Bedfordshire Police Response

From: @Bedfordshire.pnn.Police.uk
Sent: Wednesday, November 11, 2020 10:39:44 AM
Subject: Victim Cybercrime/fraud advice note. civil matter/Trading standards dept [OFFICIAL]

I am writing to you because Bedfordshire Police have received information of your report to Action Fraud (AF). AF have received your report and passed on the information to the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) who have assessed and analysed the report for their data. The NFIB have then sent to us at Bedfordshire Police’s cyber hub in order to give fraud & cyber protect advice.

Apologies for the generic style of this response but each week we have over 100 reported cases and therefore have to prioritize resources against the most vulnerable and high losses. Each week we have people that have lost tens or hundreds of thousands of pounds to cyber crime & fraud. In your case:

If you have not lost any money and are reporting an incident; please be aware of the other scams [details attached] and please make sure you do not click on any links or attachments that may result in malware being deployed to your device.
If you have lost a small amount of money; then the police will not be able to directly assist you due simply to the volume of such incidents.
We receive notification each week of many disputes over the sale/purchase of goods on a social media platform or websites that customers had failed to check out properly before trading; we would ask you to read the attached, and the best advice we can give, is DO NOT trade with anyone you do not actually know and never post items or send money by bank transfer or PayPal ‘friend & family’. If you choose to trade then always do so within the platform and never separately via messenger or WhatsApp [for example]. In addition if making purchase online; you are advised to only purchase using a credit card; NEVER make a payment by bank transfer to a person you do not know.
You may have a restitution option with your bank; if you ask for a ‘charge back’ against the account the money was sent too. On the grounds that you did not receive the goods/service.
If you have lost money and the banks have not been able to recover, then you may consider civil county court proceedings.

There are a number of scams circling at this time; including persons purporting to be BT, bank fraud departments, HMRC, Amazon, even the police. If anyone calls you out of the blue [unsolicited call/email]; please DO NOT act upon it without independently checking. Never transfer any funds. Please do not trade with anyone you do not know; the police service cannot police the internet and recover funds or property you have sent out to an unknown/fake person.

In your case; you are advised to deal with the matter via Trading Standards Department, as this is not a police matter and more a civil dispute, or the citizens advice bureau . Your bank may be able to assist with claiming a ‘charge back’ on any funds that have been transferred to anthers account; or you could consider enforcing your claim via the county courts for a small fee.

A new victim based helpline has commenced. https://www.thecyberhelpline.com

I am sorry the hear about your incident, please see attached some leaflets, advice, and publications; that you may find can help you not become a repeat victim, and ensure you take steps to improve your cyber security.

These recommendations will help to protect you, your money, your identity and devices in the future:

Beware that online or on the phone, people aren’t always who they claim to be- if you’re unsure, research them online or call the company using the published number.
Remember - if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Change all of your passwords to be different and secure:

Don’t use a name or dictionary word.
Use at least 8 digits, 12-16 is better
Use a mix of upper & lower case letters and numbers and special features (e.g @!?)
Use an acronym of a meaningful phrase
Never repeat your password- once they can monitor all of your email they could also access all of your account.

This should include firewall, spyware and malware protection
Ensure the license is up to date and active
Use security software on all devices such as computers, laptops, mobile phones and tablets

Back up any personal data or data you would not want to lose
- Carry out an external back up at least every 6 months

Don’t assume Wi-Fi hotspots are secure - never use them to do anything confidential such as making a payment or accessing emails. Consider using a VPN.
Ensure your home Wi-Fi has a strong password security code, do not use the default password provided by the supplier- Go to hub manager, change the password and then repair all devices.

Removing personal details reduces identity theft attempts.
Always dispose of sensitive documents, bills, or addressed letters by shredding confidential waste.

Clicking on a bad link could upload malicious software, which could result in data loss, financial loss, or lock you out of your device.
Never log onto your online banking or any other site via an email link – fake sites look real. Always go to your bank or other company’s login page by typing their web address into your browser.

Never pay for anything by direct bank transfer
Never pay for anything via a money transfer service, such as Western Union – unless it’s to someone you know personally who is reputable.
Credit cards offer greater protection than most other payment methods

If you have any further information and evidence of the crime which you could provide us or have any further issues and wish for more contact, please contact us on the following email address: cyberprotect@bedfordshire.pnn.police.uk.

Regards,

Fraud & Cyber Security Advisor 2219

Bedfordshire Police Headquarters,

Woburn Road, Kempston, Bedfordshire, MK43 9AX

Tel Mobile:

Email: cyberprotect@bedfordshire.pnn.police.uk