The European Court of Human Rights has said individual governments can decide how to implement a ban on convicted prisoners voting.

The judgement means the UK will be able to decide for itself how to resolve the long-standing row over votes for prisoners, bt the court says the UK only has six months to outline its proposed reforms…

In a summary of its judgement, the court said it “accepted the [UK] Government’s argument that each State has a wide discretion as to how it regulates the ban, both as regards the types of offence that should result in the loss of the vote and as to whether disenfranchisement should be ordered by a judge in an individual case or should result from general application of a law.”

A sophisticated type of fraud is on the rise across the UK – where people are telephoned by fraudsters and tricked into revealing their PIN and handing over their bank card to a courier.

Pay Your Way is working with The UK Cards Association and Financial Fraud Action UK to raise awareness of how to avoid the ‘Courier Scam’.

More than £1.5 million has now been lost to the scam, with the same amount – £750,000 – stolen in the first four months of 2012 that was stolen during the whole of 2011. This equates to a three-fold increase in this crime.

The scam involves a person being called by someone claiming to be from their bank and told that their debit or credit card needs collecting.

The caller suggests the person hangs up and calls the bank back to ensure the issue is genuine, but stays on the line; tricking the person into thinking they’re calling their bank.

The fraudster will then ask the person to key in their PIN number, before sending a courier to collect the card. The victim is told the card is going to the bank to be changed but is actually delivered to the fraudster to use.

According to figures released today by Pay Your Way, over three quarters of the UK (76%) feel confident they would be able to spot a fraudulent telephone banking call.

However, after hearing how the Courier Scam works, over half (56%) of the 4,000 people surveyed were surprised by how sophisticated it is, one third (33%) worried they were more vulnerable than they thought and four fifths (80%) felt that anyone could be a potential victim to the fraud.

With 91% feeling that older adults would be particularly at risk, Pay Your Way is encouraging people to make sure that older relatives and friends are also aware of the scam in order to stamp out this kind of fraud and help older generations to keep their finances secure.

For further information visit the Payments Council website.

To report a fraud, call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or use their online fraud reporting tool.

A warning has been issued by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) about fake or “phishing” emails sent out by fraudsters

Customers have to renew their claims by 31 July – or their payments may be stopped.

In the run-up to the tax credits renewal deadline often sees an increase in such attacks, and in May 2011 a record 26,301 phishing attempts were reported to HMRC.

The scam email usually starts with the sentence such as “we have reviewed your tax return and our calculations of your last years accounts show a tax refund is due”

The phishing emails often promise a rebate and, if taxpayers click on the link, they are taken to a cloned replica of the HMRC website. The recipient is asked to provide credit or debit card details or other sensitive information such as passwords. Fraudsters then try to take money from the account.

Victims risk having money stolen from their bank accounts, or their personal details being sold on to criminal gangs for identify fraud.

During last year’s tax credits renewals period, from April to July, nearly 94,000 phishing emails were reported by customers. Even though HMRC helped shut down more than 360 scam websites during the period, others continue to be created.

Steve Lamey, Director General for Benefits and Credits, said:

“We only ever contact customers who are due a tax refund in writing by post. We don’t use telephone calls, emails or external companies in these circumstances. Anyone who receives an email claiming to be from HMRC should send it to phishing@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk before deleting it permanently.”

HMRC works with other law enforcement agencies in the UK and overseas to investigate and shut down phishing attacks. Scam networks have been closed in a number of countries, including Austria, Mexico, the UK, South Korea, the USA, Thailand and Japan.

HMRC advises customers to:

•Check the advice published on the HMRC website see if an email received is listed.
•Forward suspicious emails to HMRC at phishing@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk and then delete them.
•Do not click on websites or links contained in suspicious emails, nor to open attachments.
•Follow advice from Get Safe Online.

If people believe that they have been the victim of an email scam, they should report the matter to their bank/ card issuer as soon as possible. Anyone in doubt should check with the HMRC fraud attempts page.

To report a fraud, call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or use their online fraud reporting tool.

The promise commits the force to supporting people with learning disabilities and standing by them when they need help. The promise consists of 10 key points which, when adhered to, will ensure that the force delivers a quality service to some of the most vulnerable people in our community.

Chief Constable Tim Hollis said:

“Humberside Police officers and staff have been working with Mencap and other learning disability groups for many years, and by signing this promise we are cementing this relationship and demonstrating our continued commitment to those groups and the individuals they support.”

Prior to signing up to the promise, Humberside Police has consulted with various groups both to inform them of the plans but also to gather feedback from them on the best way to implement the promise. A training programme for staff is to be implemented which will enhance the understanding of law and procedures and should also better equip staff to communicate with those who have learning difficulties and assist in distinguishing between this and mental ill health.

Mr Hollis added:

“Many of the aspects of the promise are part of everyday policing which we have been working on for many years, others focus specifically on those with learning disabilities and their families and carers. We look forward to working with the public in implementing the Mencap promise and providing an improved level of service which will contribute to stamping out hate crime in the Humberside Police area.”

The Mencap Stand By Me – Police Promise is shown below: We want all police services to promise to stand by people with a learning disability to end hate crime. We are asking the police to commit to ten promises that will make a huge difference for the victims of disability hate crime. By signing-up to the promise, we pledge to:

1. Make sure that information is available and presented in a suitable form.
2. Get better evidence and increase convictions by allowing more time for interviews, particularly where the victim has difficulty communicating.
3. Understand how to identify if someone has a learning disability.
4. Listen to, respect and involve families, carers and support staff of disabled people.
5. Challenge discriminatory attitudes and language among fellow officers.
6. Ensure that victims are kept up to date with the progress of the case once they have reported a crime.
7. Recognise that disability hate crime is as harmful as other types of hate crime.
8. Don’t label disability hate crime as anti-social behaviour – identify the crime and deal with it.
9. Hold regular beat meetings and ensure they are open to disabled people.
10. Display the Stand by me promises where everyone can see them.

The scam involves the caller telling a resident they will have no problem in being granted a loan but in order to access the money they need to pay a fee up front to buy UKASH vouchers, and the fraudsters then tell the victims that paying this upfront fee will allow them to transfer the money.

Merthyr Tydfil Trading Standards have issued the following advice:

• Don’t transfer money to loan companies using money transfer services when applying for loans.
• Don’t go ahead with a loan if a company approves it and then demands a fee before you get the money.
• Do be cautious if a loan company cold-calls you.
• Do some research about the business offering the loan – look for correct phone numbers and physical addresses and ask for information in writing.

Craig Rushton, Trading Standards officer at Merthyr Tydfil Council, said:

“In the current economic climate individuals are finding it difficult to obtain credit and criminals are capitalising on this using devious means and targeting vulnerable people

“Consumers are advised never to transfer money using services such as UKASH or Western Union when taking out loans and to be always be on your guard if someone cold calls you and offers you a loan.”

For further information visit the Merthyr Tydfil Trading Standards website.

To report a fraud, call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or use their online fraud reporting tool.

The Trading Standards Institute is urging scam victims to speak out to help stop the ever-growing wave of con artists.

A tide of mass marketed scams such as fake lottery wins is having a devastating effect on the lives of millions of people in the UK, warns TSI. It wants people to ‘turn them in and turn the tide’ during the Scams Awareness Month in May.

Unscrupulous scammers often target elderly or vulnerable adults, tricking them into revealing their bank details or paying upfront fees with the lure of huge rewards. Victims can find themselves on the receiving end of wave after wave of letters, emails and phone calls aimed at parting them from their cash, and even after they realise they have been cheated out of their life savings, many people do not report the crime as they are too embarrassed to tell anyone.

The scammers are left free to carry on duping more and more victims, getting away with an estimated total of more than £73 billion a year. The clear message from TSI as it launches Scams Awareness Month is ‘Turn them in and turn the tide’.

Working in partnership with Citizens Advice and Action Fraud – the national fraud and internet crime reporting and advice centre – trading standards teams across the country are encouraging anyone receiving scam mailings, or friends and family of anyone they believe is a victim of scam mailings, to speak up.

Louise Baxter, chair of the TSI Consumer Education Liaison Group, which is co-ordinating the campaign said:

“The mailings received in this year’s ‘scamnesty’ will be analysed and the information shared with partner enforcement agencies in the UK and abroad. This will help us crack down on the senders and their networks, and enable us to help victims of scams directly, giving them tools to deal with this problem”

As scammers use ever more sophisticated tactics and materials, an increasing percentage of people targeted are falling victim to crime. The most common types of scam include fake lotteries, prize draws and sweepstakes, advance fees and money transfers, ticketing, home working and career opportunities, health and slimming miracles, pay in advance credit, and investment opportunities.

Peter Wilson, Director of Action Fraud, said:

“An essential part of stopping fraudsters preying on vulnerable people is to make sure these incidents are reported to Action Fraud. Whether you’ve lost money or not, we want to know what’s happened. All information is good information when it comes to tracking down those responsible for the network of scams that continue to plague people, particularly the elderly, daily.”

Another important aim of May’s campaign is to help everyone recognise the warning signs and have the confidence to seek advice or simply reject approaches.

People with elderly or vulnerable relatives are being urged to be extra-vigilant. An increase in mail, unusual payments or bank transactions, or more incoming telephone calls than normal to a parent, grandparent or other vulnerable adultcould be a sign that scammers are at work.

Ron Gainsford, Chief Executive of the Trading Standards Institute, said:

“Time and again we hear from trading standards of yet another of these distressing stories about vulnerable adults preyed upon by cruel, greedy people, and we fight to find ways to protect these victims. It is challenging because we cannot interfere with human rights and individual choices, but it is vital that we are all aware that such scams are taking place, and how, through the post and internet, they get into victims’ homes and lives.

“The May edition of our house magazine, TS Today, features just such a case where thanks to a last minute trading standards intervention, an elderly victim wasn’t scammed out his house – the very roof over his head.

“TSI supports the Think Jessica campaign run by Marilyn Baldwin, whose mother was scammed out of thousands.”

Citizens Advice Chief Executive Gillian Guy said:

“There are a lot of rogues and chancers looking to make a quick buck by ripping off others. It’s only by working together that we will crack down on these con artists and stamp out scams for good.

“Anyone who thinks they have been a victim of a scam can get help from Citizens Advice, either by going to their local bureau or calling our consumer service phone line.”

People are also being encouraged to remember the following tips:

• Stop, think and be sceptical. If something sounds too good to be true it probably is.
• Do not be rushed into sending off money to someone you do not know, however plausible they might sound and even where an approach is personalised.
• Ask yourself how likely it is that you have been especially chosen for this offer – thousands of other people will probably have received the same offer.
• Think about how much money you could lose from replying to a potential scam – it’s not a gamble worth taking.
• If you are unsure of an offer, speak to family or friends and seek advice before sending any money or giving out any banking or credit card details.

Scams can be reported to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or at www.actionfraud.police.uk or to the Citizens Advice consumer service on 08454 040506. During May in many areas suspicious letters can also be handed in at libraries.

Two men walked into the public house and were involved in a verbal altercation with a customer who was inside.As a result of this a female member of bar staff, and another customer, escorted the men out of the pub.

Once outside, the two men are alleged to have become verbally aggressive towards the customer, before assaulting him with wooden objects. The men then picked up a number of other objects and threw them around before running away in an unknown direction.

The 39 year old injured man was treated at Diana Princess of Wales Hospital for injuries to his back and arm.

Police arrested a 22 year old man and a 17 year old boy in connection with the incident. They have both been released on bail pending further enquiries.

As part of on going enquiries police have spoken to a number of witnesses but believe there may have been other people in the pub at the time, who have not yet come forward.

Anyone with information is asked to call Humberside Police tel 101 quoting crime reference 1904666.

Police in North East Lincolnshire are appealing for help in locating two men travelling in a grey coloured vehicle, who may have witnessed an assault on Littlefield Lane in Grimsby.

At around 2345hrs on Saturday 12 May, a 52 year old man was walking alone, along Littlefield Lane, in the direction of Cromwell Road, when he saw two men walking in the opposite direction.

One of the men is alleged to approached the man, as he walked close to Sainsbury’s, before assaulting him and causing him to fall to the floor. Both men then continued to verbally abuse the man before walking away.

The 52 year old man required treatment to his front tooth and sustained injuries to his nose and knee as a result of the assault.

A grey coloured vehicle, thought to have been a Peugeot, stopped as the incident was talking place and police believe the two men in the vehicle may have witnessed the assault.

Police are appealing for the men in the vehicle and any further witnesses, who may be able to assist police with their enquiries to call Humberside Police tel 101 quoting crime reference 1906709.

Detectives are warning people to be wary of loan shark fraudsters who are getting victims to launder money in return for cash.

The conmen are targeting victims by cold calling or texting offering quick loans on the basis that they will have to pay a small advanced arrangement fee in order to receive the lump sum of money.

Once the fee has been paid the loan fails to materialise and the fraudsters cease contact with the victim.

The fraudsters, usually operating from outside the country, are also approaching people to become “money mules”.

People are being offered cash in order to accept the advanced fee – conned from someone else – into their UK bank account before transferring it out to the fraudster’s foreign account.

This seemingly legal transaction is in fact money laundering and you could end up in prison for money laundering which carries a maximum sentence of 14 years.

DC Tony McClements, of Lancashire Constabulary’s economic crime unit, said:

“During times of austerity and the stricter lending regimes being operated by the banks, borrowing money can be difficult.

“These fraudsters play on the victim’s need to improve their cash-flow and offer ‘guaranteed’ loans in return for an arrangement fee. The victim pays the fee as requested and ultimately never receives their loan as it simply did not exist.

“To compound matters the victims are paying their fees into the accounts of UK nationals who act as intermediaries; and who may or may not be aware that they are committing an offence of money laundering for which they can be imprisoned for up to 14 years.

“I’d implore members of the public to be wary of cold callers and text messages offering guaranteed loans.

“Similarly if you are approached to accept funds into your bank account for a small reward before transferring them elsewhere, you are almost certainly being manipulated and entering into an arrangement constituting an offence of money laundering.”

For further information visit the Lancashire Constabulary police website.

If you are a victim of this scam or to report a fraud, call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or use their online fraud reporting tool.

The Government announced plans today to crack down on those who drive while under the influence of drugs.

Legislation unveiled in the Queen’s Speech will create a specific drug driving offence. Currently police have to demonstrate that driving had been impaired by drugs in order to prosecute.

Under the proposed legislation it will automatically be an offence to drive a motor vehicle if you have certain controlled drugs in your body in excess of specified limits. This will make it much easier for police to take action against drug drivers.

Devices to screen for drugs in the body are expected to receive type approval from the Home Office by the end of the year.

Road Safety Minister Mike Penning said:

“Drug drivers are a deadly menace – they must be stopped and that is exactly what I intend to do.

“The new offence sends out a clear message that if you drive whilst under the influence of drugs you will not get away with it.

“We have an enviable record on road safety in this country and I want to keep it that way. This measure will help to rid our roads of the irresponsible minority who risk the lives of innocent motorists and pedestrians.”

An independent review of drink and drug driving law in 2010 recommended that a new specified limit offence should be developed. The exact drugs covered by the offence and the specified limits for each will be determined following advice from an expert panel and a public consultation.

Earlier this year the Department for Transport announced the formation of the panel and today is confirming the membership. It includes experts in the field of alcohol and drug misuse and will also work with officials from the Home Office, Ministry of Justice and Department of Health.

The penalty for the new offence will be a maximum of 6 months imprisonment and/or a fine of up to £5,000, and an automatic driving ban of at least 12 months.