Category Archives: Police and Crime

Winter is almost upon us and whilst it is not too cold at the moment, all the emergency services are providing advice on how you can be ‘Weather Ready’. They may sound like common sense, but there are some easy steps you can take to get prepared for any bad weather and to keep you and your family safe. Why not read them and then take 15 minutes to do what you can now?

– Have basic supplies and documents in a bag in a safe place in case a storm takes out power, water and/or phone lines.

– Check your pipes are insulated and make sure you know where your stop tap is in case you have a leak and need to turn the water off.

– Consider alternative commuting plans for severe weather and childcare plans if schools are closed.

– Check your heating and that of any older friends or relatives – homes should be heated to at least 18C.

– Don’t forget your car – top up screen wash, check your tyres and think about winter kit for it.

If there is bad weather, we will send out alerts via In The Know but you may also want to follows us on Facebook and Twitter if you use them – we are @lancspolice and we will be using the hashtag #lancswinter for all severe weather updates.

Please forward this alert onto your friends using the button below and/or share it on social media, particularly into local Facebook groups.

Thanks for helping us to keep everyone in Lancashire Weather Ready this winter.

Cyber criminals send victims their own passwords in extortion scam

Cyber criminals are attempting to blackmail unsuspecting victims by claiming to have used the victims’ password to install spying malware on the victims’ computer. The criminals claim they’ve recorded videos of the victim watching adult material by activating their webcam when they visit these websites. What makes this scam so convincing is that the email usually includes a genuine password the victim has used for one of their online accounts. We believe criminals obtain the passwords from data breaches.

What to do if you get one of these emails?

Don’t reply to the email, or be pressured into paying. The police advise that you do not pay criminals. Try flagging the email as spam/junk if you receive it multiple times. Perform a password reset as soon as possible on any accounts where you’ve used the password mentioned in the email. Always use a strong, separate password for important accounts, such as your email. Where available, enable two-factor authentication (2FA). Always install the latest software and app updates. Install, or enable, anti-virus software on your laptops and computers and keep it updated.

If you receive one of these emails, report it to Action Fraud’s phishing reporting tool. If you have received one of these emails and paid the ransom, report it to your local police force.

Read about our new report on what makes a good neighbour in modern Britain and find lots of fantastic advice on keeping you safe. There’s also member offers and lots more!
Click here to read it on-line

Or use the link here:
https://www.ourwatch.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/NWN-Our-News-Oct-2018.pdf