News: CTSI Hero Award For Operation Repeat -
Welcome
Historically, doorstep crime and scam prevention was aimed at the victims themselves, with the Police and other organisations using leaflets and meetings to pass advice onto older and vulnerable people.Unfortunately leaflets are often discarded and those in need of the message may not have capacity to remember what they were told the previous day.
The principal aim of Operation REPEAT is to allow key messages to vulnerable clients to be continually reinforced on a daily or weekly basis by Health and Social Care sector staff.
By utilising the existing community workforce to deliver this advice, there is an increased awareness of these crimes within the community and a more targeted approach at prevention.
This website will enable any user to find guidance in preventing doorstep crime and scam offences and help prevent re-victimisation that is inevitable to anyone who has already fallen prey to such ruthless criminals.
THE 10 GOLDEN RULES OF DOORSTEP CRIME AND SCAM PREVENTION
DON’T DEAL WITH COLD CALLERS
Fraudsters will talk you into making a purchase and you’ll be heading for the ‘suckers list’ and more callers.
DON’T HAND YOUR CREDIT CARDS OR CASH TO ‘COURIERS’
Your bank will never ask you to give cards or money to couriers.
DON’T TALK MONEY ON THE PHONE
Your bank will never ask you to reveal details over the phone.
DON’T RESPOND
Ignore suspicious emails, letters, phone calls or SMS messages—press ‘delete’, or just hang up.
REMEMBER
NOT SURE? DON’T OPEN THE DOOR!
DON’T BUY ANYTHING ON YOUR DOORSTEP
By paying in cash you let them know you keep money in the house and they’ll be back!
DON’T LET SCAMMERS PUSH YOUR BUTTONS
Scammers will adopt a personal touch and play on your emotions to get what they want.
WATCH OUT FOR SCAMS
Scammers target you anytime, anywhere, anyhow.
DON’T BE CONNED BY DIRECT MARKETING LETTERS THAT CLAIM YOU HAVE WON A PRIZE / MONEY
Never send money to someone you don’t know and trust. Once you make contact the floodgates will open and your details will be added to the scammers ‘suckers list’.
REMEMBER
IF IT SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, THEN IT IS!
Brian Steele is a former Detective Chief Superintendent with West Yorkshire Police where he served for 33 years before retiring in 2001. Whilst serving as a Police Officer he was awarded a Home Office Police Research award in respect of his studies into doorstep crime. During this research, Brian visited prisons and interviewed convicted Doorstep Criminals about their methods and how they achieved their aims. Their answers gave a unique insight into the professional approach such criminals take and more importantly is still relevant to this day.
Brian subsequently became a member of the Home Office National Distraction Burglary Task Force, responsible for propagating best practice techniques to prevent and detect doorstep crime throughout the UK. Since retiring Brian has worked with Police Forces, Local Authorities and other organisations to better prevent these offences. We have been fortunate to have spent time working with Brian, who has passed on in depth detail of his findings, to enable us to understand more clearly how Doorstep Criminals operate and groom victims to achieve their aims. We are indebted to Brian for his sharing of this knowledge and support for Operation REPEAT.
In relation to the increase in fraud across the country, former City of London Police Commander Chris Greany, who held the position of National Coordinator for Economic Crime said
“We will never arrest our way out of this – the only way to reduce this is prevention and advice”
EDUCATION is key to prevention
