News

Dear residents of Kent,

There has been an increase of Employment/Recruitment Fraud in West Kent!

What is Employment/Recruitment Fraud?

Criminals create a fraudulent employment opportunity or steal the reputation of a company and create a fake advert pretending to be advertising job opportunities. They may advertise on legitimate websites.
When browsing websites for job opportunities, check the details for the company from the advert on Companies house. The contact details and address information the advert should match to that on Companies House. If it differs, be wary that it could be a fraudulent advert.

If you have received an email, text message, social media message or WhatsApp message advertising a job that you have not applied for, this may be fraudulent, and you should treat it as suspicious. DO NOT click on any links within the email/message.

Look out for email job offers that claim they can make you rich quickly and offer incredibly high salaries for part-time hours and/or require you to make an upfront payment to secure work.

A professional employer/agency will not ask you for money to work for them.

If you are ever unsure of the authenticity of the email/message and/or the link you are advised to use, do not proceed as this may not be a legitimate source.

The ABC of fraud prevention:

Never ASSUME –Never assume a call/email/ text/message is genuine.
Never BELIEVE –Never believe a call/email/ text/message is genuine – Scammers may ‘spoof’ official telephone numbers and emails, for example, the call display may show your banks telephone number, or the email may appear genuine.
Always CONFIRM –Always confirm if the call/email/ text/message is genuine – Ask for identification ( Name, Branch, employee number etc). Tell the caller you will hang up and call back to confirm. Call the bank on the number shown on their website using a different phone, or wait at least 10 minutes. Ask if it was a genuine call. If you are unsure, ask family or friends.

Please remember to never send your personal information, bank details or money to anyone if you receive an email or call asking for you to. Banks, police, HMRC and other organisations will NEVER ask you to transfer money, send money or ask for banking details and passwords. NEVER give this information to anyone.

Have a lovely weekend, enjoy the sunshine and stay safe!

Emily Jenner 46061435

Fraud Prevention Co-ordinator (West)

We are excited to inform you that we will be at the Mall in Maidstone this Sunday, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. We will be near Boots, and Moo Boo Bubble Tea. We will be available to discuss various volunteering opportunities with in Kent Police.

If you are free and interested in learning more about how you can contribute to our community, please come and talk to us.

We will be providing information on several roles, including:

- Special Constables

- Community Policing Volunteers

- Police Support Volunteers

- Cadet Leaders

This is a great chance to ask questions, get detailed information, and see how you can make a difference. We look forward to seeing you there!

We are currently organising a range of community events across the country to inform everyone about possible changes to their energy meters. There has been quite a bit in the news recently about energy meters and a BBC radio signal that is used to control them. This is an old style meter called RTS which stands for Radio Teleswitch. This is essentially a service that communicates with the meter which tells it when to switch between peak and off peak times and also tells the consumer unit when to switch a customers heating and hot water on and off.

This is old technology and is out of date which is why they are switching it off. The switch off date is 30th June 2025

Once this RTS signal is switched off, all meters that run using this system will stop working correctly coincide which can have a big impact, especially on some of our most vulnerable in our community.

Neighbourhood Watch is currently looking for people to come forward to help run these events. You would receive FULL support and training and it is a fantastic opportunity to help others within your community to feel well informed and confident to know what will be happening, what it involves and what is expected of them. This helps reduce the likelihood that they will be scammed and confused with mis-information.

If you live around the following area and are free on the date stated, YOU could be that key person who could be a volunteer for us in this project. All of the venues are already booked and the essentials are all covered, you would get travel expenses too.

Your local event is:

Maidstone Community Support Centre, Maidstone ME14 1HH Monday 12th May, 10.00am - 1.00pm

If you feel that you would like to take part in this exciting partnership between NHW and E.ON Next in helping to support local meetings in your region, do get in touch with me to find out more

There has been an increase in Courier Fraud in your local area!

What is Courier Fraud?

Courier Fraud occurs when a criminal contacts a victim by telephone, purporting to be a police officer or bank official. To substantiate this claim, the caller might be able to confirm some basic details about the victim such as their full name and address. They claim there is an issue with your bank account, they have someone in custody or request your assistance with an ongoing bank or Police investigation. The ultimate aim of this call is to convince you into parting with your money either in person, online, via the post office or a money service bureau or in a bank. They may even ask you to buy high value goods, foreign currency or gift cards such as Amazon, iTunes etc.

The caller may also offer a telephone number for the victim to telephone or ask the victim to call the number on the back of their bank card to check that they are genuine. In these circumstances, either the number offered will not be genuine or, where a genuine number is suggested, the criminal will stay on the line and pass the victim to a different individual.

The caller may also ask you to lie to the bank staff as they may ‘be in on it’ and tell you to say it is for house renovations, a new car or your family members.

Your bank, the police or His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs will never:

· call and ask you for your full PIN or full banking password.

· ask you to lie.

· ask you to withdraw money to hand over to them.

· ask you to purchase high value jewellery, watches or foreign currency.

· ask you to purchase a gift cards or high value goods.

· ask you to transfer money out of your account.

How to protect yourself

· Be extremely wary of unsolicited phone calls from your bank or the police, particularly if they are requesting personal information.

· End the call, call back on a different phone line or on a mobile. If this is not possible, wait 5 minutes before calling back. STOP, HANG UP, CALL 159. 159 is a short-code phone service that connects people safely to their bank’s fraud prevention service or for the police dial ‘101’.

· Speak to friends or family before carrying out any actions.

· Don’t trust claims made by cold callers.

· Never hand over your money, bank cards or make purchases following an unexpected call.

· Never share your PIN, One-time passwords (OTPs) or passwords with anyone.

Please remember this key message: The A B C of Scam Awareness

Never ASSUME – never assume a caller is genuine.

Never BELIEVE – never believe a caller is genuine – scammers may ‘spoof’ official telephone numbers, so the call display may show your banks telephone number, but it does not mean it is a genuine call.

Always CONFIRM – always confirm if the call is genuine – ask for identification (name, branch, employee number etc). Tell the caller you will hang up and call back to confirm. Call the bank on the number shown on their website using a different phone or wait at least 10 minutes. Ask if it was a genuine call.

If you have paid money or shared your bank details, contact your bank’s fraud team straight away.

SENT ON BEHALF OF MY COMMUNITY VOICE:- My name is Emily, I am a Fraud Prevention Co-Ordinator for Kent Police!

I would like to invite you to join me on Thursday 1st May 2025 15:00pm - 16:00pm for a virtual Fraud Prevention presentation via Microsoft Teams!

Some of the areas covered includes fraudulent calls, emails and text messages, Romance/Friendship fraud, Rogue Traders, Gift card Fraud, Impersonation and investment fraud, recovery fraud and ways to protect yourself against fraud!

If you are interested in finding out how to protect yourself from the threat of fraud and how to avoid criminals stealing your money and would like to attend the virtual fraud prevention presentation, please contact Emily Jenner at KFAS@ecis.police.uk to receive your link to join the event!

In the meantime, please remember the ABC of fraud awareness:

Never ASSUME – Never assume a caller is genuine.
Never BELIEVE – Never believe a caller is genuine – Scammers may ‘spoof’ official telephone numbers, so the call display may show your banks telephone number, but it does not mean it is a genuine call.
Always CONFIRM – Always confirm if the call is genuine –Ask for identification ( Name, Branch, employee number etc). Tell the caller you will hang up and call back to confirm. Call the bank on the number shown on their website using a different phone, or wait at least 10 minutes. Ask if it was a genuine call.

Banks, police, HMRC and other organisations will NEVER ask you to transfer money, send money or ask for banking details and passwords. NEVER give this information to anyone.

There has been an increase in Courier Fraud in your local area!

What is Courier Fraud?

Courier Fraud occurs when a criminal contacts a victim by telephone, purporting to be a police officer or bank official. To substantiate this claim, the caller might be able to confirm some basic details about the victim such as their full name and address. They claim there is an issue with your bank account, they have someone in custody or request your assistance with an ongoing bank or Police investigation. The ultimate aim of this call is to convince you into parting with your money either in person, online, via the post office or a money service bureau or in a bank. They may even ask you to buy high value goods, foreign currency or gift cards such as Amazon, iTunes etc.

The caller may also offer a telephone number for the victim to telephone or ask the victim to call the number on the back of their bank card to check that they are genuine. In these circumstances, either the number offered will not be genuine or, where a genuine number is suggested, the criminal will stay on the line and pass the victim to a different individual.

The caller may also ask you to lie to the bank staff as they may ‘be in on it’ and tell you to say it is for house renovations, a new car or your family members.

Your bank, the police or His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs will never:

· call and ask you for your full PIN or full banking password.

· ask you to lie.

· ask you to withdraw money to hand over to them.

· ask you to purchase high value jewellery, watches or foreign currency.

· ask you to purchase a gift cards or high value goods.

· ask you to transfer money out of your account.

How to protect yourself

· Be extremely wary of unsolicited phone calls from your bank or the police, particularly if they are requesting personal information.

· End the call, call back on a different phone line or on a mobile. If this is not possible, wait 5 minutes before calling back. STOP, HANG UP, CALL 159. 159 is a short-code phone service that connects people safely to their bank’s fraud prevention service or for the police dial ‘101’.

· Speak to friends or family before carrying out any actions.

· Don’t trust claims made by cold callers.

· Never hand over your money, bank cards or make purchases following an unexpected call.

· Never share your PIN, One-time passwords (OTPs) or passwords with anyone.

Please remember this key message: The A B C of Scam Awareness

Never ASSUME – never assume a caller is genuine.

Never BELIEVE – never believe a caller is genuine – scammers may ‘spoof’ official telephone numbers, so the call display may show your banks telephone number, but it does not mean it is a genuine call.

Always CONFIRM – always confirm if the call is genuine – ask for identification (name, branch, employee number etc). Tell the caller you will hang up and call back to confirm. Call the bank on the number shown on their website using a different phone or wait at least 10 minutes. Ask if it was a genuine call.

If you have paid money or shared your bank details, contact your bank’s fraud team straight away.

Fraud Prevention Co-ordinator (WEST)

The Child Centred Policing Team are looking to set up an intervention project with switch youth services in Maidstone town centre where young people can come along and repair old bikes. The intentions of the project are to divert offending, learn new skills, enforce some core values as well as break down barriers with police.

Cycles UK have agreed to support the project and ensure that once fixed, the bicycles are road safe. However we are looking for members of the public to kindly donate bicycles for young people aged between 11-16. If you are in a position to help us then please drop us a message and we will be in touch.

As a valued Neighbourhood Watch Supporter, Member or Volunteer, we want to invite you to share your views. Our current 5-Year Strategy comes to an end in December 2025 and we are in the process of developing a new strategy.

We are really interested in your thoughts, views and opinions about Neighbourhood Watch and what you think the movement should focus on over the next 5 years. The survey should take about 10 minutes and will give us a good insight into what you think and want.

By analysing the survey results we will be able to hold more in depth and detailed workshops and consultation events with stakeholders develop a new strategy that is ambitious, relevant and reflective of the views of supporters, members, volunteer, the public and other stakeholders. Please complete the survey so we can hear your voice and views.

Please click here to complete the survey

Maidstone Town Team attended a report that a vulnerable person had jewellery stolen out of their bag whilst inside a licenced venue in the town centre. The officers took details and conducted fast time CCTV enquiries which enabled them to establish what the suspect looked like. This image was then shared with CCTV operators who were able to quickly locate the suspect.

The suspect was then detained enroute to a brokers and all of the stolen jewellery found on their person. The suspect was arrested, the sentimental items returned to the victim.

This was all thanks to the business reporting on behalf of the victim, golden hour enquiries completed by the officers on scene and most importantly the officers already established relationships with partner agencies.

The suspect spent the night in custody where he was remanded to court by investigating officers.

Please make sure to keep an eye on your personal belongings when out and about, and report any suspicious behaviour to staff or if needed Police.

Maidstone Town Team have been gathering intelligence in relation to the sale of illegal or counterfeit cigarettes. Patrols entered the business premises on Upper Stone Street at around 3pm on Friday 28 February to carry out an inspection, alongside partners from Maidstone Borough Council and KCC Trading Standards.

Almost 20kg of illicit tobacco and around 2,000 packets of illegal cigarettes (or 40,000 individual cigarettes) being sold to fund organised crime have been seized for destruction from a shop in Maidstone. The confiscated goods have an estimated recommended retail price of £45,356.

During the search, officers found two hides; one of which required a strong magnet to open. The other was accessed by operating a modified light switch. Alongside the hoard of illicit tobacco products, an air-powered revolver was retrieved, for which the business did not have the appropriate licences to sell.

The work being done by the team and the intelligence provided by members of public have helped fuel our searches and inspections. Helping take funding away from organised crime groups.

Investigating officer, PC Cunningham, said:

‘Counterfeit tobacco and vape products pose serious health risks to users. Their manufacture is not regulated meaning they often contain higher levels of chemicals, as well as ingredients not fit for human consumption, such as animal hair and human faeces.

‘In a wider, detrimental impact to the community, those involved in the production and distribution of such goods are often connected with organised crime groups. These criminals have not only been found to breach employment regulations, but often participate in illegal activities such as human trafficking, child sexual exploitation, and drug smuggling.

‘In choosing to purchase the often cheaper, illicit tobacco and vape products, members of the public are not only compromising their health but are unknowingly funding abhorrent crimes.

‘We urge anyone with information about the sale of these items to contact Kent Police, or report concerns anonymously via Crimestoppers.’

Please see below articles regarding the dangers of using fake/counterfeit nicotine products.

Warning over fake vaping devices after test in Derby reveals one had three 'poisons' | ITV News Central

Counterfeit Nicotine Pouches Pose Rising Health Risks, Warn Experts | Psychreg

Do you have a security or doorbell camera?

Sign up to our CCTV Registry and help keep your community safe.

It’s free, secure, and quick to register

Your camera footage could be used to support investigations, bringing criminals to justice, and making your area a safer place to live.

Please note:

· We do not have access to your cameras.

· We can only view the location of registered cameras.

· We always contact the camera owner to request footage.

To learn more about this, click here and also see the attached poster.

Please do share this message using the share button below into other social media platforms and with family and friends so they can also benefit from receiving all of the information that you do, from this platform.

many thanks, Ben

Officers from Maidstone Neighbourhood attended a training session for Kent Youth Trials Club in order to complete Bike Marking with individuals there.

Kent Youth Trials Club Officers offers the opportunity for young people to legally and safely use trial bikes and develop their skills for competitions.

Bike Marking aides the Police in identifying Bikes and helps us return lost or stolen bikes to their rightful owners.

Thank you to Richard and everyone at the club to welcoming us to their session and engaging well in the process.

PC Johnson 14681

Attachments

Bike marking.jpg

Over the last 7 days PC Denney and I have responded to reports of nuisance off-road vehicles, particularly dirt bikes and quad bikes, misusing byways across the North Downs. Mobile patrols have been undertaken to engage with those using the various byways and deter any misuse, and a number of individuals using these routes were spoken with.

Please continue to report any instances of suspected misuse of byways, as enforcement action will be undertaken where appropriate. If a vehicle registration is present on the vehicle, please ensure this is provided. Should there be no vehicle registration, a description of the vehicle is beneficial.

We are excited to announce that the nominations for the BBC Make A Difference Awards 2025 are now officially open! This is your opportunity to celebrate and show appreciation for the incredible individuals and groups who make a positive impact in our communities.

We invite you to nominate your Neighbourhood Watch Coordinator for any of the following categories:

· Community Group

· Fundraiser

· Animal Award

· Green Award

· Active local volunteer

· Young Hero

· Volunteer

· Great Neighbour Award

Please click on the various individual categories to find out more about that award and the criteria and access to the nomination form for that category.

These prestigious awards are a fantastic way to say thank you and recognise the hard work of those who go above and beyond to improve the lives of others. The winners in each category will be selected by a panel of judges, and awards will be presented across each local BBC radio station.

The Make A Difference Awards 2025 were officially launched on Monday, 24th February 2025 on BBC’s One Show. Could one of our amazing Neighbourhood Watch Coordinators be the next local hero to be recognised?

Last year, our very own Cheryl Spruce, Head of Membership and Community Engagement, was nominated and proudly won in her local region in London. Could this be your year to shine?

Nominations are now open and it’s time to put forward those who deserve to be celebrated! If you know someone who fits the bill, we encourage you to submit a nomination. Together, we can help amplify the wonderful work being done in our communities. The link can be found HERE.

Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to showcasing our wonderful volunteers in their local regions.

Central Support Team | NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH NETWORK

We have received more reports of criminals telephoning and impersonating Police, in particular those in Tunbridge Wells .

The criminals are employing various methods from posing as Police Officers from multiple Kent Police Stations stating that they have arrested someone in possession of the victim’s bank card to requesting financial information or asking victims to withdraw cash for a courier to collect as evidence.

If you get any calls like this, STOP, it is a scam.

The Police will NEVER ask you for financial details on the phone or request to collect your card or cash or gold as part of an investigation.

Remember the ABC of Scam Awareness and Never Assume or Believe a call is genuine and always Confirm.

If you get an expected call from someone claiming to be Police or any other organisation, then take their details and end the call. Then call back using a different phone if available. If another phone is not available, then wait 5 minutes and ring a family member or friend to ensure the line has been disconnected and then ring 101. Never call a number they have supplied and never ring 999 whilst still on the call with them. You must always disconnect the call first before ringing 101.

If you think that you may have been a victim of this or any other type of scam, then contact your Bank immediately, which you can do by calling 159 and report it to Action Fraud at www.actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040.

You will also find valuable information from the Home Office at Stop! Stop! Think Fraud - How to stay safe from scams.