| In Action Fraud’s new campaign, we are urging people planning to buy tickets or attend this summer’s events and concerts to stay vigilant to criminals. According to new data, £9.7 million was lost to ticket fraud in 2024 in the UK alone. Action Fraud, the national fraud and cybercrime reporting service, has launched a new ticket fraud awareness campaign, warning people to be alert to fraudsters trying to catch out people planning for popular and sold-out events. Follow our top tips to avoid falling victim to ticket fraud. · Only buy tickets from the venue’s box office, official promoter or agent, or a well-known ticketing website. · Avoid paying for tickets by bank transfer, especially if buying from someone unknown. Credit card or payment services such as PayPal give you a better chance of recovering the money if you become a victim of fraud. · The password you use for your email account, as well as any other accounts you use to purchase tickets, should be different from all your other passwords. Use three random words to create a strong and memorable password, and enable 2-step verification (2SV). · Be wary of unsolicited emails, texts or adverts offering unbelievably good deals on tickets. · Is the vendor a member of STAR? If they are, the company has signed up to their strict governing standards. STAR also offers an approved Alternative Dispute Resolution service to help customers with outstanding complaints. For more information visit star.org.uk/buy_safe. If you think you’ve been a victim of fraud, contact your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud online at actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040, or call Police Scotland on 101. |
Category: Police
Crime Update from eCops
| It’s 6.36am on a Tuesday, but one mum isn’t making her child breakfast or getting ready for work. Instead, she’s locked herself in her own bathroom – terrified. This may sound like just a story, but it was the true reality of what one of our call handlers faced when they picked up a 999 call earlier this week. The woman, living in Peterborough, confided that she had shut herself in her toilet with her child for her own safety and said her husband had just attacked her. She was having to whisper and couldn’t give information easily. She was barely audible, but we established she needed help right away. Officers arrived at her home 13 minutes later, where the woman disclosed years of suspected domestic abuse and coercive control. One man was arrested on suspicion of assault and intentional strangulation, and enquiries continue. Did you know? If you ever find yourself in a similar situation, pressing 55 after calling 999 alerts police operators that you need help but are in a situation where you can’t talk. Dialling 55 lets the operator know your call is genuine and they will try to track your location. If you can’t speak, listen carefully to the questions and instructions from our demand hub call agents so they can assess your situation and arrange help. For more information, advice and support concerning domestic abuse, visit our dedicated web pages. |
ECOPS – Rural concerns discussed during regular patrols
| Our patrols of Fenland, East Cambridgeshire and South Cambridgeshire have continued this week, engaging with residents and farmers about any rural crime concerns they may have. |
Lucy Ward (Cambridgeshire Constabulary, Communications Assistant, Peterborough and Fenland) |
| People looking to snap up online holiday deals ahead of the summer are being warned to stay extra alert and do their research before booking their getaways, as new data reveals victims lost a total of over £11 million to holiday fraud last year. Action Fraud, the national fraud and cybercrime reporting service, has launched a holiday fraud campaign, urging the public who are looking to snap up their next holiday deals online to look out for suspiciously enticing offers online, including on social media, and do their research before booking their getaways. New data shows there were 6,066 reports of holiday fraud made to Action Fraud last year, with July recorded as the highest month of reporting with 647 reports. Holiday makers lost a combined total of £11,183,957 in 2024, which is comparatively less than the £12.3 million lost in 2023. Despite, the drop in reported loss, the average loss per victim remains at similar levels, with £1,851 the average in 2023 and £1,844 in 2024. What can you do to protect yourself from holiday fraud? · Check the travel company is legitimate: about to book a holiday? Do some research first to check that the company is legitimate, especially if you haven’t used them before. Use consumer websites, or reviews from people (or organisations) that you trust. · Look for the logos: look for the ABTA, ABTOT or ATOL logos on the company’s website. If you’re unsure, you can use the links below to verify membership: ABTA – https://www.abta.com ABTOT – https://www.abtot.com/abtot-members-directory/ ATOL – https://www.atol.org · Use a credit card to pay: use a credit card for payments (if you have one). Many of these protect online purchases as part of the Consumer Credit Act. · Only provide required details at checkout: when making your payment, only fill in the mandatory details (often marked with an asterisk) such as your address. Unless you think you’ll become a regular customer, don’t create an account for the store. · Keep your accounts secure: create a strong and unique password for your email. If 2-step verification is available, always enable it. · Watch out for suspicious links: whether it’s in an email or social media post, be wary of promotions for unbelievably good holiday offers. If you receive a suspicious email, report it by forwarding it to: report@phishing.gov.uk Find out how to protect yourself from fraud: https://stopthinkfraud.campaign.gov.uk If you’ve lost money or provided your financial information to someone, notify your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040. In Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101. |
ECops – Work continues following coursing disorder
ECops – Four further arrests linked to hare coursing and violent disorder
 Four more men have been arrested today in connection with the investigation into violent disorder and criminality that occurred across Cambridgeshire last month. A force-led investigation was launched on 25 January following multiple complaints of hare coursing, criminal damage and dangerous driving in various parts of the county. Today, Cambridgeshire police were supported by Thames Valley Police in carrying out a number of warrants in the Slough and Reading areas. A 44-year-old man from Horton, two men aged 19 and 44 from Datchet and a 28-year-old man from Winkfield were arrested on suspicion of violent disorder and attending a hare coursing event. They all remain in custody at Thorpe Wood Police Station. Video of the further arrests can be viewed on our YouTube page. This takes the number of arrests so far to 10. We made a commitment to the communities affected by the events last month that we would do all we can to pursue those responsible for the abhorrent criminality. I hope our continued efforts to identify people and bring them into custody is providing some reassurance that we are taking this seriously and fully investigating. Anyone with any information and footage that could assist in identifying those involved is asked to email OpCalluna@cambs.police.uk or contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, by calling 0800 555111 or online. Kind Regards, Superintendent Ben Martin |
ECops – Updated Statement concerning email to schools – 05.02.2025
| We are pleased to bring you the latest edition of our newsletter for Neighbourhood Watch supporters across England and Wales. Highlights from the February 2025 edition of Our News include: * Guidance on spotting Romance fraud and scams * SimpliSafe demonstrates the importance of Professional Monitoring when it comes to home security * Phonely provides answers and information on how to prevent scam calls with their services * We celebrate a decade of partnership with Patlock! READ THE FEBRUARY EDITION OF OUR NEWSLETTER We hope you enjoy this edition of Our News – please share with your neighbours, friends, and professional networks. |
E-Cops -Booking.com
| Those using the platform Booking.com to book their holidays or accommodation are being warned they could be targeted with emails or messages requesting payments from hotels who have had their account taken over by fraudsters. Between June 2023 and September 2024, Action Fraud received 532 reports from individuals, with a total of £370,000 lost. Insight from Action Fraud reports suggests the individuals were defrauded after receiving unexpected messages and emails from a Booking.com account belonging to a hotel they had a reservation with, which had been taken over by a criminal. Using this account, the criminals send in-app messages, emails, and WhatsApp messages to customers, deceiving them into making payment and/or requesting credit card details. The specific account takeovers are likely to be the result of a targeted phishing attack against the hotel or accommodation provider, and not Booking.com’s backend system or infrastructure. Adam Mercer, Deputy Head of Action Fraud, said: “With more than 500 reports made to Action Fraud, those who have booked a holiday on the Booking.com platform should stay alert to any unexpected emails or messages from a hotel using the Booking.com platform, as their account could have been taken over by a criminal. “If you receive an unexpected request from a hotel’s account you booked with using Booking.com, asking for bank details or credit card details, it could be a fraudster trying to trick you into parting ways with your money. Contact Booking.com or the organisation directly if you’re unsure. “Remember to report any suspicious emails by forwarding it to report@phishing.gov.uk, or if you receive a fraudulent text message, you can forward it to 7726.” How can you protect yourself? Booking.com and Action Fraud are providing the following advice on how to spot signs of fraud and protect your Booking.com account: · No legitimate Booking.com transaction will ever require a customer to provide their credit card details by phone, email, or text message (including WhatsApp). Sometimes a hotel provider will manage their own payment and may reach out to request payment information, like credit card details – before providing any information, always verify the authenticity of communication between yourself and the hotel’s account. · If you receive any urgent payment requests that require immediate attention, like a booking cancellation, immediately reach out to the Booking.com Customer Service team via the details on the official Booking.com website and/or app to confirm. Any payment requests that do not match the information in the original booking confirmation should also be double checked and confirmed with Booking.com Customer Service before proceeding. · Any messages purporting to be from Booking.com that contain instructions to follow links and/or open/download files should be treated with caution. If you have any doubts about a message, contact Booking.com directly. Don’t use the numbers or address in the suspicious message and use the details from their official website. · For more information about how to protect your Booking.com account, please visit: Safety Tips for Travellers | Booking.com If you receive any suspicious emails or text messages, report them by forwarding emails to: report@phishing.gov.uk, or texts to 7726. Find out how to protect yourself from fraud: https://stopthinkfraud.campaign.gov.uk If you’ve lost money or provided financial information as a result of any phishing scam, notify your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud at https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/report-phishing or by calling 0300 123 2040. (If you found this information useful, please share it with friends, family and colleagues) |
 Message Sent ByAction Fraud (Action Fraud, Administrator, National) |
ECops – Winter Fuel Allowance Scam
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 Winter Fuel Allowance scam |
Dear Mandy, One of our PCSOs received this text recently and recognised it as a scam. If you receive a message similar to this one, it is important to not click any links.  To protect yourself from these scams: 👮♂️ Be suspicious of all ‘too good to be true’ offers and deals 👮♂️ Always log on to a website directly rather than clicking on links in the message 👮♂️ Don’t hand over any details to anyone you don’t know or trust If you do fall victim to these scams, please report it to Action Fraud, the UK’s national fraud and cybercrime reporting centre. More information and advice on how to protect yourself from scams can be found on our website. Kind regards, |
 Message Sent ByLucy Ward (Cambridgeshire Constabulary, Communications Assistant, Peterborough and Fenland) |
Keep your home safe from burglars this Christmas – ECops
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 Keep your home safe from burglars this Christmas |
Following recent reports of burglaries, we are urging you to make sure your property is secure. Here’s a few ways to keep your home protected: · Consider installing CCTV or a ring doorbell, this can act as a deterrent for anyone trying their luck! · Ensure your garden gates are secure and locked when you are away · Install sensor lighting outside in a yard or garden allowing someone to be clearly seen. · Use indoor timers for lights and lamps inside your home at pre-set times when you’re away · Consider installing an accredited burglar alarm system Make sure to check in with your neighbours and look out for each other over the next few weeks. If something doesn’t seem right, then it probably isn’t, call the police on 101 or if you believe a crime is taking place, always call 999. For more advice on how to keep your home safe, head to our website here.  |
 Message Sent ByAnnabelle Mullee (Cambridgeshire Constabulary, Communications Assistant, Cambridgeshire) |
ECops – Drink driving: We need your help
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 Drink driving: We need your help |
| This is a reminder to venues across Cambridgeshire that a designated driver scheme organised to support the force’s crackdown on drink and drug drivers this Christmas will return in December. ‘I am DES’ is a national initiative where licenced premises sign up to offer an incentive to encourage customers to have a ‘designated driver’ within their party. The campaign ran for the first time since Covid in December 2023 across Cambridgeshire, with more than 60 businesses sign up in support (the most we’ve ever had!). We also saw a reduction in the number of people killed and seriously injured through road traffic collisions for that month compared with the previous year, with more than a 20 per cent reduction. If interested in taking part, your business and venue location will be included in a press release highlighting this year’s police drink and drug drive campaign, and mentioning the I’m DES initiative, where drivers within a group can benefit from a discount on soft drinks only. The terms and conditions will be within your control – you decide which soft drinks to provide an incentive on, such as draught only. Free soft drinks have been offered in the past but the economy is in a very different place than it was years ago, and therefore any kind of incentive through a discount will still be very welcome and allow you to take part. Members of the public taking part are asked to say to venue staff “I am Des” or words to that effect and show their car keys. It’s up to yourselves if you wish to add anything additional to that. I know some of you have used wristbands or a stamp system to keep track of designated drivers before. If you are interested or would like to know more, please email nick.southern@cambs.police.uk stating that you are interested or with any questions. Please do not reply directly to this eCops message. Please also spread the word and forward to anyone you think would be interested in supporting this year’s designated driver campaign. Kind regards, |
 Message Sent ByTara Cox (Police, Communications Officer, Corporate Communications) |
E Cops – Fraud Warning
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 Fraud warning |
| It’s the penultimate day of our fraud awareness campaign and today we’re delving into… Courier fraud In these cases, fraudsters often target elderly and vulnerable people and call them over the phone purporting to be from the police or the bank. Once these con artists have engaged a victim, they may make up a story claiming to need help with an investigation into a money scam at the victim’s bank or perhaps spin a line that their account has been hacked and they need further details to protect their assets. They may ask the victim to disclose their card details and pin number or withdraw money from their account ready for them to collect. Recent reports of courier scams in our area show the fraudsters are getting even more sophisticated and providing convincing fake police identity badges at the door. Prevention: · Remember, we – the police – will never call you up to request or collect bank details, cards or cash · If you receive a call of this nature, pause and think. End the call and process the information. Call us on 101 – preferably from a different device to the one the call came in on – and we will be able to verify if the person you spoke to was a genuine officer · Call your bank immediately if you think you have been scammed so they can freeze your account For more advice about all kinds of fraud, visit our website |
 Message Sent ByLarissa Chapman (Police, Communications officer, Corporate Communications) |
Scam Awareness
| Day three of our scam awareness mission sees us looking at… Quishing scams Quishing, also known as QR code phishing, involves tricking someone into scanning a phony QR code with their phone or device. The QR code then takes the user to a fraudulent website that might download malware or ask for sensitive information. QR codes are often found on things like parking machines, charging points, emails, even restaurant menus and you may well use them even more this time of year as you dash between car parks to purchase presents and meet up with friends in cafes and restaurants. Prevention: · Check… if the QR is on a poster in a public area, always check whether it appears to have been stuck over the poster, window or billboard. If the sign or notice is laminated and the QR code is under the lamination or part of the original print, chances are it’s more likely to be genuine · If in doubt… download the app from the official Google or Apple store or search the website on your phone’s internet browser, rather than scanning a QR code to take you there. It may take longer, but it’s more secure · Trust your instincts, if something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. For more advice about all kinds of fraud, visit our website |