Don’t fall foul of sneaky scammers
Scott Chief Inspector Ian
This week’s CrimeBeat column has been put together by local area commander Chief Inspector Ian Scott.
Anyone with any information that may be useful should contact Tayside Division on 101 or any police officer.
Alternatively information can be passed anonymously via the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
SCAMS AND CONS Cathy Marshall, secretary of the Pitlochry and District Neighbourhood Watch, has put together a list of common scams, several of those listed I have previously warned Perth and Kinross residents about this year.
Below is the list of scams Cathy has compiled.
I hope you will find it useful and that it will help prevent you and other Perth and Kinross residents becoming victims of these scammers.
• Prize draws, sweepstakes and Lotteries - You’re told that you’ve won a “guaranteed” prize, you just have to pay a “processing” or “administration” fee or order a product to get your prize. You’re told to respond quickly. Forget it – you’d be paying to enter a prize draw with very little chance of winning and any prizes are of far less value than what you pay out.
• Advance Fee Scam - You are offered a huge payment if you help the sender get money out of a foreign country but you have to make one or more payments in advance for “security” or “administrative” purposes.
Ignore it - you would never see your money again, far less profit from a share of the huge payment on offer.
• PPI - You are told that you are entitled to PPI compensation but first you have to pay a fee, payable in iTunes vouchers or agree to a percentage of the proceeds. Don’t fall for it - any entitlement to PPI compensation can be checked directly with the Bank from which the loan was obtained and any compensation due is paid by the Bank without any fee.
• Microsoft - You are contacted by someone pretending to be from Microsoft saying you have a virus on your computer.
They will “fix” the problem if they can get remote access to your computer, supposedly installing anti-virus software and charging you for this non-existent service.
Never let anyone you don’t know and trust have access to your computer.
• ‘Team Viewer’ App - You are contacted and persuaded to download a ‘Team Viewer’ App.
If you do, this will give the fraudster access to your computer.
A resident in Rattray was defrauded out of £5,000 in this way.
• BT/Inland Revenue - you are advised that you are due a refund. All they need is your Bank Account details.
Don’t believe it - no reputable organisation would approach you in this way.
• Bank - You are contacted by someone pretending to be from your bank, asking you to update or confirm your details or saying that you have been a victim of fraud.
You are asked to disclose your personal information, password or PIN.
Don’t do it – such information would enable the scammer to raid your bank account. Never disclose your PIN. • Investment Opportunities, Miracle Health Cures, Clairvoyants and Psychics – All offering to change your life!
Don’t be fooled. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
To report a suspected scam please phone Citizen Advice Consumer Service on 03454 040506 or PKC Trading Standards 01738 476476
If you have been a victim of fraud report it at www.actionfraud. police.uk/reportfraud or phone Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or Police Scotland on 101.
RECENT INCIDENTS At about 2.30pm on Tuesday, October 24 a farmer caught a loose dog worrying sheep on a farm near Blairgowrie.
Dogs chasing sheep can cause serious damage or injury.
Even if the dog doesn’t catch them, the stress caused fleeing dogs can kill sheep.
In some circumstances, farmers are legally entitled to shoot dogs if they are endangering their livestock.
I would like to remind dog owners to ensure their pets are kept under close control or on a leash, particularly when they are around livestock.
• Between 3.30pm and 8pm on Tuesday, October 24, a house on Burnhead Road, Blairgowrie, was broken into and jewellery and money was stolen.
• Hanging basket displays on Blairgowrie Bridge, Boat Brae, Blairgowrie, were damaged when seven eight-foot poles were unbolted and thrown in the river between Sunday, October 15, and Sunday, October 22.
• A metal, heating oil, fuel tank was stolen from a cottage on Parkhead Road, Blairgowrie, between October 1 and 26.
• An outhouse at The Farmhouse, Bridgend of Ruthven, Meigle, was broken into between 1.30pm and 2.30pm on Saturday, October 28, and two lawnmowers and a strimmer were stolen.
• A shed at Coupar Grange House, Coupar Angus, was broken into overnight on Friday, October 27, and two chainsaws, two strimmer’s, a compressor, three angle grinders and an outboard motor were stolen.
• Whilst a council employee was cutting grass in Davidson Park, Coupar Angus, an opportunist thief stole his green metal fuel canister containing fuel.
• A silver Ford Galaxy had the tyres vandalised whilst parked in Kings Road, Coupar Angus, between Friday, October 27, and Monday, October 30.
• Between October 25 and 28, the parking meter at Ben Lawers Mountain Visitor Centre, Killin, was broken into and money was stolen from the cash box.
• Money was also stolen from the leaflet dispenser and a USB stick stolen from the car counter system.
• Overnight on Thursday, October 26, a thief entered the Perth and Kinross Refuse Site at Aldour Industrial Estate, Pitlochry, and stole two televisions, two bicycles a wheelbarrow and a sack barrow.
• Between October 6 and 23, a wooden shelter at Invergowrie Primary School was vandalised and graffiti was spray painted on it.
• About 500 litres of heating oil was stolen from a storage tank at a house on Willoughby Street, Muthill, between October 15 and 31.
• A blue Skoda Fabia motor car was broken into whilst parked in Main Street, Bridge of Earn, between Friday, October 27, and Sunday, October 29, and a quantity of CDs were stolen.
• A red Raleigh hybrid bicycle was stolen from the close at Church Buildings, South Street, Milnathort, between 9am and 2pm on Tuesday, October 31.
• A grey BMW 220 motor car was vandalised in a driveway in Blairforge overnight on Saturday October 27 when a stone was thrown at it.
• A house in Birch Crescent, Scone, was entered via an insecure window between 11.45am and 11.30pm on Wednesday, October 25.
• A window was damaged in Albert Road, Scone, at 2am on Sunday, October 29.
• Between October 28 and 30, two bus stops were vandalised when glass panels were smashed. The bus stops were on Main Street, Bridgend and opposite the cemetery at Scone.
• The construction site adjacent to the Crematorium, Crieff Road, Perth, was broken into overnight on Thursday, October 26, and construction tools were stolen including a Hilti circular saw, Hilti repeater, Makita impact driver, Makita power drill and chisels.
• The former post office building, South Street, Perth, was broken into overnight on Saturday, October 28, and a Stihl circular saw was stolen.
• The rear windscreen of a blue Honda Stream was damaged at 5pm on Saturday, October 28 whilst parked in McKenzie Court, Perth.
• Between 1am and 4am on Saturday, October 28, a window was damaged at a flat in Florence Place, Perth.
• A window was smashed at a house in Tweedsmuir Road, Perth, about 5pm on Monday, October 30.
As we approach the festive period, I would like to remind party-goers to ensure they keep an eye on their belongings as the theft of a handbag was reported over last weekend in Perth.
A woman placed her handbag on a table in a bar and turned to speak to a friend.
A thief took the opportunity to steal the handbag whilst her back was turned.
The handbag not only contained money and bankcards but also a driver’s licence and house keys.
This has resulted in the additional cost of having to have door locks changed.