts to the Suspicious Email Repor ting Ser v ice (SERS), with the removal of more than 83,000 scams and 153 malicious websites continued on page 5
TENS of millions of fraudulent texts and tens of thousands of SIM cards have been blocked with the help of an antifraud ser vice
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The Home Office said that telecoms body Mobile UK’s 7726 anti scam ser v ice had been key in the reduction of scam texts and the hike in disconnected SIM cards sending fraudulent messages
New data from the telecoms body showed that one provider blocked 142 million fraudulent texts in nine months, while another disconnected 60,000 SIM cards that were sending scam texts.
Anti-scam service makes texts and messages disappear
This year, the Treasur y Committee pub lished its findings into the state of fraud across the financial ser vices and banking sectors, and beyond.
your
scam.
All major UK networks pledged to roll out these measures, which were set out in the Telecommunications Fraud Sector Char ter agreed between the Home Of fice and Telecommunications sector in October 2021
ous
or banking
This included introducing firewalls to block fraudulent messages and carr ying out extra checks on SIM cards.
Fraud and suspicious text messages surged during the pandemic , prompting network providers and the Government to enact a series of measures in the past nine months to give greater protections to consumers
Never
from page 4
make a payment or give
Patel
Priti
the
Actions included putting firewall solu tions in place to detect and stop scam texts reaching customers The firewalls use sophisticated monitoring and filtering to identify and block fraudulent mes sages
BEATING FRAUD 5
Home Secretar y Priti Patel said: “I am committed to tackling the scourge of fraud and to protecting the public from these crimes
Signed by BT EE, Sky Mobile , Tesco Mo bile , Three , Virgin Media O2 and Voda fone , the Char ter sets out nine voluntar y actions to protect individuals and busi nesses from fraud.
rise in scam texts during the pandemic , which saw consumers defrauded of around £2 35bn last year ”
Fur themore , the Committee is urging for the Government to legislate when it comes to reimbursements for “autho rised push payment fraud payment” to assist victims fur ther when they are tar geted by fraudsters.
All banks provide advice for customers about best course of action to faced withyet dangerous
The group of cross par ty MPs’ repor t called on the Government to legislate against online fraudulent adver ts and se riously consider whether online giants should reimburse those who fall victim to scams on their platforms
their
What to do if you think its a scam
It said the most impersonated organisa tions in phishing emails repor ted last year were the NHS, HMRC and gov.uk.
an obvi
Whilst the public become more aware of some scams, others continue to ap pear in their place .
“In October 2021, Ofcom revealed that 45million people the majority of the UK population had received a scam text or call in the period June Septem ber 2021,” it said
The Home Office stated the char ter was developed “in response to a dramatic
take when
1. The broad advice is to keep money and details safe. move money, personal details
“We will shor tly be publishing a strat eg y setting out fur ther actions we can take with industr y to crack down on this despicable crime ”
What else is the Government doing on fraud?
for a message that comes out of the blue. 2 Only click on a link or download an attachment if you’re sure it’s genuine. 3 Look at the spelling and layout. If it has mistakes or looks odd in any way, don’t reply and delete. 4. Take your time. A scam may use warnings or threats to try to get you to act with out thinking 5. Double- check before you pay. Confirm payment details before you pay an invoice or bill. 6. Call the person or business on a number you trust, not one from an invoice or message. 7 Besides blocking the sender and deleting the text, recipients can also report the text they receive to 7726.
Between 1 18 July, Essex Police recorded 48 collisions where a casualty
was killed or seriously injured (KSI) and almost 48% involved a vulnerable road user, identified as follows:
13 motorcyclists
7 cyclists
“If a rider comes off a two wheel vehi cle for any reason, they could prevent or at least minimise the level of injury sus tained by wearing protective clothing
Think helmet, leathers, boots and gloves ”
2 pedestrians
|The Hierarchy of Road Users places a greater responsibility on all drivers and riders to drive with consideration of others, placing vulnerable road users at the centre of our driving decision making
6 ROAD S AFET Y
SO far in Essex almost half of serious collisions involved vulnerable road users: that’s 23 killed or seriously injured in road collisions.
to our own motorcyclists added: “Twowheel, rider error related collisions can also be avoided by riders reducing speed especially going into bends, anticipating hazards ahead, using caution, giving yourself time to react and correct positioning at junctions or roundabouts
Keeping you safe on the roads
Sergeant Hills, who teaches road craft
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Make our roads the safest they can be and support #SummerRoadSafetyEssex in whatever way you can
1 E scooter rider
This places them right at the top of the hierarchy As part of our #SummerRoad SafetyEssex campaign, Adam Pipe, Head of our Roads Policing Unit said:
Speaking about better driving decisions, Essex Police driving instructor, Sergeant Paul Hills, said: “If we can reduce driver error related mistakes, we could well re duce the number of collisions Giving yourself and other road users time and space when driving would be a start ”
With the introduction of the Hierarchy of Road Users, two wheeled vehicles and pedestrians are officially identified as vul nerable road users and those at most risk in the event of a collision
“If everyone understands that they now have responsibility for the safety of others and revisit their driving style and make those necessary changes, we can work together to reduce the number of collisions and casualties on our roads.”
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Numberless cards were first intro duced in Europe by UK payment ser v ice company Cur ve in 2020, but Apple’s numberless credit card was the first mainstream product on the market when it was launched in the US in March 2019
lowed suit in April Other banks that have redesigned their debit and credit cards in this way include HSBC and First Direct Banks and credit card companies claim removing numbers reduces the risk of fraudsters stealing your personal details, as they're much less prominent Chase , which launched in the UK last September, says that having no numbers at all protects customers should they lose their card Instead, your payment details are stored in the banking app
Usually, it’s just the front that’s blank, with the details appearing on the back instead, but some cards have no num bers at all.
With almost half (45%) of those sur veyed saying they don’t know if they want one or not, it’s clear a lot of peo ple remain unsure about numberless cards
HSBC , for example , says it wanted the front card design 'to be simple , clean and effective to benefit our cus tomers with disabilities. By moving all the text to the back of the card, the text can be bigger and bolder
Number’s up for criminals
Since then, the trend has spread to the high street, with major banks and credit card providers jumping on the numberless bandwagon
Of the majority (63%) who haven’t currently got one , around half (46%)
However, having no numbers on show still does not stop fraudsters completely, so you still need to be vigi lant The fact that a card still exists digi tally means there is still a risk your details can be stolen and used online . What if I am blind or partially sighted? Removing the notches and embossed numbers from the front is likely to concern customers who are blind or par tially sighted, but many have been designed with these people in mind.
However, customers aren't necessar ily as on board as the banks In a sur vey of 1,097 Which? members in July 2022, around a third (36%) told said they have already received a number less card
don’t want one at all Seven in ten (71%) said it’s because they don’t see the benefit.
Numberless cards are a growing trend with credit and debit card providers, said to be more secure than cards that prominently display banking information.
Most (83%) members who do cur rently own a numberless card, however, claim their experience of using it is no different than before .
B ANKS including Chase , HSBC , First Direct and Barclays are among the banks to have stopped issuing credit and debit cards with 16 digit numbers across the front in a bid to tackle fraud Instead they either put them on the back of the card instead, or in the case of Chase doing away with num bers altogether
So here’s everything you need to know about this new trend: These are debit or credit cards which feature no digits that includes the card number, expir y/issue date and CVV number.
Earlier this year Barclaycard removed numbers from the front of newly is sued credit cards, and NatWest fol
If you think a fraudster has somehow got hold of your card details, you can generate new details within the app and then carr y on spending as usual
Numberless credit and debit cards are now being introduced by many banks as a way to cut down on fraud and also make changing your banking details much easier within the app
Te rr y ’ s m o t h e r a n d f a t h e r s a i d : “ T h e l a s t ye a r h a s b e e n h e l l re a l ly, we ’ re j u s t t r y i n g t o g e t t h ro u g h i t o n e d ay a t a t i m e . H e d i d n ’t d e s e r ve t h a t , h e re a l ly d i d n ’t
S i n c e h i s d e a t h a t o t a l o f 1 3 p e o p l e a rre s t e d Fo u r o f t h o s e p e o p l e t wo m e n a g e d 1 9 a n d 2 0 a n d t wo b oy s a g e d 1 5 a n d 1 7 a rre s t e d o n s u s p i c i o n o f h i s mu rd e r re m a i n re l e a s e d u n d e r i nve s t i g a t i o n .
T: 0 1268 566 743 M: 0795 875392 c ommunitywatc hpublish ing@gmail com 8 ESSEX CRIME AND COMMUNIT Y NEW S CRIME A AND COMMU NITY NEW S
A MAN who conspired to throw five mo biles phones over a prison wall has been jailed for 18 months
“ We j u s t c a n ’t b e l i eve t h a t n o o n e h a s c o m e fo r w a rd S o m e b o d y mu s t k n ow s o m e t h i n g , we d o n ’t k n ow h ow t h ey c a n l i ve w i t h t h e m s e l ve s . H e w a s n ’t a n a n g e l b u t h e h a d a k i n d h e a r t . H e wo u l d d o a ny t h i n g fo r yo u .
D e t e c t i ve C h i e f I n s p e c t o r L o u i s e M e t c a l fe , w h o ’ s l e a d i n g t h e i nve s t i g a t i o n , s a i d : “ I n fo r m a t i o n f ro m t h e p u b l i c i s go i n g t o b e key t o b r i n g i n g t o j u s t i c e t h o s e re s p o n s i b l e fo r Te rr y ’ s mu rd e r I t ’ s b e e n a ye a r s i n c e h e d i e d b u t t h e p a s s i n g o f t i m e h a s n o t d i m m e d t h e p a i n h i s f a m i ly a re fe e l i n g .
T H E f a m i ly o f Te rr y L e e k s s ay t h e l a s t ye a r h a s b e e n “ h e l l ” a s t h ey c a l l fo r a nyo n e w h o h a s i n fo r m a t i o n a b o u t h i s mu rd e r t o c o m e fo r w a rd
The parcels were forensically linked to Luke Buxton, 27, of Main Road, Boreham, who was was sentenced to a total of 18 months imprisonment when he appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court.
Prison n wall tosser
RUDY Junior Bagalo, 22 of Stagden Cross, Basildon, has been jailed for five years at Chelmsford Crown Court on Thursday 7 July where he was sentenced to five years for four knifepoint robberies
I t ’ s 1 2 m o n t h s s i n c e Te rr y ( p i c t u re d r i g h t ) w a s f a t a l ly a s s a u l t e d i n N o r t h l a n d s P a r k , B a s i l d o n a n d E s s e x Po l i c e a re c o n t i nu i n g t o wo r k t o g e t j u s t i c e fo r h i s f a m i ly.
The 68 year old sustained serious in juries in the assault and was taken to hospital for treatment He sadly died in hospital the following day
Help us to track down our son’s killers
Knifepoint robberies
During the robberies, involving mainly teenagers, Bagalo stole two bags, air pods and bank cards
Chelmsford Crown Court last month Bagalo pleaded guilty to robber y, common assault and carr ying a knife as well as breaching his suspended sentence for a previous offence, and was sentenced to a total of five years
“ W h e n i n fo r m a t i o n i s p a s s e d t o t h e p o l i c e , i t d o e s n ’t c o n t a i n a ny i n fo r m a t i o n w h i c h c o u l d i d e n t i f y yo u ”
Whilst on routine patrol of Chelmsford Prison on 21 Januar y 2021, a prison offi cer heard a “thud sound outside one of the prison wings.
I n d e p e n d e n t c h a r i t y C r i m e s t o p p e r s h a s re n ewe d i t s rew a rd fo r i n fo r m a t i o n l e a d i n g t o t h e a rre s t a n d c o nv i c t i o n o f t h e p e r s o n o r p e o p l e re s p o n s i b l e , a n d i n c re a s e d i t t o £ 2 0 , 0 0 0 .
A MAN has been jailed for causing the death of a grandfather after assaulting him in his home in Pitsea over a £25 debt.
“ I f yo u ’ re wo rr i e d a b o u t s p e a k i n g t o u s , we c a n p ro t e c t yo u We c a n p u t m e a s u re s i n p l a c e t o s a fe g u a rd yo u b o t h d u r i n g t h e i nve s t i g a t i o n a n d a t c o u r t “ A n d i f yo u d o n ’t fe e l c o m fo r t a b l e s p e a k i n g t o u s , re p o r t w h a t yo u k n ow t o C r i m e s t o p p e r s . T h ey d o n ’t a s k yo u r n a m e o r a ny p e r s o n a l d e t a i l s , t h ey d o n ’t re c o rd yo u r c a l l a n d yo u r nu m b e r i s n eve r d i s p l aye d
Rober ts denied the charge but before his trial was due to begin at Basildon Crown Cour t he pleaded guilty to manslaughter and he was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison He will ser ve two-thirds of his sentence before he can be released
“ I t ’ s s o i m p o r t a n t fo r u s t o b e a b l e t o g i ve t h e m t h e j u s t i c e t h ey d e s e r ve T h e a n swe r s t o t h i s c a s e a re i n t h e c o m mu n i t y
“ I t d o e s n ’t m a t t e r h ow i n s i g n i f i c a n t yo u fe e l t h e p i e c e o f i n fo r m a t i o n yo u h ave , p l e a s e re p o r t i t a n d l e t u s d e c i d e . I t c o u l d b e t h e key p i e c e o f t h e j i g s aw.
When the parcels were opened, they contained tobacco, cannabis and five mo biles with chargers and SIM cards.
Edward Rober ts admitted to the manslaughter of James ‘Jimbo’ Robinson who died foollowing an assault in the Malyons Mews area of Pitsea on 15 Sep tember, 2021
Killed for £25 debt
“ H e ’d h e l p a nyo n e , i f h e c o u l d d o s o m e t h i n g fo r s o m e o n e t h e n h e wo u l d I f a nyo n e k n ow s a ny t h i n g , n o m a t t e r h ow s m a l l , a f t e r a l l t h i s t i m e , p l e a s e j u s t c o m e fo r w a rd . I t ’ s n o t go i n g t o b r i n g h i m b a c k b u t i t wo u l d j u s t h e l p g e t j u s t i c e fo r h i m ” .
“ L e t m e b e c l e a r, t h e p e o p l e w h o a re s e l l i n g t h e s e a re d r u g d e a l e r s T h e i r p ro d u c t m ay n o t h ave t h e ap p e a r a n c e o f a d r u g , b u t t h e i r p ro d u c t m o s t c e r t a i n ly i s a d r u g a n d a ve r y d a n g e ro u s o n e
remember coming to on the floor and someone holding my hands, saying ‘I’ve got you, mate. Don’t worry, I’ve got you You’re in safe hands’ And it turned out to be Gavin.
“I am so grateful, from the bottom of my heart, that he was there to help me I found out later that with out him and Holly, I would have died on that day.
After spending a couple of days in hospital, Mr Howard is slowly recovering and has now met both his life savers Detective Sergeant Gav Morris and Sainsbury’s shop worker
“I had pains in my chest, so I took my medication but as I walked towards Argos the pain got slowly worse,” said Ian
A l t h o u g h c a n n a b i s e d i b l e s c o n t a i n a n e l e m e n t o f t h e C l a s s B d r u g , t h ey d o n o t h ave t h e s m e l l o r ap p e a r a n c e o f c a n n a b i s T h ey m ay a l s o c o n t a i n o t h e r i l l i c i t s u b s t a n c e s .
Holly Heather to thank them ‘from the bottom of my heart’.
U n l i ke s m o k i n g c a n n a b i s , sw a l l ow i n g c a n n a b i s i s mu c h e a s y t o c o n s u m e , h oweve r i t t a ke s l o n g e r t o t a ke e f fe c t
Dangerous cannabis sweets
Beware ‘sweets’ that could kill
T h e i r p u rc h a s e i s i l l e g a l i n t h e U K , b u t we k n ow t h e p ro d u c t s a re a d ve r t i s e d fo r s a l e t h ro u g h s o c i a l m e d i a n e t wo r k s a n d t h e re fo re yo u n g p e o p l e a re a t r i s k o f s e e i n g t h e m
Ian Howard and his wife Dawn celebrated their 39th wedding anniversary just days after he collapsed in Sainsbury’s
“ T h e i r e f fe c t s a re mu c h d e l aye d , m e a n i n g yo u n g p e o p l e a re ve r y l i ke ly t o e a t a d a n g e ro u s a m o u n t b e fo re t h ey eve n fe e l t h e i r e f fe c t s .
A s a re s u l t , t h o s e t a k i n g t h e m a re l i ke ly t o e a t t o o m a ny d u e t o t h e d e l aye d e f fe c t .
M y m e s s a g e i s t h a t t h e s e p e o p l e a re n o t we l c o m e i n E s s e x a n d a c t i o n w i l l b e t a ke n a g a i n s t t h e m
“I knew I was in trouble and I asked one of the girls there to help me, it turned out to be Holly Heather
W I T H t h e s c h o o l s u m m e r h o l i d ay s i n f u l l sw i n g , E s s e x Po l i c e i s w a r n i n g p a r e n t s t o b e aw a re o f c a n n a b i s e d i b l e s w h i c h a re i n c re a s i n g ly b e i n g o f fe re d t o yo u n g p e o p l e a c ro s s t h e c o u n t r y.
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“They did a wonderful job. I really can’t praise them enough ”
“ T h e i r c o n s e q u e n c e s t o yo u n g p e o p l e a n d i n d e e d w i d e r s o c i e t y c a n n o t b e u n d e re s t i m a t e d T h e p ro d u c t s m ay l o o k h a r m l e s s , a n d i n d e e d ‘ f u n ’ , b u t t h ey a re ve r y d a n g e ro u s .
T h ey a re i l l e g a l b u t av a i l a b l e i n m a ny d i f fe re n t fo r m s , i n c l u d i n g c a ke s , swe e t s , c h o c o l a t e s a n d d r i n k s
I n s t e a d , t h ey l o o k a n d s m e l l l i ke a n o r m a l s h o p b o u g h t fo o d i t e m b u t c a n b e s t ro n g e r t h a n o t h e r c a n n a b i s p ro d u c t s .
I n d e e d , we k n ow g a n g s a re u s i n g e d ib l e s a s a ‘ h o o k ’ t h ro u g h w h i c h t h ey c o e rc e p re t e e n a g e c h i l d re n i n t o t h e c o u n t y l i n e s m o d e l T h ey d o t h i s p a r t i c u l a r ly b e c a u s e c h i l d re n a g e d u n d e r t e n ye a r s o l d a re u n d e r t h e a g e o f c r i m i n a l re s p o n s i b i l i t y
Thanks to heroes who saved my life
He says it has brought ‘closure’ for everyone
“She asked me to sit down. Then I
A MAN who collapsed while out shopping in Braintree has thanked the off duty detective who helped to save his life
C a n n a b i s e d i b l e s a re fo o d p ro d u c t s w h i c h c o n t a i n t h e m o o d a l t e r i n g i n g re d i e n t f ro m c a n n a b i s ( T H C ) .
d r u g s , s a i d : " W i t h t h e s u m m e r h o l i d ay s h e rre , we w a n t p e o p l e t o b e aw a re o f t h e d a n g e r s o f t a k i n g c a n n a b i s e d i b l e s .
“ R e g u l a r u s e o f c a n n a b i s c a n h ave a n i m p a c t o n b r a i n d eve l o p m e n t , h e a r t h e a l t h , m e m o r y a n d c o g n i t i o n a n d p s y c h i a t r i c h e a l t h
A n d b e c a u s e o f h ow t h ey a re p a c k a g e d , t h ey c a n b e p a r t i c u l a r ly ap p e a l i n g t o yo u n g p e o p l e a n d t e e n a g e r s
“ “ We k n ow a c ro s s t h e c o u n t r y t h a t d e a l e r s a re d i s g u i s i n g t h e s e d a n g e ro u s d r u g s a s swe e t s t o t a r g e t a n d e x p l o i t yo u n g p e o p l e “
D e t e c t i ve S e r g e a n t K a re n O s b o r n e , o f o u r P re p a re , P reve n t a n d P ro t e c t Te a m , w h i c h a i m s t o t a c k l e t h e u s e o f d r u g s i n yo u n g p e o p l e b e fo re t h ey e nc o u n t e r t h e s e r i o u s v i o l e n c e a s s o c i a t e d w i t h d r u g t a k i n g a n d t h e s u p p ly o f
“ B u t we a l s o n e e d t h e p u b l i c t o p l ay a p a r t by p a s s i n g o n i n fo r m a t i o n t o u s o n a nyo n e s e l l i n g o r i n d e e d t a k i n g c a n n a b i s e d i b l e s "
Po l i c e fo rc e s a re wo r k i n g w i t h s o c i a l m e d i a c o m p a n i e s i n o rd e r t o c l a m p d ow n o n t h i s p r a c t i c e .
OFFICERS, staff and family gathered in Clacton on July 9 to remember and to celebrate the life of PC Ian Dibell GM on the tenth anniversar y of his death
RIGHT: Bill Long
ABOVE: The cowboy boots that sparked a murder hunt in Essex
Having identified him, police are now focused on investigating how Mr Long came to be where his remains were found, the circumstances which led up to his death, and when he died.
This included work with a forensic anthropologist to establish when the person was likely to have died, a review of historic missing person repor ts, and checks with financial institutions, the NHS, and the Depar tment of Work and Pensions.
CR IME AND COMMU NITY NEW S
“We’re keeping an open mind as to what happened to Bill and how he came to be where he was found.
Detective Inspector Kevin Hughes, from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Di rectorate , said: “The process to identify Bill has been measured and methodical
Boat builder jailed for raping young girl
Some of the vile images had been created by Taylor himself using photo editing software when arrested by NCA officers in December last year twenty one electronic devices were seized including laptops, tablets and phones.
SKELETAL remains found alongside a pair of abandoned cowboy boots have been identified as a man last seen 20 years ago who detectives now believe may have been murdered
Mr Long’s skeletal remains were found at a scrapyard near to Cockett Wick Lane on April 25, 2019
Police have set up a special online por tal through which information can be re por ted: https://mipp police uk/operation/4201020119N79 PO2
“Bill’s family have been told and they now have the chance to lay him to rest. They have questions about what happened to him and our focus now is to get them answers
T: 01268 566743 M: 0 79587539 2 communi tywatchpu blishing@gmail c om 10 ESSEX CRIME AND COMMUNIT Y NEW S
A BOAT builder from Essex who raped a young girl and took photo graphs of the abuse has been jailed for 16 years by Chelmsford Crown Court.
The remains of William ‘Bill’ Long were found by a site worker at a scrapyard in St Osyth, where he worked on a casual basis, in 2019.
Mr Long, who would now be aged in his 70s and was from the Tendring area, was identified after extensive investigations, detectives said
Police believe Mr Long was last seen, or believed to be alive , between March 1999 and March 2000 and had a girlfriend who had moved to Australia at about that time . His death is being investigated as a homicide but police say they are keeping an open mind about what happened
“I need anyone who knew Bill, saw him, spoke to him or has any information about him or his life at the time he was last seen to come forward and speak to my team ”
Cowboy boots spark major murder hunt
These were forensically examined and 40 indecent images were found on a computer hard drive, which showed Taylor raping and sexually assaulting a young girl.
Taylor was re-arrested on 3 February this year at an address in Clactonon Sea. Officers found he had an electronic device he hadn’t declared, which was a breach of his bail condi tions and resulted in him being placed into custody.
Anthony Taylor, 49, was identified by National Crime Agency investigators after he used a cloud account to store indecent images of children.
Taylor pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault of a child under 13, two counts of rape of a child under 13, causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity and three counts of making indecent images of children, ranging from category A C.
Anniversary tribute
Ian was shot and killed in 2012 He had been off duty at the time but, heroically, put himself back ‘ on duty’ in order to pro tect the public. He was posthumously awarded the George Medal for gallantr y by the Queen the first police officer in 21 years to be given the award
A special memorial ser vice was held at the Police Memorial Trust memorial stone in the Sensor y Gardens in Clacton.
The FCA is calling on all investors to be ScamSmart and check the advice on our Scamsmart website, including their Warning List before making any invest ment decisions
WITH over £25 million lost so far, the FCA launched its latest ScamSmart cam paign urging people to be aware of increasingly sophisticated investment scam tactics
Its research shows 51% of investors would check the FCA’s Warning List be fore making an investment but 47% would not
Angela clicked on an advertisement for bitcoin and received a call from individu als claiming to be financial advisers
Using platforms including Teams, TeamViewer and Zoom, screen sharing scams not only involve consumers shar ing their financial data but scammers have also been able to embed them selves in victims’ digital devices to access online banking and investment details.
This will help identify any firms that are actively running scams, or flag to in vestors where additional research is needed If you deal with an unauthorised firm, you will not be covered by the Fi nancial Ombudsman Service or Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) if things go wrong
In one case, 49 year old Angela Under hill was persuaded to download remote desktop software to secure an invest ment and lost over £48,000 while scam mers accessed her banking details, her pension, and applied for loans on her be half
Likewise, while 88% said they would check if their investments were offered or sold by FCA firms, 10% of these peo ple would still trust their gut instinct with an investment opportunity from someone they didn’t know without mak ing proper checks, like ensuring the firm or the financial promotion is properly authorised.
FC A SC AM RESEARCH 11
However, of the 91% who said they would never share their PIN with a stranger, 85% would not think a request by a website to use or download soft ware as a warning sign that someone was seeking to gain illegal access to per sonal information on your device
Although older respondents admitted needing more help with technology, younger investors are not immune: a quarter (26%) of those aged 18 34 would agree to screensharing their on line banking or investment portal with someone they had not met.
mers are taking advantage of a growing familiarity with requests for screen shar ing.
The FCA has found that nearly half (47%) of investors would fail to identify a screen sharing scam, as it reveals an in crease of 86% in cases in one year, with 2,014 cases and over £25 million in loses.
The Warning List is a list of firms that are not authorised or registered by the FCA, and are known to be running scams.
Get smart to protect savings
c ommu nitywatch publishing @gmail.c om T: 0126 8 56674 3 M: 079587 5392
With the pandemic increasing use of video conferencing and remote plat forms to both work and socialise, scam
In one case, 59-year-old Angela Underhill was persuaded to download remote desktop software to secure an investment and lost over £48,000 while scammers accessed her banking details
The research also revealed other fac tors which might tempt investors to make a snap decision: 23% said they would be encouraged if the person they were speaking to appeared knowledge able about investing; 17% said the possi bility of securing better returns than elsewhere, and 14% would be encour aged if that person appeared to be suc cessful with displays of wealth
Her case is just one of thousands the FCA has seen reported to its consumer helpline.
Offering to complete the first invest ment for her, they asked her to down load the ‘AnyDesk’ platform, which then gave the scammers open access to all the financial details on her computer
The campaign aims to raise aware ness of criminals tactics and help in vestors spot the warning signs by checking its warning list
c ommu nitywatch publishing @gmail.c om T: 0126 8 56674 3 M: 079587 5392 12 TRADING S TANDARDS The only nationally available business approval scheme that’s owned, controlled and operated by Trading Standards services. Do you know businesseswhichyoucantrust? Buy With or call 0808 223 1133 Trading Standards
The Kiistone App is a revolutionary way to approach major building work and hopefully will end the reign of hundred’s of rogue tradesmen
The likelihood of the client getting any financial compensation is virtually nil So having lost money to a rogue trader, you now have to face up to the fact that you are still no further forward
They said there needs to be a speedier system with an automated recovery
Figures from the Registry Trust show that only 16% of CCJs in England and Wales were recorded by the courts as satisfied between 2020 and 2021, which means the vast majority went unpaid
The trader also benefits because they know the money is ‘ringfenced’ allowing them to purchase materials and invest time in a job leading to immediate payment on completion
CONVICTED 1
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ROUNDING-UP THE COWBOYS 13
Adam Priestley, who conned 58 victims across Yorkshire and Lancashire out of almost £500,000, was jailed for five and a half years by Leeds Crown Cour t
Built to reflect Tim's 23 years experience as a tradesperson, Kiistone safeguards all parties interests in a project by holding monies safely in escrow (a neutral bank account)
It offsets project stages against money milestones where funds can only be drawn down after a stage has been completed to the customers satisfaction
John Ward from Burnley has been sentenced to two years in prison after being found guilty of using false names to adver tise and solicit building work in Bris tol via the Rated People website
commun itywatchpu blishing@gmail.c om T: 01268 566743 M: 0 7958753 92
The App has been produced by Tim Mullock and it has been specifically de signed to ensure that builders cannot rip you off like the criminals opposite
Rogue trader gallery
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Kiistone is the key to peace of mind and is a small price to pay when you calculate the thousands you could lose or the condi tion your home coud be left in
This can all be avoided with if people sign up to the Kiistone App.
IF you lost money because you paid a rogue trader up front and he disappeared without completing the work, you have an option get a County Court judgement
This CCJ will blight their credit record for six years, but it is not a criminal of fence for them to ignore the ruling.
For claims worth less than £300, the cost of pursuing the defendant can exceed the sum they owe
M a r k B u c k o n e o f t h e w o r s t ro g u e b u i l d e r s
A legal epert told Kiistone, that the sys tem is unfit for purpose for claims under £3,000
In extreme cases of negligence where a continuous pattern of fraud can be proven criminal convictions can be brought as our rogues gallery proves To book a call contact helpdesk@kiistone.co.uk
Kiistone, which aims to protect con sumers from rogue traders, provides peace of mind to honest tradespeople and re store faith and improve the image of the building industry.
Kiistone, key to peace of mind
A judge will almost certainly rule in your favour and award you damages to cover your losses Also the trader will have what is known as a CCJ against his or the company ’ s name which affects his reputation
process if the defendant fails to provide evidence to the court that they’ve paid ”
They pointed out that the process, time, stress, and money involved are dispropor tionate, certainly against rogue traders who know the chase to recover money is often off putting so people just let it go
During each issue we will be highlight cases of shoddy and often dangerous work so that you take the correct steps before employing any builder to do work on your home. To be safe and to be sure, use the Kiistone App and this will save you untold heartache and heartbreak...and money.
All messages, extras and job changes are recorded on the spot to avoid misunderstandings and reflect both parties' conduct should a dispute arise
Sole traders can have their private pos sessions seized, but directors of limited companies cannot be held personally liable
And that is the catch say Kiistone County Court cases can take up to nine months to get to court and enforcement is effective only if the defendant has sufficient assets
Mark Buck, 49, from Somerset, was described by Trading Stan dards as " one of the worst rogue builders" it had ever had to deal with. He has now been given five years in prison by Bristol Crown Cour t after taking money from customers and leaving them with water pouring through their ceilings
AVE
14 TRAFFICKED
He said:: “I’m so proud have repre sented Great Britain and to achieved what I have as a GB athlete But, my proudest achievement will always be being a husband and father to my amazing family
In the documentary, Sir Mo said he was helped to obtain UK citizenship by his school PE teacher Alan Watkin son, while still using the name Mo hamed Farah.
commun itywatcch publishing@gmail.c om T: 0126 8 566743 M: 0795875 392
“It shows us that these types of high profile stories really do have an impact with the public, and it’s resonating with those who might have spotted something concerning or might have been in a situation that’s similar to Sir Mo’s and the story that he told to the BBC,” she said.
Justine Carter, director of Unseen UK, said some callers had explicitly mentioned Sir Mo as a prompt for reaching out
I’m so proud have represented Great Britain and to achieved what I have as a GB athlete. But, not all children have the start in life I had and I did this documentary to help highlight the problem SIR MO FARAH
In truth, it's on the increase, with the number of potential victims of modern slavery in the UK up by 20%. The term modern slavery is used to encompass any form of human trafficking, slavery, servitude or forced labour, and is a lucrative practice; it is the world’s third most profitable crime, behind drugs and arms trafficking, generating an estimated $150 billion in profits every year
“I did this documentary for them, so they could understand more about the experiences that led us to becoming the family we are today. Not every child will have the easiest start in life, but that doesn’t mean they can’t go on to achieve their dreams
In the UK alone, there are thought to be around 136,000 people living and working in conditions of modern slavery, in cluding in nail bars, construction sites, restaurants, cannabis farms, car washes and across county lines.
when taking into account the fact that, according to a survey conducted by Themis last year, 30% of financial services profes sionals - and 45% of senior managers - do not think modern slavery exists in the UK
Sir Mo stands up for slaves AS A SL
“People feel very alone and isolated when they’re in that situation them selves, so knowing that somebody else has been a victim of this type of crime and is still suffering from all of the experiences that they’ve had as a child I think is really crucial ”
A TRAFFICKING charity has said they have seen a 20% rise in calls and a 15% rise in overall contact since Mo Farah an nounced in a documentary that he was trafficked as a child.
These figures are concerning enough on their own; more so
Police nationwide say residents everywhere should be aware of the slave trade at places like car washes
Sir Mo Farah was brought to the UK illegally as a child and forced to work as a domestic servant, something that is hap pening today
They might also have their benefits taken over by their exploiter and can even be used for organ harvesting, the illegal removal of a person ' s internal organs which can then be sold
Victims are forced to work against their will, often working very long hours for little or no pay in dire con ditions under verbal or physical threats of violence to them or their families. It can happen in many sec tors of the economy.
Some victims are pressurised to perform non consensual or abusive sexual acts, such as prosti tution, escort work and pornography. Women and children make up the majority of victims, but men can also be affected.
THIS Ferrari can do more than 200mph and was once the proud posses sion of notorious criminals. Now, it is being used to chase them. Police in the Czech Republic have added their livery to a Ferrari 458 Italia which used to be "criminal property”. Featuring a highly tuned 4.5 litre V8 en gine, it will be used to pursue the "most aggressive drivers on Czech high ways " , officers said. It will also be deployed against illegal races which pass through different countries, of which there were about 30 a year before the coronavirus pandemic. Such events feature vehicles similar to the Ital ian supercar with "extreme performance that normal patrol vehicles can not fully compete with", Czech Police explained. It has covered only 2,000km (1,242 miles).
Two warrants were carried out at commercial premises on Indigo Road and Eastham Village Road A third war rant took place at a residential address on Sutherland Drive Officers from PIPCU, with the sup por t from the Nor th West Police Intel lectual Proper ty Crime Unit, seized 32,254 fake CDs being sold on Amazon
RUJA Ignatova, also known as the "Cr yptoqueen", has been placed on the FBI's top 10 most wanted list
The 11 sectors most directly im pacted by counterfeiting are estimated by have lost more than €83 billion in sales between 2013 and 2017, EUIPO said in its latest repor t
Police believe that the two suspects are par t of a larger criminal enterprise , dealing in the trafficking of counterfeit cash to Ukraine , and Western Europe consequences "
EUROPEAN member states lose out on €15 billion of tax revenues annually because of counterfeiting, the EU Intel lectual Proper ty Office claimed.
Criminals being chased...in their own Ferrari
GLOBAL NEW S 15 T: 01 268 566 743 M: 0795 875392 c ommunitywatc hpublishin g@gmai l.com
In a joint operation with the US Se cret Ser vice , Bulgarian police detained two people employees at the univer sity and seized a printing machine and equipment for printing money, along with large amounts of counterfeit US
Federal investigators accuse the fugi tive of using the scheme to defraud vic tims worldwide out of more than $4bn (£3.2bn).
It was the first underground counter feit cigarette factor y discovered in the European Union. Police found the site underneath some stables near Moran, a mountain town in southern Malaga
The person wanted the cer tificatemandator y to enter many public places in Italy but didn't want the vaccine
Nurse IN COVID arrest
FAKE FAGS factory
The European body noted for in stance that an increasing array of medi cines including cancer therapies or hear t disease medications are being counterfeited "with potentially deadly consequences "
Forged cash seized
The prosecutor’s office said the amount of counterfeit money taken in was $4 million and €3 6 million
The nurse did the same thing with some family members known to be anti vaxxer activists Even her own booster dose was fake , say police
COUNTERFEIT CDs
dollars and euro notes
POLICE in Italy say they secretly filmed a nurse in Palermo, Sicily, loading up a dose of Covid 19 vaccine , then empty ing it before injecting a patient
Ignatova also owns a £13,5m man sion in London which is kept under regular sur veillance
EU loses €15b in tax
Crypto Queen on the run
CRYPTOQUEEN HUNTED
She has been missing since 2017 when US officials signed an arrest war rant and investigators began closing in on her.
Wanted in Britain, he went on the run while on prison furlough while ser ving time for drug trafficking
Among those arrested was a 30 year old British national identified only by his initials D D who was believed to be one of the ringleaders
In addition, more than 670,000 legiti mate jobs were lost while governments missed out on €15 billion in tax revenue per year
POLICE seized high quality forged ban knotes produced at a printing office at a university in Bulgaria's capital
She is the only woman on the FBI’s Top Ten Most Wanted list
The Bulgarian woman, believed to be in her 40s, is wanted for her alleged role in running a cr yptocurrency scam known as OneCoin
SPANISH police have rescued six workers who were left trapped and gasping for air in a counterfeit cigarette factor y located in a bunker four metres underground, police and Europol said
Capable of producing more than 3,500 cigarettes an hour, the manufac turing complex was fitted with living quar ters and beds
OFFICERS from the City of London Police’s Police Intellectual Proper ty Crime Unit (PIPCU) seized counterfeit CDs wor th an estimated loss to the in dustr y of £169,708, during warrants in the Wirral, Merseyside .
Beware that a company offering the lowest interest rate maybe not the best in the long term for you
ELDERLY home owners facing the current finan cial crisis are turning to Equity Release as a way of either enjoying their twilight years or helping family onto the housing ladder
Viva Retirement So lutions has won the Mor tgage Solutions Best Financial Advisor award for Equity Release seven years in succession in cluding 2022 which is testament to its integrity.
And the judges turned round and said: “This firm just moves up an other gear each year, they're just so open and positive towards industr y issues, which aren't nec essarily their focus, they continue to evolve ever y year and are ver y proac tive in how they do that "
But the owner of one of the fastest rising young companies, the multi award winning Viva Retirement Solutions, has issued a warning about scammers.
16 EQUIT Y RELEASE T: 01 268 566 743 M: 0795 875392 c ommunitywatc hpublishi ng@gmail.com Unlock the value of your home with a lifetime mortgage For qualified and impartial advice, call us on 0800 046 9776 www.vivaretirementsolutions.co.uk A lifetime mortgage is a long term commitment which could accumulate interest and is secured against your home. Equity release is not right for everyone and may reduce the value of your estate. A fee of up to £750 is only payable on completion of your Lifetime Mortgage if you proceed with an application. Viva Retirement Solutions is a trading name of Viva Retirement Ltd and is an Appointed Representative of Stonebridge Mortgage Solutions Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. FCA Number: 604664. Registered Ofce: 4 Severnvale, London Colney, St Albans, Herts, AL2 1TE Registered Company Number: 10756078 Registered in England & Wales. If you’re over 55 and own your home, you could be eligible for a lifetime mortgage. We’re here to help by advising you on all the options available to you. Sol11231
V a t i p s t o s a f e g u a r d y o u r F u t u r e advice you get is for your future as well as the here and now
i v
“There are cer tain steps any prospective client should under take and the two most impor tant one ’ s are to make sure that any firm work ing in your behalf is member of the Equity Release Council and the Financial Conduct Au thority,” said Paul continued on page 17
Beware of companies that are not under the Equity Release Council banner Avoid advice companies that charge percentage based or high Advice Fees Beware of any hidden costs Make sure the
Paul Saroya said the in dustr y is well regulated, but because of vulnera bility and also the immediate needs of people , they can be given the wrong advice .
Paul Saroya is proud of this and said that Viva continues to enhance his reputation whilst making sure that bad advce does not get a foothold in the industr y
A w a r n i n g t o make sure you get the right advice
“There are serious pitfalls if you choose the wrong adviser and this can lead to a negative impact on what is left for children Our team of advisers ex
“Now with 16 advisers maintaining our high customer ser vice standards it has never been more impor tant to en sure we aler t potential clients to some of the risks out there .
plain ever y eventuality to the client whilst making sure that equity is protected either for their children to bene fit ”
Find out more about Equity Release from the Viva Retirement Solutions website at www vivaretirementsolu tions.co.uk or call them free on 0800 046 9776
A lifetime mortgage is a long term com mitment which could accumulate interest and is secured against your home. Equity release is not right for everyone and may reduce the value of your estate
EQUIT Y RELEASE 17 T: 01 268 566 743 M: 0795 875392 c ommunitywatc hpublishi ng@gmail.com
Generally there has been an influx of interest in this market due to higher borrowing and low rates of interest, and this can attract the wrong types of peo ple such as scammers and fraudsters.
There’s been a massive increase in the number of over-55s being targeted for cash which is locked up in their homes
Advisor Steff AMiles
“Viva Retirement Solutions has always put the customer first and one way we do this is by charging just £750 fees while other companies charge in excess of £1500 or a whopping 1.95% of the loan
more than £1bn and the fraudsters work by convincing homeowners to hand over personal details under the guise of helping them find the best deal
“That way you are protected, but there are many companies promoting their ser vices who claim to have FC A regis tration when they do not
Stay alert to scammers
“Always check their registration num ber before you employ their ser vices and that way you protect yourself from criminal activity
From page 16
dvisor David AHulin dvisor Dawn Evans
The two most important steps to take before employing any company to negotiate equity release for you, is to make sure that firm is FCA registered and is also a member of the Equity Release Council
PAUL SAROYA, Viva Retirement Solutions
Equity release , when done properly with the correct advice , and through a reputable company, can help those aged over 55 access the wealth tied up in their homes.
The market is thought to be wor th
“This isll the more reason to sign up to a reputable company backed by the FC A and the Equity Release Council,” added Paul
They are then bombarded by mar keting calls until they give in, but the vic tim is simply speaking to salesmen who have paid for those details, then sold to the highest bidder
Never be pressurised into buying anything or having any work carried out. Rogue traders and doorstep callers may do unnecessary work, or to a poor standard, and the price may rapidly increase.
Bully or scare you into doing work
To find a reputable trader approved and vetted by Trading Standards visit www.buywithconfidence.gov.uk
A genuine trader will not:
Take your time to make sure you’re happy with what you’re undertaking
Ask you to pay in full before the work is complete
c ommu nitywatch publishing @gmail.c om T: 0126 8 56674 3 M: 079587 5392 18 TRADING S TANDARDS
Ask you or offer to take you to the bank to withdraw cash or make a money transfer
Insist that you decide about the work they're offering to do on the spot
ESSEX Trading Standards can help you avoid scammers and rogue traders. Don’t be a vic tim, follow our advice and stay safe at home.
Ask to see identity
ESSEX TRADING STANDARDS CAN HELP YOU AVOID SCAMMERS
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for useful leaflets to share with your friends and family. Don’t take chances, follow our advice and stay safe.
Get a written quote detailing exactly what work will be carried out, how much it will cost and what the terms of payment are.
Ask what your cancellation rights are?
For general help and advice or to report a problem with a trader telephone the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 11
Ask a trusted friend/relative for advice
Choose a ‘Buy With Confidence’ accredited trader
Obtain several quotes
Call without an appointment
Louise Baxter, head of the NTS Scams Team, (pictured above) said: “This marks a major milestone in an investiga tion that star ted four years ago Falling victim to a scam can have a huge emotional impact on individuals so I’m delighted that we can use the proceeds of these crimes to provide
The criminals Kevin Brandes, William Graham, Charles Floyd Anderson and their companies had sent tens of mil lions of deceptive personalised mailers to individuals around the world, in the so-called ‘Next Gen’ sweepstakes scheme .
Working with US colleagues at the Federal Trade Commis sion, action was taken against the perpetrators in 2018, which saw them agree to forfeit $30m in cash and assets, of which $25m was made available to compensate victims
“Collaborating across borders with the Federal Trade Commission has proven highly effective We are confident that this approach of obtaining proceeds of crimes from international fraudsters to compensate UK victims could be replicated in the future ”
Crooks decide to pay up
NTS, which was commended by the US Attorney General for its role in the investigation, has since worked to secure the first compensation scheme across international borders in the UK
The criminals deliberately preyed on consumer vulnerability, par ticularly older people living alone or those with long term health conditions
The mailings enticed victims by asking for an upfront fee ranging from £25 to £40 Many paid the fee several times before realising there was no prize , with the highest individual losses in the UK running into thousands of pounds
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IF you have been a victim of a massmar keting scam, here’s good news from the National Trading Standards team UK victims will now be compensated following a landmark investigation by the NTS Scams team
compensation to thousands of UK vic tims, with the help of our network of Trading Standards Officers
An estimated seven million UK ad dresses were targeted by US based fraudsters offering alleged cash wins and ‘guaranteed’ cash prize pay outs
They ran a classic and vintage car sales operation and held millions of dollars in a variety of bank accounts
After working alongside the US Federal Trade Commission, the NTS Scams Team has been able to secure a total of more than £530,000 in compensation to more than 3,500 victims, marking a new approach to obtaining proceeds of crime from international fraudsters
The NTS investigation identified a criminal enterprise based in Kansas as the source of the mailings.
Victims will be issued with a preloaded card which they can spend in shops or pay into their bank accounts.
likely to be done with Phoney Bitcoin apps.
After a huge surge in fraud, the FBI has advised investors and institutions to use and download these apps carefully and han dle them with great intelligence
Facebook and Mr Lewis eventually set tled after the social media giant launched a dedicated tool to report scam ads and do nated £3 million to a new Citizens Advice project to stop more from spreading
THE number of cyber frauds is increasing day by day across the globe especially the alarming rise in cryptocurrency fraud
But these stories are all lies despite Mar tin Lewis taking legal action to try and stop people using his name to defraud innocent members of the public
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is worried about increasing crypto frauds and has issued a consumer alert concerning the increase in crypto scams
Between December 2021 and May 2022, about 28 people were victimized in this cy bercrime, and the loss was estimated at $3 7 million
On July 18, a report was released stating that 244 victims had lost about $42.7 million because of crypto cybercrime, which the Federal Bureau of Investigation has listed. FBI spokesman
The investors are asked to download their application with the names and logos of trustworthy financial institutions by the bluff artists.
“After paying the tax, the victims couldn’t withdraw the funds ”
Two applications named Yibit and Supayos were found guilty by the FBI Both the apps were active from October, and November 2021, respectively, and the de velopers made money through them.
“Once the application is downloaded, the cryptocurrency is deposited in the wallet of the account in the app of victims
The fraud has increased since December So, the FTC has alerted banks and investors about the activity, which is more
20 CRYPTO CONMEN
The Bureau said: “The Federal Trade Commission has marked that the cyber criminals are contacting U.S. investors as suring them to provide investment services and then influencing them to download their application, which cybercriminals have been using to defraud people.”
Numerous adverts have been uploaded to Facebook’s Ad Library claiming that if people invest a small amount of money between £190 and £250 they can gener ate £3400 per month
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Cryptocurrency scams claiming to fea ture advice from Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis have been spreading on Face book
This is not the first time that Facebook has had to content with Mr Lewis’ image being used for scams
On July 18, a report was released stating that 244 victims have lost about $42 7 mil lion because of crypto cybercrime, which the Federal Bureau of Investigation has listed
The FBI has claimed that some crypto in vestment apps commit fraud by assuring in vestors they provide investment services.
In 2018, Mr Lewis launched a High Court legal battle against Facebook over claims that over 1,000 scam adverts on its plat forms have caused vulnerable people to hand over thousands of pounds to crimi nals.
“Thirteen of the 28 victims tried to with draw the money from the app, but instead of withdrawal, they got an email in which it was written that firstly, they have to pay the tax on their investment after that you will be eligible for the withdrawal
In 2021, the same case was found where the app owner pretended to be a U S fi nancial organization to make money
CR YPTO FR A UDS RISINGJUST IGNORE THE LIES
In this country Facebook is continuously publicising articles about Money Saving Ex pert Martin Lewis and TV presenters Holly Willoughby and Philip Scholfield