A member of the village had a narrow escape yesterday:

 “I reported an internet connection problem to BT. Later on I had a call from BT Operations offering £204.63 as a goodwill gesture for poor internet reception.  It sounded genuine as they knew I had contacted BT earlier on in the day and had all the information about my husband’s name and correct address, etc. and  and then asked for his debit card details to which the repayment should be made.
“The caller became quite aggressive when I refused and after a lot of repeated haranguing, said that if I did not agree they would disconnect our internet connection immediately and then hung up. I called BT who confirmed the call was a scam.  It was very unpleasant”

You can get regular alerts about this and many other safety and security issues by signing up to Thames Valley Alert at https://www.thamesvalleyalert.co.uk who give the following advice:

Protection Advice:

 1. Listen to your instinct: just because someone knows your basic details, such as your name and address, it doesn’t mean they are genuine.
2. Stay in control: always question cold callers: always contact the companies directly using a known email or phone number.
3. Don’t be rushed or pressured into making a decision: a legitimate company will be prepared to wait whilst you verify information.

If you have been affected by this, or any other type of fraud, report it to Action Fraud by visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040.