HANDOUT FROM NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH MEETING

MONDAY 5 AUGUST 2013

Dates for your diary

Sunday 18 August 10.00 am – 3.30 pm Renewal Project Open Day at the Riverside Community Centre, Clayhill

Tuesday 12 November 2013 – Neighbourhood Watch Meeting. Talk by Gill Manger of the Anti-Terrorism Unit

Dates booked for 2014 are Monday 17 February, Monday 2 June, Monday 18 August and Monday 17 November.

Don’t forget to access your local Neighbourhood Action Group websites which contain lots of useful information and gives residents the opportunity to contact their NAG via the website if they have any issues in their area. Websites currently up and running are for Newbury SW, Shaw/Speen/Donnington and Thatcham. These web pages can be found by going into the website: and then click on Find your NAG.

The Thames Valley NHW Association has a website: which provides various information, including personal alarms, SmartWater etc that can be purchased via Val McPherson, as well as promoting Neighbourhood Watch and listing events/meetings etc.

National Neighbourhood Watch have a website address which is: and it gives you the opportunity to list your local NHW scheme and receive their newsletter. There are very few local schemes currently shown on this site and I would encourage Co-ordinators to add their information.

The website: is a good place to check phone numbers of Marketing calls, Scam artists, unwanted SMS messages, or if it is a number you don't recognize and want more information, as most likely you are not the only one.

If you go into the website you can download a Guide to Getting a Good Deal which gives useful information that has been mentioned on Rip Off Britain.

A local elderly resident has had a scam phone call, claiming to be from the Carers department. They needed her bank details to return some money she was owed but fortunately her reply was send me a cheque and details in writing.This lady has had carers recently as she has had an injury, so do not know if it was just a random phone call or whether somebody knew this information.

A local resident received a call from Secure Telephone Service Ltd based in Littlehampton saying that they could stop nuisance phone calls for her by setting up a direct debit and that they would take £1.90 per month from her account for this service. The lady gave the caller all her bank details plus the security code on the back of her card and then realised that she had done the wrong thing! Fortunately, she phoned the Police and her Bank and has found that £69.99 has been taken out of her account for a Call Blocker Box but this was never received. It is a bit scary as having all her details they could order products online or over the phone for themselves. I have told her about the Telephone Preference Service and she is going to register with them but I did advise that it does not stop overseas calls. Best policy is to put the phone down and not get involved in a conversation with the caller. I contacted Trading Standards to bring this to their attention and asked them to give the lady a call, which they have done. The NHW Co-ordinator contacted the Bank to cancel this transaction for her neighbour and has written to the company by registered post within the 10 days cooling off period to let them know. Good news is that the Bank managed to obtain a refund for her.

Bogus TPS Calls - The Telephone Preference Service is completely free to consumers and they will not call a subscriber of the service to ask for personal details or payment to complete a registration. The TPS are aware of a number of organisations that call from overseas, possibly India claiming to be TPS or affiliated with TPS or BT. They ask for your credit card details to complete a registration to stop unwanted calls. They often claim that you previously gave your permission for this call. This is a scam. Never give out your credit card details over the phone. The names of some of these organisations, given to TPS by consumers are: Alien Touch, SAIS Corp Ltd, Icon Global Services, IG Services, ITC, Biztek (or Bisdek) Telecomms or Consumer Advice Bureau. There are other companies that are not necessarily scams but they are not TPS. They usually claim to offer a similar or even an enhanced service to TPS. They make exaggerated claims about the effectiveness of their service and may even suggest that TPS does not work. Some of these companies are listed below: CPR Global (previously known as the Call Prevention Registry)Opt Out UK Anti Marketing GroupThe Advertising Protection Agency (TAPA)Stop Unwanted CallsNo More MarketingThe Nuisance Call RegistryIPC Intelligent Protection For ConsumersCall Prevention ServiceTPS-Register.org.ukSecure Telephone ServiceAll of the above are commercial organisations, and charge consumers for a service that is unregulated. TPS is the only official Opt Out service that companies are required to abide by under the UK law and that is regulated by Ofcom and enforced by the Information Commissioners Office (ICO). (From TPS Website)A con artist pretending to be a lost tourist is targeting local people. This has happened a few times in car parks at Tesco in Pinchington Lane and London Road. The con man, speaking in an Italian accent, pretends to be lost and asks for directions and drives a silver Peugeot 208. After giving him directions, the man pretended to repay his kindness, claiming he was the representative of a watch company. Apparently overcome with gratitude, the man handed over three watches but then asked for money because he had lost his wallet and some members of the public did hand over money. Please be aware of distractions in public places and make sure that you lock your vehicle before helping people.

We have again recently had ex young offenders knocking on doors in the Newbury area trying to sell items from large holdalls. They come down in a mini bus from places like Nottingham and have been known to commit crime whilst in the area. If you do see them in your area, the Police would like to know where they are, so please call them on 101.

Don't get taken for a ride! A new free app Taxi Turvi, which works in every city in the world, will help get you to your destination faster and cheaper. When you get into a taxi press START and when you reach your destination, press STOP. Taxi Turvi records the route that your cab driver takes, as well as the route they should have taken, and draws both routes on a map, side-by-side. The app will share the distances of both, give your driver a "wheels rating", and recommend a tip based on their performance. It’s not uncommon in some parts of the world for taxi drivers to take the scenic route or the long way around so that the fare increases. How can you argue unless you know the route having taken it before? The app will bring accountability to an industry that is notorious for duping unsuspecting tourists.You can download the app by going to Apple iTunes

Seven holiday scams to avoid in 2013

New figures from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau show criminals swindle British holidaymakers to the tune of £1.5 million each year, while new research from Sainsbury's Travel Money reveals around 7% of Brits who have travelled abroad in the past two years have fallen victim to conmen or thieves.

Here, we take a look at some of the most common tricks – and how to avoid getting caught out.

Watch out for fake websites - Consumers applying for a new passport need to take care not to get caught out by copycat websites. These sites, which offer basic information about the passport application process, often look convincing. But while they can appear to be the official agency, they will charge a premium for their services, with some reported to charge up to £40 for information that is available free online. Passport application forms can also be obtained for free from post offices. In a similar scam, holidaymakers are warned not to use sites which charge a fee for the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). "Some sites charge as much as £14.99 to manage your application, but the process is straightforward and there should be no need to pay for an EHIC," says Jeremy Cryer, head of travel insurance at GoCompare.com. "Travellers aged over 16 can apply for an EHIC for free at nhs.uk." The card entitles all UK travellers in the European Economic Area to medical treatment provided by that country. This will be the same level of medical care eligible to nationals of the country you're in, and may be provided for free or at a reduced cost. Travellers are also urged not to be fooled by sites offering to arrange your visa to the US.

Booking hotels and holiday lets - If you want to organise a DIY holiday, take care when booking your accommodation, or you could risk falling victim to a fake website or false advertising. "If you are paying by any method other than credit or debit card, there is no financial protection should the accommodation turn out to be bogus – and that includes bank transfers," warns Atkinson. "Always ensure you check out any prospective holiday let by visiting review sites to look for feedback." Bad feedback or no feedback at all should raise alarm bells and warn you to look elsewhere. Always book holidays from a reputable company you know and trust, and note there's additional protection on offer if you choose a travel agent that is a member of a trade organisation such as the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA). Also book travel through a firm registered with the Air Travel Organisers' Licensing (ATOL) scheme.

The 'distraction dupe' - Another con that catches out many holidaymakers is the so-called 'distraction dupe'. This con involves one fraudster distracting you with a false story or simply by making conversation while an accomplice goes through your bags or pockets. To avoid falling victim, spread valuables and money among several different bags – including secure money belts – and don't keep your wallet in your back pocket. You should also try not to carry a large amount of cash with you while you're out and about.

Don't fall for the 'beachcomber' - With the 'beachcomber' con, a thief will have been watching you while you're sunbathing and will then seize the opportunity to steal your bag or possessions when you head down to the sea to go swimming. The key advice is not to leave bags and other possessions unattended. Make use of hotel safes as well as secure lockers or cloakrooms where possible, or nominate one person in the group to stay with the bags while you go in the water.

Watch out for the 'note switch' - The 'note switch' is a con trick that's been around for a long time, and involves a taxi driver or barman taking a large banknote from you, then switching it and showing you one for a lower amount – claiming you owe him more money. Crucially, never ever hand over your purse or wallet if you get confused for the shop owner to get the right notes out for you. At the same time, always ensure you have plenty of small notes and coins so you don't get caught by the classic of people having 'no change' to give you.

Don't get tricked by 'DCC' - When using your cards abroad, you also need to watch out for a practice known as dynamic currency conversion or 'DCC'. "This occurs when goods are priced in Euros but where the retailer or restaurant owner offers you the chance to pay in sterling on your card," says Atkinson. "This service is often offered but is not for your convenience. It's to ensure the retailer or restaurant owner makes some more profit and can add as much as 5% to the cost. In practice, the retailer uses their own rate of exchange, which is far worse than the rate you would get from Visa, MasterCard or American Express." "Before travelling, go online to check on the currency notes and coins and work out the value for them in sterling," says Atkinson. "This will help you ensure you're being given the right amount when you exchange your currency, and also when getting handed change in shops, restaurants and bars." For the best deal when paying by card, always pay in local currency.

Buying car-hire excess insurance - Holidaymakers who go to the car hire rental counter after a long and tiring journey can often fall foul of the hard-sell on car hire excess insurance. "Staff often frighten travellers into taking out this insurance, which reduces the excess you pay from £500 or more to zero if your vehicle is damaged in an accident," says Atkinson. "The issue is the fees can be as much as £140 a week." The advice here is to purchase this cover in the UK before you head off on holiday. "European policies start from as little as £23.92 for a week," says Atkinson. "Plus the cover is more comprehensive." You can also buy annual excess cover on multiple rentals.

For more information about competitive car hire deals, visit TravelSupermarket.com.

Stay safe overseas

  • Before heading off on holiday, contact your bank and card companies to inform them that you’re going abroad. This should reduce the risk of your bank blocking a transaction.
  • Never let your card out of your sight when making a payment; it’s all too easy for your card to be skimmed and a duplicate to be created.
  • Always shield your pin number if requested to give it in any shop or at an ATM. Check your statement regularly when you get home so you can keep a close eye on purchases going through your account.
  • Never take an unlicensed taxi from an airport. Most airports have official taxi ranks with registered, licensed and insured cabs often with set fares. Other taxis may rip you off.
  • Try to blend in to avoid being a dead give away for wouldbe criminals.
  • Check the advice available from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office for local scams at gov.uk/government/organisations/foreign-commonwealth-office.

The Spanish flower scam: A kind looking lady or child offers you flowers. As you search for coins to give them, your pockets are mysteriously emptied.

The American three-card trick: A common scam to watch out for if you're on a trip to New York. You watch three cards get shuffled around face down and all you have to do is pick out the Queen of Spades. The odds look good at one-in-three so you think it's worth gambling a few dollars - a very easy way to lose your money.

The Thai gem scam: Be wary of friendly tuk-tuk or taxi drivers who take you to jewellery stores with tales of how much money can be made by selling on Thai gems when you return home. You won't make a penny.

The Egyptian both-ways scam: A taxi driver offers to pick you up from your destination a few hours later, but on the return to your hotel you find the price has shot up. The reason why? You will have been charged for the taxi driver to wait for you. (Article from Moneywise newsletter)

Carpet Cleaning Scam

The trader will normally make initial contact by posting an advertising card through the front door. This may include a list of prices that look reasonable, and even include a fixed rate for cleaning a number of rooms. The householder is invited to phone to make an appointment and a price may be agreed over the phone.
However, when the trader arrives, they may recommend that additional work or special treatments are carried out which will result in an inflated charge.
Real Life Case Study - Mr and Mrs B, who are an older vulnerable couple, made an appointment to have two carpets cleaned after receiving a card advertising reasonable prices. When the trader arrived at their property he quoted £100 to clean two carpets. However, when he completed the work he produced an invoice for £400 which included a stain guard they had not requested. Mrs B felt intimidated by the trader and agreed to make a payment by her debit card, even though she believed this charge was unreasonable. She reported this matter to the Trading Standards Service, and with their intervention a refund of £300 was obtained.

Do not be tempted to respond to unsolicited advertisements of this nature. No reputable trader can give a clear idea of how much a job will cost, without first carrying out an inspection. It is a good idea to obtain two or three quotes in advance to assess what a reasonable price is, and to ensure you are not being ripped off.