Security and Hacking Prevention Guidance from Business Watch

Hacking of businesses’ and other organisations’ telecoms is a costly fraud that has impacted on numerous Hertfordshire businesses.  It can happen at any time of the year, but systems are particularly vulnerable during periods when phones are left unmonitored for extended periods, such as the Easter break, bank holidays, summer holidays, and Christmas.
This crime happens when an unmonitored company telephone system (e.g. office phones set to an automated attendant over a long weekend) is hacked and calls are routed through the victim’s telephone system to International premium rate numbers. This earns the criminals a revenue share on every call, and leaves the victim organisation liable for each of those premium rate calls, resulting in a huge telephone bill – sometimes hundreds of thousands of pounds.
The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, in conjunction with other partners, has produced the attached guide, which provides advice and guidance about how to protect your telecoms system from fraud.  Organisations may wish to flag this document to relevant colleagues, and consider your organisation’s resilience to such attacks.

Download Associated Documents
Documents accompanying this message are linked below. Click to download and open a file which use the popular PDF format. If you experience problems downloading or viewing a file please visit this help page
.
•    Security and Hacking Prevention Guidance (103 KB)

If you need to reply regarding this message, click on this email address: derrick.sweeney@herts.pnn.police.uk
Regards,
Derrick Sweeney
Watch Liaison Officer
Business Watch
Email: derrick.sweeney@herts.pnn.police.uk
Tel: 01707 355841

Hertfordshire Constabulary and District Councils are urging local businesses to stay alert following a number of scams involving a man falsely claiming to be from the local council’s licensing department.  Three recent incidents occurred in Hemel Hempstead town centre, where a man has visited three different Eastern European supermarkets, falsely claiming that the store had unpaid alcohol licence fees.  He demanded immediate payment.

Similar offences have happened in neighbouring counties.
Where premises licences require an annual fee to be paid, this will only ever be requested by way of an official invoice, posted to the licence-holder.  Licensing officers will never request a cash payment to be made to them during a visit to a licensed premises. Council officers will also carry and produce ID during any visit, which can and should be checked by contacting the Local Council’s Licensing Office.

Any business that is approached by a person asking for immediate payment of a licence fee should call police immediately on 999.
Anyone who has any information about these incidents should contact PC Miles on the Hertfordshire Constabulary non-emergency number 101, quoting crime reference D1/16/4610.
Alternatively, if you have any information about this or any other crime, you can contact the independent crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or through their Anonymous Online Form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org. No personal details are taken, information cannot be traced or recorded and you will never need to go to court.
Police investigating the incidents have also released an image of a man they would like to speak to in connection with the incident.
Please click on the link below to see the image:
http://www.herts.police.uk/hertfordshire_constabulary/latest_news/news_articles/010716_-_0461_d.aspx

West End of High Street Closure

The High Street, Rickmansworth will be closed this coming Sunday – 3rd July between 09:00 & 18:00 for a gas and water service connection.
Access to Marks & Spencer and Businesses in the High Street to be maintained and a one way suspension in operation to allow local traffic to access the main highway via Wensum Way.
VMS & Twitter have been implemented.

The public car park will be accessible via Parsonage Road and two gatemen will be on site to manage the small length of carriageway between Wensum Way and the closure.

Further night time road closures on Station Road

Message from TFL
"We are conducting night time closures of station road (with full diversion plan in place) from 25th April to 30th April. The closures will be conducted each night from 2200 to 0500.
The road will be handed back fully each shift. This is to allow the final connection to be made from the new bridge deck to the old existing cable support systems.
This will allow our team to dismantle the scaffolding system and completely open the footpaths (Arch covered walkways). In addition we are also conducting the demolition and removal of the old bridge deck within Victoria close and reinstating the road surface.
This work is due to be completed and road handed back by the 9th May."

If you have any concerns regarding the project please contact London Underground at:
24 hour helpline: 0343 222 2424
Email: communityrelations@tfl.gov.uk
Post: London Underground, Community Relations, Palestra, 197 Blackfriars Road, London, SE1 8NJ

Latest News on Station Road Closures - Rickmansworth

Just received from TFL:
 
"The new bridge is currently being constructed within Victoria Close and the full bridge replacement work is scheduled to take place during the planned closure of the Metropolitan line on the following dates:

•    Friday 25, Saturday 26, Sunday 27 & Monday 28 March

Although the majority of the Underground network will be operating normally that weekend there will be no Metropolitan line service between Moor Park and Amersham/Chesham, and no Chiltern line service between Amersham and London Marylebone. Rail Replacement Bus services will operate.

The station will remain open until the last train on Thursday night and will re-open in time for the first train on Tuesday morning. The work will be continuous throughout the Easter weekend.

In order to facilitate the installation of the new bridge, it will be necessary to implement the following highway closures:-

•    Station Road will be closed between 22:00pm and 05:00am on the nights of Monday 14 and Tuesday 15 March
•    Station Road and the Station Approach bus lane will be closed between 22:00pm on Tuesday 22 March until 06:00am on Tuesday 29 March
•    Homestead Road and Station Approach will be closed nightly between 22:00pm and 06:00am from Tuesday 22- Monday 28 March inclusive
•    Station Approach will also be closed for a ten minute period from 20:00pm-20:10pm on Friday 25 March for movement of bridge decks between Station Road and the station forecourt
•    The A412 will also be closed between 02:00am and 03.30am on Saturday 26 March for movement of bridge decks between Victoria Close and Station Approach

A traffic management system will be in place throughout the closures, and we will begin to prepare the worksite from approximately 22:00pm on Tuesday 22 March with main works starting after midnight. To ensure the safe conduct of these works we will also be required, on occasion, to shut the pedestrian footpaths on Station Road. Marshals will be on hand to assist pedestrians and diversion routes with clear signage will be installed directing pedestrians to the station.

In order to facilitate the installation of the new bridge, it is also necessary to carry out preparation works at track level. These will be undertaken between 02:00-04:30am on the night of Saturday 19th (Sunday morning). Although some noise and increased traffic in your area is unavoidable during the works, we will do our best to limit any disturbance."

Latest from Herts County Council on Rickmansworth Bus Services

Service 324 (Maple Cross – Watford) is provided by Arriva on a commercial basis. While the operating base for the service may in due course be affected by administrative changes within the Arriva group they do not believe the company has any intention of withdrawing this route.  Regarding the 258 Service (Watford – Harrow), this is provided by Arriva on behalf of Transport for London (TfL). For many years the county council has been making a contribution to the cost of this service amongst others but the current agreement finishes at the end of the financial year. Herts CC are in discussions with TfL about the future of this arrangement but meanwhile TFL have given Herts CC assurance that no changes would be made without them going through their usual consultation process.

Update from Business Watch

We have received the attached update from the local police:

Protect Your Money - December Update
Attached is a new publication for members of business and shop watches in Hertfordshire. It includes a summary and advice for dealing with scams currently operating and targetting businesses. This edition of the newsletter includes :
1. Protect your business againts invoice redirection fraud
2. Advice on tackling cyber crime
3. Bogus bailiffs collecting phantom debt
4. How to visit the Hertfordshire Constabulary " Protect your business website" www.herts.police.uk/crimeprevention

Download Associated Documents
Documents accompanying this message are linked below. Click to download and open a file which use the popular PDF format. If you experience problems downloading or viewing a file please visit this help page on the OWL website.
•    Business Watch Fraud Update (329 KB)

If you need to reply regarding this message, click on this email address: patrick.beynon@herts.pnn.police.uk

Recent Success in Local Fraud Detection
We want to make you aware that  in the past week two banks in Rickmansworth have successfully thwarted attempts by residents  to take out large sums of money to pay to fraudsters. Many OWL messages are sent out warning members to be on their guard againts fraud. In addition your local Safer Neighbourhood Team Police Officers have been visiting banks to make staff aware of particular frauds in the area and that local persons may be falling victim to them.
Please continue to remain alert and look out for the elderly and vulnerable who may become victims to these scams. Working together and looking out for each other clearly pays off. Fortunately two residents have not parted with large sums of money to fraudsters.

If you need to reply regarding this message, click on this email address: patrick.beynon@herts.pnn.police.uk

Cyber Security for Businesses
Please find attached a single sheet document that briefly sets out a range of advice sources and resources that are available to help protect businesses from cyber crime.
This government produced a document that covers the following topics:

•    Cyber Essentials Scheme
•    10 Steps to Cyber Security (guidance for large organisations)
•    Small Businesses: What You Need To Know About Cyber Security
•    Cyber Streetwise campaign
•    Free online training for small businesses
•    Cyber Security Information Sharing Partnership (CISP)
•    Cyber Security Innovation Vouchers

Download Associated Documents
Documents accompanying this message are linked below. Click to download and open a file which use the popular PDF format. If you experience problems downloading or viewing a file please visit this help page on the OWL website.
•    Cyber Security Advice for Businesses (113 KB)
If you need to reply regarding this message, click on this email address: derrick.sweeney@herts.pnn.police.uk