NEWS

Essex Police has alerted us to the top 10 scams and frauds related to Covid 19. Beware:

Health Scams

Hand Sanitizer & Face Masks

Victims are also being targeted by fake adverts for Covid-related products and Personal Protective equipment (PPE) that do not exist.

NHS Test and Trace

Criminals are preying on an anxious public by sending phishing emails and cold calls claiming that the recipient has been in contact with someone diagnosed with Covid-19. These are designed to steal personal and financial information.

Contact Tracers will never:

• Ask you to make any form of payment
• Ask for details about your bank account
• Ask you for passwords or PINs
• Ask you to download anything

Covid-19 Financial Support Scams

Fake Government Emails

Criminals are sending emails designed to look like they are from government departments offering grants of up to £7,500. Theses emails contain links which steal personal and financial information.

‘Covid-19 Relief Funds’

Fraudsters have also been sending scam emails which offer access to relief funds, encouraging victims to fill in a form with their personal information.

‘Council Tax Reduction’

Criminals have been targeting people with official-looking emails offering a council tax reduction. These emails, which use government branding, contain links which lead to a fake government website which is used to access personal and financial information.

Universal Credit Applications

Fraudsters are also preying on benefit recipients, offering to help applying for Universal Credit, while taking some of the payment as an advance for their “services”.

Lockdown Scams

TV Subscription Services

Amid a rise in the use of during the lockdown, customers have been targeted by criminals sending convincing emails asking them to update their payment details by clicking on a link which is then used to steal credit card information.

Dating Scams

Fraudsters are also exploiting those using online dating sites and social media by creating fake profiles used to manipulate people into handing over their money. Often criminals will use the identities of real people to strike up relationships with their targets.

Fake Investment Opportunities

Criminals are using social media websites to encourage victims to “take advantage of the financial downturn”. Bitcoin platforms are using emails and adverts on social media platforms to encourage unsuspecting victims invest money into fake companies.

TV Licencing

Criminals are sending fake emails and texts claiming to be from TV Licencing telling people they are eligible for six months of free TV license because of the coronavirus pandemic. Victims are told there has been a problem with their direct debit and are asked to click on a link that takes them to a fake website used to steal personal and financial information.

Remember
Criminals are experts at impersonating trusted organisations and manipulating people into parting with their money or personal information.
Consumers are reminded to stop and take a moment to think before parting with any money or information, in case it’s a scam.
Stop
Taking a moment to stop and think before parting with your money or information could keep you safe.
Challenge
Could it be fake? It’s ok to reject, refuse or ignore any requests. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you.
Protect
Contact your bank immediately if you think you’ve fallen for a scam and report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or at www.actionfraud.police.uk.

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We are very pleased to advise that the play areas around the Parish are now open.

We have installed Covid related signage to help remind people of the rules we must all follow, along with a few simple, but sensible, precautions we can all take to help keep ourselves and others safe.

During the lockdown period we have undertaken a number of upgrades and improvements to the games areas, including new edging and play bark where needed.

The largest project undertaken was in the Mutli-Use Games Area (MUGA), sited next to the main village playing field.

With the area having been well used since being installed in 2009, we felt it was extremely important to bring this much loved and valuable village asset back up to scratch.

We have installed two brand new sets of recessed/integral 5 aside goals, with new basketball hoops fixed permanently at either end of the MUGA.

The surface has also been professionally repaired and the games lines resprayed.

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ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 – SECTION 14(1)

Temporary Traffic Regulation Order of Stebbing Road, Garnetts Lane, Felsted

Please click on the following link https://one.network/?tm=117724958 to find details of the intended closure of Stebbing Road, Garnetts Lane, due to commence on 14th July 2020 for 10 days. The closure is required for the safety of the public and workforce while Gigaclear Limited undertakes Installation of fibre optic cables in the area for fibre optic broadband.

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Please be aware that  Felsted Parish Council will not be opening our play areas today.

Opening is at the discretion of each Parish Council and, having attended a safety seminar yesterday, we are arranging for safety signs and safety measures to be put in place. We expect safety measures to be ready by Monday 13th July, but will be following Government guidance.

During lockdown we have improved some equipment, with additional work  being undertaken the week after next to replace the Memorial Field play bark and edging, so this area will not be fully open until after the work is completed.

The safety of children is of the highest priority to Felsted Parish Council and we appreciate your support and cooperation.

Graham Harvey

Chair, Felsted Parish Council

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Please see the following press release from Uttlesford regarding their Business and Charity Grant scheme:

Applications are now open for the Uttlesford Discretionary Business Grant scheme.
Uttlesford District Council has been allocated approximately £1 million of government funding to support certain businesses and charities that have been impacted by Covid-19 but were not eligible for either the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund or the Small Business Grant Fund.
The scheme opened today (Friday 5 June) and applications must be made by the closing date of Sunday 21 June.
Grants of up to £10,000 will be available, and in exceptional circumstances a grant of £25,000 could be paid out. As there are limited resources available, the council expects most grants awarded will be under £10,000.
In line with government guidance, the council will prioritise support for small businesses in shared offices or flexible work spaces, regular market traders with fixed building costs, small charity properties, and bed & breakfast establishments which pay council tax instead of business rates.
Applications will also be invited from small local businesses that can demonstrate exceptional hardship relating to ongoing fixed property-related costs and a significant loss of income due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, it should be noted that the grant fund is limited and the council will look to award businesses that meet the national priorities first.
Cllr Neil Hargreaves, Portfolio Holder for Finance and Budget, said: “We know there are businesses in Uttlesford that have not been eligible for any government assistance so far. It is vital we support our small businesses at this very difficult time and so I am pleased the discretionary grant scheme is open for applications.
“I would encourage any small business owner who thinks their business may be eligible for a grant to make an application and access all the help that is available.”
A dedicated page on the council website – www.uttlesford.gov.uk/small-business-discretionary-grant – includes information on the criteria for which priority businesses are eligible to apply, the application process, and FAQs about the grant scheme.
ENDS

NOTES
• For more details on this media release please contact the Communications Team on 01799 510442 or ku.vog.drofselttuobfsctd-509e5c@aidem
• Follow us on Twitter @Uttlesford DC
• You can also follow our Business Development Team @UDCBusiness, our Communities Team @UDCCommunities, and our jobs feed @UDCJobs
• Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook/UttlesfordDC

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If there is one thing that helps some colour into these difficult times it is the sign of summer approaching and the simple beauty from summer blooms.

In Felsted every year we have David Dempsey and his band of hard working volunteers to thank for planting up the multitude of tubs around the Parish.

With David and his team practicing safe distancing, they have once again planted up the flower tubs ready for us to all enjoy in the coming weeks.

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Please see the following message from Uttlesford District Council regarding the NHS Track and Trace system:

With the development of Track and Trace, many people have been asking for advice around how this works.

Please find below the official advice from the GOV.UK website on how the system works and advice on how to avoid being the victim of any possible scams as a result of the implementation of this system.

When we contact you

If the NHS test and trace service contacts you, the service will use text messages, email or phone.

All texts or emails will ask you to sign into the NHS test and trace contact-tracing website.

If NHS test and trace calls you by phone, the service will be using a single phone number: 0300 013 5000.

All information you provide to the NHS test and trace service is held in strict confidence and will only be kept and used in line with the Data Protection Act 2018.

Contact tracers will:

• call you from 0300 013 5000
• send you text messages from ‘NHS’
• ask for your full name and date of birth to confirm your identity, and postcode to offer support while self-isolating
• ask if you are experiencing any coronavirus symptoms
• provide advice on what you must do as you have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus

Contact tracers will never:

• ask you to dial a premium rate number to speak to us (for example, those starting 09 or 087)
• ask you to make any form of payment or purchase a product of any kind
• ask for any details about your bank account
• ask for your social media identities or login details, or those of your contacts
• ask you for any passwords or PINs, or ask you to set up any passwords or PINs over the phone
• disclose any of your personal or medical information to your contacts
• provide medical advice on the treatment of any potential coronavirus symptoms
• ask you to download any software to your PC or ask you to hand over control of your PC, smartphone or tablet to anyone else
• ask you to access any website that does not belong to the government or NHS

For the full guidance/information please check the GOV.UK website – https://www.gov.uk/guidance/nhs-test-and-trace-how-it-works

Remember our advice

If in doubt use the A, B, C of scam awareness:

A- Never Assume a caller, email or text is genuine.

B- Never Believe a caller, email or text is genuine.

C- Always Confirm by contacting a trusted number, family member, friend, your bank’s fraud department or the police to check if it’s genuine.

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