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A message from the Police Neighbourhood team
Fraud and cyber crime are the most common criminal offences in the UK. Analysis of Action Fraud reports showed that 86% of frauds had a cyber element to them. As the threat from cyber crime continues to grow and evolve, it’s important to remember one thing - most of it can be prevented. By following just a few practical steps, you can make it harder for cyber criminals to get into your devices and online accounts.
In order to better understand what steps you are already taking to stay secure online, we would be grateful if you would please complete the short survey we have created. Your answers will help us to determine what areas of online security we need to focus on over the coming months.
Please note: the survey is completely anonymous and we don’t ask you for any personal information. Survey answers will not be shared with any third parties.
Survey link – https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/cybercrimesurvey2021/
Email hacking or phishing (pronounced ‘fishing’)
These are called phishing emails because they are fishing for information – if they actually get money out of you that’s almost a bonus. By replying, you are acknowledging that you exist and you become a target for follow-up email.
These types of email tend to be produced by automated programs (some times knowns as ‘bots’) hacking into email systems and stealing peoples’ address books and then sending out false emails to every address they find. At this point the hacker hasn’t even looked at what the bot has done and has no idea whether the address is valid, still in existence or still in actual use. By replying you are effectively saying ‘Hey, I’m here’ and I’m dumb enough to reply. Now the hacker knows they have got a valid address and can target it more specifically at some future point.
How can you spot these types of phishing emails?
Check the sending address in the original email. Some email systems will show the name followed by an email address, obviously check this is a genuine one. Even if it is, the hacker might have changed the auto-forward settings on the email account so all future emails go to them. It is worth checking this on your email accounts and turn off auto-forwarding.
Do a ‘reasonableness’ check. Would you expect this person to be asking you for help in this way? If not ignore it and delete it. DO NOT REPLY.
Look at the language. Often these types of email contain obviously poor English.
If you know the person then try phoning them to check they sent the email and what their problem is.
IF IN DOUBT, DO NOT REPLY
Community Speed Watch Day see over 300 Warning letters to Motorists.
Over 140 volunteers who give their spare time to reduce speeding in their towns and villages have taken part in a day of action with 335 drivers being issued with warning letters. The education and enforcement event saw 35 teams carry out 48 one hour sessions across Dorset on Tuesday 7 September with 58 per cent of those speeding being from Dorset. Community Speed Watch is run through Dorset Police and provides an opportunity for volunteers to work within their community to raise awareness of the dangers of speeding and to help control the problem locally. Teams use radar detection devices to monitor drivers exceeding the speed limit at locations agreed with Dorset Police. This equipment does not record an image so the volunteers record the vehicle details and pass these to the Force for their vehicle and driver information to be checked before a warning letter is issued.
E-Scooters Seized As Part of Operation To Tackle Their Illegal and Unsafe Use
The illegal use of e-scooters remains an important element of our Operation Relentless anti-social behaviour priority and this summer the Force has carried out two days of action. Individuals were asked to sign an agreement that they will stop using their e-scooter illegally on public roads. In total since the beginning of the year, over 40 riders of privately owned e-scooters have been stopped and spoken to before being issued with warnings. Officers also have the power to seize e-scooters that are either found to be used illegally or involved in criminal activity. Over the course of the summer, 14 have been taken away from riders for being used in criminality, with a further 11 e-scooters having been seized for having no insurance.
Police Force offer advice to those who dial 999 by Mistake
Dorset Police is offering advice to callers who accidentally dial 999, in an effort to reduce unnecessary demand placed on operators. The Force has seen an increase in the number of 999 calls recently, many of which are abandoned. There are lots of reasons someone may abandon a call to the emergency services, for example a person calling in a crisis situation who is unable to ask for help. The most common reason for an abandoned call is someone accidentally ‘pocket dialling’ emergency services. This is where the phone is not locked and accidently calls 999. A 999 call is recorded as ‘abandoned’ when the line is disconnected before the caller speaks to a member of the emergency services or confirms to a BT 999 operator that they are safe and well. Superintendent Jared Parkin, Head of Contact Management for Dorset Police, said: "When a 999 call is abandoned, it can waste precious time that could otherwise be spent helping someone with an emergency and potentially saving a life. "When an emergency call is abandoned without speaking with the caller, operators in the contact centre spend such a long time researching the phone number and associated details to ensure there is no threat or risk to the caller." Last financial year, 2020/2021, Dorset Police received a total of 111,312 emergency 999 calls, of which 21% were actual emergencies. Superintendent Jared Parkin continued: "We understand that accidents happen, but if you do call 999 by mistake, please stay on the line to tell us everything is ok – otherwise valuable resources are taken away from answering other calls." Here are some tips from Dorset Police to reduce the chance of accidental 999 calls:
1. Keep your phone safe and out of reach from children 2. Lock your phone before you put it in your pocket 3. Talk to children about how and when to call for help in an emergency – but how prank dialling 999 for fun can have serious consequences for them and others 4. If you dial 999, stay on the line. Otherwise we will call you back. The police want to know that you are safe and it saves us valuable time. Every second counts. 5. Is your call an emergency? Is there a threat to a life, risk of harm or injury?
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