Enabling good citizenship and stronger communities, Registered Charity 1194477
Tag: 2021
What a SCORCHER!
Please take care of your canine companions in this weather.
The majority of them are pretty wearing a parka jacket with all that fur wrapped around them. Can YOU imagine wearing one today?
Don’t even get us started on leaving the dog in the car… ‘not for long’ is ALWAYS too long! 
Here’s a couple of reminders on how to keep your dog safe. Please share it, it could save a dog’s life.
We now run monthly drop-ins.
17. July2021
21. August 2021
18. September 2021
16. October 2021
20. November 2021
18. December 2021
17:00 – 18:00, The Glasshouse, 161 Old Ford Road, London E2 9QB, Map.
For all meeting dates please see the THNWA calendar, which also shows other events like the Knife prevention courses for parents, run by One Housing or Fraud and Cyber crime courses.
Following on from our Alert last week relating to yet another online scam to look out for, I am delighted to invite you to join us in July for a month of weekly online webinars to expose the truths behind scams.
The webinars are FREE to attend and are open to anyone who would like to know more about scams, the psychology behind scams, prevention and how a fraud case is investigated.
The webinars bring together experts in their field relating to online fraud, a topic which we are all too familiar with and can affect anyone and everyone, as our lives are played out more digitally.
The dates of the webinars and their topics are as follows:
6th July, 5pm
Exploring the psychology behind scams and how scammers are so effective at their crimes
Paul Maskell, Fraud & Cyber Crime Prevention Manager, Dedicated Card and Payment Crime Unit (DCPCU)
14th July, 5pm
Insights into how a fraud case is investigated and how not to be the next victim
Ben Hobbs, Detective Sergeant; and Catriona Still, Head of Fraud Prevention & Training, Dedicated Card and Payment Crime Unit (DCPCU)
23rd July 5pm
Scams awareness training from the Friends Against Scams initiative
The National Trading Standards Scams Team (NTSST)
30th July, 5pm
Don’t get hooked by scammers! What you need to know about flubot and phishing scams
Christopher Budd, Senior Global Threat Communications Manager, Avast
How to book your place
You can click on the links within this message on each of the webinars topics to register your place or you can go to www.ourwatch.org.uk/webinars and click on the webinar that you wish to attend, you can attend all of them if you wish and so make sure that you complete the registration page for each of them.
Scam emails have been sent impersonating the NHS, regarding applying for a Covid vaccine passport. One had the email subject “We are happy to introduce Digital Coronavirus Passports” the contents is as follows;
Clicking on the “Get Digital Passport” link takes you to a convincing but fake NHS website that asks for personal and payment details. (For a “process fee”)
The website has since been taken down, but to reiterate your vaccination status is obtained FREE through the NHS App, NHS website or via phoning the NHS on 119.
There are different ways to get your COVID-19 vaccination status:
You can get a digital version using the NHS App or NHS website. You will need to set up an NHS login to do this.
Digital versions can be downloaded as a pdf or sent to you in an email.
You can get a digital version by:
You can get a paper version by:
More information can be found on the gov.uk website;
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/demonstrating-your-covid-19-vaccination-status-when-travelling-abroad
Criminals are targeting WhatsApp users, taking over accounts and trying to defraud or hack their friends too.
The criminals abuse the legitimate process of transferring a WhatsApp account from one phone to another. They use an already compromised account to message the account owner’s contacts. The criminals impersonate the owner of the hacked account and usually claim that they are having problems receiving a six-digit code, and asking if they can send it to the friend instead (or that they have sent it to them by accident) they then request the friend tell them the code or forward it on to them. The code is the WhatsApp verification code for the new victim—by sending it to their friend they are really sending it to the criminal who is then able to transfer the new victims WhatsApp account to the criminal’s phone.
What follows next is normally the criminal impersonating the victim and requesting money from their contacts (usually for an emergency but always on the promise of being repaid) or the criminal will use the compromised account in the same manner as before to hack more and more accounts.
No matter the claim, you should never share your WhatsApp SMS verification code with others, not even friends or family. Sharing codes can cause you to lose your account.
Learn more here: https://faq.whatsapp.com/general/account-and-profile/stolen-accounts/
If you’re unfortunately tricked into sharing your code and lose access to your WhatsApp account, read the instructions below on how to recover your account.
Please note, WhatsApp is end-to-end encrypted and messages are stored on your device, so someone accessing your account on another device can’t read your past conversations. But they will be able to read and reply to any new messages you receive and post in any groups you are a member of.
How to protect yourself
How to recover your account;
Sign into WhatsApp with your phone number and verify your phone number by entering the 6-digit code you receive via SMS..
Once you enter the 6-digit SMS code, the individual using your account is automatically logged out.
You might also be asked to provide a two-step verification code. If you don’t know this code, the individual using your account might have enabled two-step verification.
You must wait 7 days before you can sign in without the two-step verification code. Regardless of whether you know this verification code, the other individual was logged out of your account once you entered the 6-digit SMS code.
More information can be found here; https://faq.whatsapp.com/general/account-and-profile/stolen-accounts/
How to update WhatsApp
You should keep WhatsApp (and any other apps on your smartphone) up to date.
Download software updates as soon as they are available, these are normally security updates which are fixing potential vulnerabilities in the apps software.
Android
Visit the play store, click on menu and choose ‘My apps and games’. Tap update next to the WhatsApp messenger.
iPhone
Visit the app store, click updates and refresh. Tap update next to the WhatsApp messenger
Windows Phone 8.1
Visit the store and select menu. Click on ‘My apps’ and select WhatsApp to update.
Windows Phone 10
Visit the Microsoft store and click on ‘Menu’. Select ‘My Library’ and tap ‘Update’ next to WhatsApp.
Neighbourhood Watch Week 2021 is an opportunity for us to develop the neighbourly relationships built throughout the pandemic.
Neighbourhood Watch Week – the perfect opportunity to engage with your community safely with a variety of LISTEN. TALK. DO! Activities from podcasts, to litter picks. Find what suits you-> https://www.ourwatch.org.uk/nwweek @n_watch
We are so excited to launch this podcast for Neighbourhood Watch Week in which the The Community Safety Podcast interviews John Hayward-Cripps on bringing Neighbourhood Watch Network into the 21st Century https://share.transistor.fm/s/92617d20
This Friday at 10am we will be supporting Neighbourhoodwatch with their Neighbourhood Watch Week-5th to 11th June! Take a listen to my interview with CEO John Hayward-Cripps! We look at how NHW is evolving in the 21st Century! #NeighborhoodWatch#community#volunteers
Neighbourhood Watch Week is here! This year let’s LISTEN. TALK. DO! with our neighbours. Life might be a little different at the moment, but this year there are more reasons than ever to get together for community, friendship and fun.
Why now kick off the week by taking party in The Big Lunch. Join in online, on your doorstep, or over the fence. #LetsStayConnected Visit https://www.ourwatch.org.uk/nwweek
Criminals spend hours piecing together information about you until they have enough to apply for credit cards, loans or documents such as driving licences and passports in your name.
#TakeFive before discarding old bank statements, clicking on links from phishing emails or sharing your personal information online, as it could be used by criminals to steal your identity.
to keep your identity protected:
Following 3 simple steps (leave your car locked, well-lit, and empty) will help to keep your car safe, but there are further steps you could take:
Catalytic converters are targeted because of the precious metals that they are made with, namely rhodium, platinum and palladium. Thieves simply cut the catalytic converter from the exhaust pipe of a parked car and sell them on to scrap metal dealers. Taller vehicles are more vulnerable as the catalytic converters are easier to access.
To reduce the risk of having your catalytic converter stolen you could
For more information on catalytic converter theft, have a look at this BBC One Inside Out Catalytic Converter Theft video from March 2020.
Keyless car theft – also known as relay theft – is relatively simple. With a relay amplifier and a relay transmitter, a thief can detect whether the car has keyless entry. Working in pairs they identify a house with a car parked nearby and one person stands by the car with a transmitter, while a second waves an amplifier around the perimeter of the house. If the car key is close enough the amplifier will detect its signal, amplify it, and send it to the accomplice’s transmitter.
This transmitter then effectively becomes the key, and tricks the car into thinking the real key is nearby. The thieves can then open the car, get in and drive away.
The whole process can take as little as 60 seconds and can be completed in near silence.
TOP TIPS TO AVOID KEYLESS THEFT
To avoid keyless car theft remember DISTANCE, SIGNAL, STEERING WHEEL.
For more information and further tips look at this ‘Keyless could be Carless’ information sheet from West Yorkshire Police.
Neighbourhood Watch Network
1. Introduction
1.1 Neighbourhood Watch is the largest crime prevention volunteer organisation in England and Wales with over 2.3m members and 90,000 street coordinators, with a well-known and trusted brand which is recognised by 95% of the population. Volunteers are supported locally in most police force areas by a sustainable infrastructure of Force Area or Borough Associations and nationally by a small, dedicated Central Support Team within the Neighbourhood Network (NWN) charity who provide volunteer training, share effective practice, and develop and share crime prevention toolkits, campaign material and other resources.
1.2 The primary aim of Neighbourhood Watch is to reduce crime and fear of crime by working in partnership with the police, councils, local partners and community groups on crime prevention initiatives. Volunteers also share crime prevention advice and help neighbours to act upon it, thereby building communities that are more resilient against crime. We focus on sustainable and impactful outcomes, giving our volunteers the tools and support to be active in their neighbourhoods, connect with one another and work together with their community members to make committing crimes in their area more difficult.
2. Crime Prevention
Many of our volunteers have received training, either from their local police force, partners or from NWN, to equip them to actively implement and share knowledge of specific crime prevention techniques to complement the activity of neighbourhood policing teams. While historically the focus of local groups has been on neighbourhood crimes such as car crime, anti-social behaviour, burglary and fraud, Neighbourhood Watch also has a role in supporting the identification and reporting of hidden and high harm crimes affecting neighbourhoods. There are a range of toolkits on the Our Watch website providing information and resources to assist local Neighbourhood Watch groups to raise community awareness of the signs and symptoms of these crimes and how to report concerns. https://www.ourwatch.org.uk/crime-prevention/crime-types
3. Resilient communities, long-lasting impact
Neighbourhood Watch is about connecting neighbours, enabling them to set up self-supporting networks through Neighbourhood Watch schemes and other models of local engagement. Although crime occurrences are a key factor for neighbours starting or joining a local Neighbourhood Watch scheme, the activity of Neighbourhood Watch groups also increases community spirit and neighbourliness, leading to more resilient, cohesive communities that can better face future challenges, as evidenced during the Covid-19 response.
4. Volunteer base
Our strongest asset is our committed, engaged and motivated hyperlocal volunteers who have links into their community and partner organisations. There are very few parts of England and Wales where Neighbourhood Watch does not have a presence or reach. Our volunteers come from a wide range of backgrounds and life experiences, bringing with them a range of skills. They share crime prevention advice and good practice with their communities and between themselves and act as a catalyst for community action to address local issues affecting their community. We equip our volunteers with the tools, training and opportunities to connect with their neighbours, partners and other local groups to enable them to become active within their communities
Many participate on local and national Working Groups to identify how NW can help tackle issues such as Rural Crime and County Lines with relevant partner agencies. NWN helps share that knowledge through our website, monthly newsletters, social media and other communication channels and provides tried and tested, evidenced-based solutions across England and Wales.
5. Evidence-based flexible approach
Neighbourhood Watch is flexible and adaptable to the needs and characteristics of local communities. We employ measurement tools and commission research to identify what works and any challenges Neighbourhood Watch is facing to assess our impact, learn from experience and support our local areas to make improvements.
6. Neighbourhood Watch Crime and Community Survey
National results from the Neighbourhood Watch Crime and Community Survey 2020 which received more than 32,000 responses from both NW members and non-members, show that members of Neighbourhood Watch consistently feel safer and more connected within their community. Headlines results show that-:
• Those who live in a Neighbourhood Watch area are more likely to be satisfied or very satisfied with their personal safety than those who don’t (59% vs 45%) with NW members in those areas more likely to be satisfied with their personal safety than non-members (63% vs 45%).
• Those living in a Neighbourhood Watch area less likely to say that crime has increased than those who don’t (32% vs 43%). Neighbourhood Watch members living in those areas are even less likely to think that crime has increased (28%), and significantly more likely to think crime has decreased or remained stable (62% vs 42%).
• Neighbourhood Watch members are more likely to agree that they feel part of the neighbourhood than non-members (87% vs 75%) and are much more likely than non-members to very strongly agree that they feel part of the neighbourhood (47% vs 29%).
• Both members and non-members are likely to act on crime prevention advice they receive from Neighbourhood Watch, with 91% of Neighbourhood Watch members and 83% of non-members usually or sometimes acting on that advice.
The national and regional reports can be accessed here:-
7. Impact
NWN published our first Impact Report in 2020 outlining our achievements, locally and nationally, alongside data and case studies highlighting the impact these have had on reducing local crime and improving community well-being.
8. Projects
8.1 We are in the process of rolling out fraud prevention and support initiatives. The Communities that Care project is very much targeted at hyperlocal implementation – neighbours helping neighbours – and covers all fraud types, while the Cyberhood Watch Ambassadors programme focuses on cybercrime and is a more strategic role, including acting as a local spokesperson for community led cybercrime prevention.
https://www.ourwatch.org.uk/communities-that-care
https://www.ourwatch.org.uk/get-involved/attend-event/cyberhood-watch-initiative
8.2 We have recently introduced the role of Community Champion to give an additional option to those who wish to support crime prevention and community work in their local area, as an add on or alternative to the traditional Neighbourhood Watch street coordinator role. We are trialling this role currently in the London Boroughs of Newham and Lewisham and in N Yorkshire with a view to rolling it out more widely if it proves successful.
https://www.ourwatch.org.uk/community-champions
8.3 Our acceleration projects in Middlesborough, Anglesey, Norwich, Lambeth, Lewisham and the West Midlands are testing ways of diversifying the way that NW communicates and interacts with communities in high crime areas and with students and other young people. Working closely with Community Organisers, local Councillors, PCCs and residents, the projects involve listening campaigns with local residents, actively recruiting and training volunteer community organisers, building community frameworks, student surveys, co-development of a young people’s project with young people and working within areas of deprivation with hard to reach communities. The project reports will be available in February 2021.
9. Campaigns
9.1 Over the past 12 months NWN has been running our own bespoke campaigns on aspects of crime prevention, targeted at either specific demographics at most risk of the particular crime type and/or areas where the crime type is most prevalent. We are planning our next campaign on vehicle crime in March 21 and will focus on Cybercrime in June 21 during National Neighbourhood Watch week. Going forward we plan to run at least 3 crime prevention campaigns per year.
https://www.ourwatch.org.uk/get-involved/support-campaign/protect-your-paw0rd
https://www.ourwatch.org.uk/get-involved/support-campaign/safety-neighbours-campaign
9.2 Our annual Neighbour of the Year award, run in conjunction with the Coop Insurance is gaining in popularity and featured on the One Show this year. We have now extended it to include a Young Neighbour of the Year, as well as continuing with the regional Neighbour of the Year awards.
10. Covid 19 support
In addition to sharing information and prevention advice about the scams that are being perpetrated in relation to Covid-19, we have also been collecting and sharing local stories about the support that Neighbourhood Watch groups have been giving to their communities during the pandemic and running campaigns to thank all the volunteers who have worked so hard to help people out and encouraging communities to stay connected with our Calling Tree campaign.
https://www.ourwatch.org.uk/get-involved/support-campaign/thank-you-volunteering
https://www.ourwatch.org.uk/get-involved/support-campaign/calling-tree
11. Strategic Development Coordinator
Devon and Cornwall’s PCC has funded a specific role to support the development of NW across the force area over an initial 2 year period. This role sits within Devon and Cornwall Community Watch Association and has strong links to NWN as we manage the finances and HR function related to the role. It has proved really successful in advancing the development of community crime prevention through NW and other Watch schemes in the two counties and has attracted interest from some other police forces. The OPCC has now extended the remit and funding of the post to include support for implementation of some of the Safer Streets work across the force area.
12. The Future of Neighbourhood Watch
A new 5 year strategy for the development of Neighbourhood Watch across England and Wales has recently been published. The strategy outlines our aspiration to build on our current strengths to become: –
The full Neighbourhood Watch Strategy 2020/2025 can be read here
The fear of losing time, getting involved and extra complications, hinders people from reporting crime.
Just do it anonymously. The Tower Hamlets Neighbourhood Watch Association, enables you to report crime completely anonymously in E1, E2, E3, E14.
All we ask is
We do not monitor your email, IP address or phone numbers.
