Month: August 2020

Home » Archives for August 2020

Scam Phone Numbers

Dear Watch Member,

Another OWL member has informed me of two scam phone calls she received from the following numbers:

0122 852 0265 which was purportedly from the Government.

020 3350 1332 which was purportedly from HMRC who asked the OWL member to ring another number and issued various threats of what may happen if they didn’t!

Please see the attached screenshots, taken from the www.who-called.co.uk website, that contains information about the above two numbers. I use this website (others are available) to gauge whether a phone number that has called me is one I should best avoid answering.

Genuine callers will usually leave you a voicemail that includes their contact details.

Please click on this link for fraud-related advice www.met.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/fa/fraud.

Download Associated Documents
Documents accompanying this message are linked below. Click to download and open a file which use the popular PDF format. If you experience problems downloading or viewing a file please visit this help page.

If you need to reply regarding this message, tap on this email address: [email protected]

Regards,
Lee O’Brien
Pinner Safer Neighbourhood Team
Email: [email protected]

OWL CCTV Watch

Dear Watch Member,

Please take a few minutes to read the message in the attached document.

Download Associated Documents
Documents accompanying this message are linked below. Click to download and open a file which use the popular PDF format. If you experience problems downloading or viewing a file please visit this help page.

If you need to reply regarding this message, tap on this email address: [email protected]

Regards,
Lee O’Brien
Pinner Safer Neighbourhood Team
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 020 8721 2775

Police Courier Scams


Dear Watch Member,

We have received information that fraudsters posing as police officers are phoning residents, claiming they are investigating fraudulent activity on your bank account.

I can assure you that police do not operate in this way.

To verify the identity of someone purportedly calling from the police, obtain the ‘officer’s’ rank, full name, warrant number and shoulder number before contacting the non-emergency 101 number from a different phone to the one you received the call on.

Telling the caller you will be verifying their ID should result in the fraudster terminating the call.

For more fraud / scam prevention advice please click on the below link: www.met.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/fa/fraud/.

If you need to reply regarding this message, tap on this email address: [email protected]

Regards,
Lee O’Brien
Pinner Safer Neighbourhood Team
Email: [email protected]

Pinner Library Re-opening

Harrow Council LogoThis is a message from Harrow Council

I am pleased to confirm the plan to re-open Pinner Library from Tuesday 18th August 2020 following the Covid-19 lockdown. This follows the re-opening of Stanmore and Wealdstone Libraries on the 14th July.

The priority will remain ensuring the health and safety of both staff and customers. In light of this there will be a limited service offer available initially as has been the case for Stanmore and Wealdstone Libraries.

In order to reduce close contact and avoid group activities the following services only will be available initially:

  1. Returning of books and other stock items that are currently on loan
  2. Collecting books and other stock items that have been reserved in advance
  3. Public computers (a restricted number in order to maintain social distancing)
  4. Collecting ‘Ready Reads’ bags of surprise collections of books by type of stock (for example Crime Fiction)
  5. Enquiries – Enquiries can also be made by email or telephone. 

The intention is to re-introduce further services as soon as it is safe to do so.

As is the case with Stanmore and Wealdstone Libraries, Pinner Library will also have revised opening hours in operation initially as follows:

Mondays – Closed
Tuesdays – 10am to 2pm
Wednesdays – 10am to 1pm
Thursdays – 10am to 2pm
Fridays – 10am to 1pm
Saturdays – 10am to 2pm

How To Spot A Remote Access Scam

Message from our local Police

 

Dear Watch Member,

A Remote Access scam is when criminals contact you out of the blue, pretending to be the representative of a reputable organisation. This may be a telephone or internet provider or sometimes a bank or other service provider.

Once the criminals have your attention, you’ll usually be offered services such as;

  • fixing, upgrading or protecting your computer or device, internet service or the websites you use
  • help getting you a refund for an overpayment
  • help stopping a payment from leaving your account

In order to provide you with their ‘help’ criminals will typically ask you to assist by allowing them access to your computer or mobile device. To do this, they may ask you to download software to your computer, or download an app to your mobile device, and accept their request for access. After successfully gaining access to your computer or mobile device, criminals may ask you to log onto your Online Banking.

They may have told you a story about why you need to make a payment or they’ll set up the payment themselves if they have access to your Online Banking; to complete their scam they’ll need you to take some action. Usually, they’ll ask you to share codes sent to your phone (OTPs) or authorise activity yourself through a Mobile Banking app.

If you ever get a call like this, hang up immediately and follow the below tips to help protect yourself.

– Never share a One Time Passcode (OTP) with another person, not even an employee of your bank.

– Never authorise a transaction using the Mobile Banking app that you haven’t requested yourself. Check the details match the transaction you intend to make.

– Never download software or let anyone remotely log on to your computer or other devices, either during or after a cold call.

– Never enter your Online Banking details after clicking on a link in an email or text message.

If you need to reply regarding this message, tap on this email address: [email protected]

Regards,
Lee O’Brien
Pinner Safer Neighbourhood Team
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 020 8721 2775

Cuppa with a Copper

Dear Watch Member,

Today we will be holding our first Cuppa with a Copper contact point since lockdown was relaxed.

We will be at Daisy’s in the Park in the glorious surroundings of Pinner Memorial Park between 1pm-2pm.

Please do come and chat with us about any concerns you have regarding anti-social behaviour and crime in Pinner.

If you need to reply regarding this message, tap on this email address: [email protected]

Regards,
Lee O’Brien
Pinner Safer Neighbourhood Team
Email: [email protected]

Weekly Round up 10 August 2020

First of all a BIG THANK YOU to everyone who is disposing of their litter responsibly in the Pinner Memorial Park, it’s appreciated.  I sure it makes everyone’s visit much more enjoyable.

 

 

 

On to important things……..

The following places have signed up to the “Eat Out to Help Out” scheme. (Note this doesn’t cover takeaway meals). If I’ve missed of any restaurants taking part in the scheme – please let me know & I’ll update the list

  • Ahimsa The Vegan Café
  • Augustina’s Tearoom
  • Brooks
  • Caffè Amici
  • Capacity Istanbul
  • CKC cafe
  • Costa Coffee Pinner
  • Daisy’s in the Park Pinner
  • K5 Lounge
  • Pinner Hill Golf Club
  • Queen’s Head
  • Silver Grill cafe
  • Sakee Bar & Restaurant
  • Sougtani Restaurant
  • Starbucks Pinner
  • Subway
  • Zaza

The Heath Robinson Museum is gearing up to reopen Thursday to Saturday. Initially it will be for friends of HRM. Everyone will be required to book a time slot. From 16 August the general public will be able to book a slot for visits between 21 – 30 Aug. You will be able to turn up and buy tickets for a defined time slot. Visit https://www.heathrobinsonmuseum.org/ for full details.

Got an old bike gathering dust in the garden shed? A young local couple are looking to repair then and donate them on. Interested? Visit https://reuseyourbike.wordpress.com/

Doing up Bikes. Can you Help.

We have received this request for help.

Hi All, with all that’s in the news about fitness and health, we would like to help those wanting to get into cycling in the local area. We would like to run a scheme to help the community get old unused/broken bikes back in use for those that need them.

We are looking for people to donate any unused or broken bikes that may be hanging around in garages or sheds. We will then try to get them usable and give them back to the community in working condition.

So first off, we are asking for any donations – we are very near Pinner High Street/Love Lane Car Park, so if you can bring them down to us or if you are close to Pinner we can collect. We will take any bike with the exception of heavily rusted or seized up bikes.

Please WhatsApp KY for more info: +44 7902 923 729

Opportunist Thefts

Dear Watch Member,

Earlier in the week a gas engineer had £600 worth of tools stolen from the rear of a property where he was undertaking work.

The suspect walked through the property’s open side gate to gain access to the tools, before leaving the location in a white transit van.

As a general crime prevention measure, it is important to ensure that all access points into your property, e.g. windows, doors etc, are secure whenever left unattended.

Building sites are an attraction to any opportunist thieves driving around the area looking to take advantage of unattended equipment, insecure work vehicles and open garages, so please have a conversation with anyone working at your property regarding what they should do to protect you and them from becoming a victim of crime.

Please click on the below links for further theft / burglary prevention advice.

www.met.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/non-residential-burglary/secure-shed-garage/

www.met.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/residential-burglary/

If you need to reply regarding this message, tap on this email address: [email protected]

Regards,
Lee O’Brien
Pinner Safer Neighbourhood Team
Email: [email protected]