KCC Scam Updates – Great Mongeham Parish Council

5 April 2024

Dear Kent Residents

Kent Police have received over 50 reports of courier fraud in the last three weeks across Kent. Criminals use these tactics to scam residents out of thousands of pounds. The Police never telephone and ask your bank card and pin number to be collected by a courier or withdraw cash to assist in an investigation.

This week we’ve also had reports of a deeply concerning scam where criminals are targeting Kent residents who have a lifeline system in their home. They are impersonating Kent County Council staff and lifeline providers. The caller states you need a digital upgrade or your service will be terminated.

Kent County Council Assistive Technology Team will never call to ask for payment details for existing Kent County Council funded lifeline users.

Please share our advice with your friends, family and community to ensure they know what to do if they get one of these calls.

Thank you.

Kind regards

Victim Safeguarding Officer

Kent County Council’s Assistive Technology Team has received reports that residents across Kent have been targeted by scam callers who claim to be working on the behalf of the council or a Lifeline service.

These callers are asking for Lifeline users to provide bank details over the telephone to pay for a digital upgrade of their equipment, or risk having their service terminated.

This is a scam!

Do not give out any personal or financial information to these callers.

Kent County Council Assistive Technology Team will never call to ask for payment details for existing Kent County Council funded lifeline users.

If you receive a suspicious call, please hang up immediately and report it to Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133.

If you have received a call and provided your bank details, please contact your bank immediately.

Please share this message with friends and family who use Kent County Council’s Lifeline service and help further prevent this.

In the last three weeks Kent Police have had in excess of 50 reports of Courier Fraud across Kent

❌ Residents receive a call from the Police and they either need to give their address for a courier to come and get their bank card or money. The scam can change from having a family member arrested and you need to call 999 or that fraud has taken place on your account.

These are all scams.

❎ The Police never telephone and ask your bank card and pin number to be collected by a courier or withdraw cash to assist in an investigation.

If a courier arrives at your property ring 999. If you think that you may have been a victim of this or any other type of scam, then contact your bank immediately, which you can do by calling 159 and report to Kent Police.

We have had reports of Kent residents applying for loans through what they believed to be a legitimate lender. Instead of getting the loan they were asked to pay more and more money. When they confronted the person, they were threatened.

Loan sharks can come in all shapes and sizes!

Some things you can look out for:
No paperwork for the loan,
very high interest rates,
use of bank cards as security and
threats of violence.

✅ Contact Stop Loan Sharks England for help and support.

“Puppy smuggling, illegal breeding and organised dog theft are serious crimes.”

Criminal gangs have profited from the pandemic and people’s desire for a canine companion – and, sadly, they’re also profiting from a surplus of dogs in neighbourhoods since the lockdowns as people have found looking after a dog more of a burden than they had anticipated and abandoned their new pets.

If you are thinking of buying a puppy, did you know that if you buy through an unauthorised source, you could be funding organised crime?

Help to stop organised crime and cruelty to animals by contacting Crimestoppers on 0800555111 what you know. You’ll stay 100% anonymous.

For more information

Are you visiting a friend, family member, or client who could do with a bit of help staying safe at home during the Easter break?

If they don’t have access to the Internet, why not help them with Teacher in your Pocket!

Teacher in your pocket allows anyone with a smartphone to provide expert advice and valuable tips. Simply play them one of the short videos on our mobile website. It’s an easy way to point out potential dangers and chat about the recommended safety measures.

In the UK millions of people are exposed to the risk of fire or electric shock due to unsafe products. The risk is even greater for those we can’t reach to warn of the dangers.

Why not help them by using ‘Teacher in your Pocket’.

Discover more about Teacher in your Pocket

Dog owners in Kent are being urged to keep control of their pets in the countryside following a rise in attacks on sheep.

As the lambing season gets under way, the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), Kent Police and Kent Trading Standards are working together to urge pet owners to obey the Countryside Code and ensure their dogs are kept under control.

Looking for a great place to eat in Kent? The Food Standards Agency has the latest food recalls and an online food hygiene rating checker.

Get the latest food recalls

SPEAK UP. STAY SAFE

To report scams and get advice on consumer issues call Citizen’s Advice consumer helpline on
0808 223 1133.

Report to Citizens Advice

If you have information on doorstep criminals, counterfeit, fake or illegal goods, illicit tobacco, loan sharks or those selling restricted items to underage kids, call the charity Crimestoppers 100% anonymously on 0800 555 111

Report to Crimestoppers

Watch Buying Safely Newscast Episodes

Trading Standards Checked carries out checks on traders so customers can have peace of mind when choosing a tradesperson to do work in their home.

Please help to keep your family and community safe. If you need work done in your home or garden, visit the website to find a safe local tradesperson.

Visit Trading Standards Checked

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