EAST DIVISION C B /C W N January 2016 Code Blue/Crime Watch Newsletter is published by the Fort Worth Police Department East Division Code Blue/Crime Prevention Unit For more information please contact Shirlee Wilkinson at 817-392-4800 or shirlee.wilkinson@fortworthtexas.gov
Crime Watch Newsletter January 2016 Page 2 This Scam Poses as an Update to Your Spam Filter This scam has an ironic twist. It's a phishing email that claims to be an update to your email service to protect against scam emails. Who says scammers don't have a sense of humor? How the Scam Works: You are at work, and you get an email that appears to be an update from your office's IT department. The message, with the subject line "Mailbox Helpdesk" (or something similar) informs you that "new security updates need to be performed on our servers, due to the rate of phishing." To get the update and protect yourself against these phishing emails, just click the link and log into the IT help desk. Don't do it! The "software" to protect your inbox from phishing emails is actually a phishing scam itself. Clicking on the link will download malware to your computer or mobile device. This scam is targeting business and college email addresses. Like many phishing scams that pose as office updates, such as emails from the scanner or voicemail, scammers are hoping busy employees or students will click without thinking. How to Spot a Phishing Scam: Be wary of unexpected emails that contain links or attachments. Do not click on links or open files in unfamiliar emails. Consider how the company normally contacts you. If a company usually contacts you by phone, be suspicious if you suddenly start receiving emails or text messages without ever opting in to the new communications. Don't believe what you see. Just because an email looks real, doesn't mean it is. Scammers can fake anything from a company logo to the "Sent" email address. Check your company's IT department or Internet service provider. If something sounds suspicious, confirm it by checking with authorities at your company or ISP. Contact them directly from a number you know is accurate. DON'T click on any links in the message you suspect is a scam. Be cautious of generic emails. Scammers try to cast a wide net by including little or no specific information in their fake emails. Always be wary of messages that don't contain your name, last digits of your account number or other personalizing information. Pay attention to the ways in which your IT department normally addresses concerns and be cautious of any new method.
Crime Watch Newsletter January 2016 Page 3 How to Spot the Real OPM Data Breach Letter The U.S. government's Office of Personal Management (OPM) has been notifying those affected by a recent cyber security breach that their personal data was compromised. Unfortunately, scammers are also "notifying" consumers. Here's how to identify a real OPM notification letter and the signs of a scam. How to Spot a Real OPM Letter: You don't have to be a U.S. federal employee to receive a notification from OPM. The breach was wide reaching, and there are many ways your personal information may have been included. Common ones include: Past and present federal employees Spouses and other co-habitants listed on federal background investigation applications Applicants for a federal job Those who worked or volunteered with a federal agency but are not federal employees Real Letters Contain: A 25 digit PIN to register for credit and identity monitoring services. Make sure your PIN is real by entering it at opm.gov/cybersecurity Instructions to visit the website opm.gov/cybersecurity to get more information and sign up for monitoring. Signs of a Scam: Scammers love to take advantage of large government initiatives. Scams surrounding the roll out of the Affordable Care Act are a recent example. Be on the lookout for scammers attempting to cash in on this effort. OPM will not contact you for personal information. OPM, nor anyone acting on OPM's behalf, will contact you to confirm personal information. If you are contacted by anyone claiming to represent OPM DO NOT share your information. Email is not used in this round of notifications. OPM did email to notify those affected by the breach this past summer. This time, they are sending letters by U.S. Postal Service. An email claiming otherwise is a scam. Lost your PIN or didn't receive a letter? If you have not yet received a letter but think you have been impacted, you can contact the verification center at opm.gov/ cybersecurity or by phone.
Crime Watch Newsletter January 2016 Page 4 KUDOS TO EAST DIVISION NPOS OFFICER R DOWDY #4044 OFFICER S VALLE #3217 OFFICER DI CLEVELAND SQUATTERS ON FORBY STREET ARRESTED!!! On Monday December 21st 2015 Officer R Dowdy #4044, received a complaint from a citizen that unknown persons were staying in the detached garage of her residence located at 2612 Forby Ave. This citizen had been in and out of the hospital for the last 12 months due to failing health. Random trespassers on her property have been such a problem that she does not stay at her residence when she is out of the hospital. She had not been able to solve this problem on her own or with the assistance of patrol officers. On Tuesday December 22nd 2015 at approximately 0730 hours Officer Dowdy conducted an investigation at her residence with Officer S Valle #3217 and Officer DI Cleveland #2803. Upon arrival at the location Officer Dowdy observed the detached garage to have forced entry through a broken car entry door. He observed the perimeter of the building to be secured and boarded up and the car door was the only access point into and out of the building. I observed a black and orange "No Trespassing" signed clearly posted directly above the open garage door giving all who entered notice that entry was forbidden. Officer Dowdy entered the garage and located two suspects asleep inside of the building. I detained both and contacted victim who stated she does not know them and no one was allowed in the building at this time. I arrested both suspects for criminal trespassing without incident. The victim was very relieved to know that this problem is now being addressed and she feels that she may return home now if her health allows. Thank you Officer Dowdy, Officer Cleveland and Officer Valle for a job well done!
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Crime Watch Newsletter January 2016 Page 6 East Division CRIME WATCH TRAINING SCHEDULE 2016 10:00am-11:30am & 6:30pm-8:00pm NO TRAINING January & December Date February 23rd March 22th April 26th May 24th June 28rd July 26th August 23rd September 27nd October 25th November 15th All trainings will be held on the 4 th Tuesday of each month at 1100 Nashville. Except November which will be held on the 3 rd Tuesday due to Holiday. Please call Michael Grigsby to confirm so that you may be contacted in the event of a cancellation. 817-392-4834 or michael.grigsby@forthworthtexas.gov
Crime Watch Newsletter January 2016 Page 7 East Division Crime Prevention News Auto Etching For January and February 2016 January Central Division 817-851-2512 January 26 Masonic Lodge 11:00 am 1:00 pm 1100 Henderson Street January 28 Andrew Doc Sessions Community Center 11:00 am 1:00 pm 201 S. Sylvania Ave February East Division 817-980-8441 February 17 Police Store Front 11:00 am 3:00 pm 1258 Woodhaven Blvd February 24 Stop-N-Go Store 11:00 am 3:00 pm 13900 Trinity Blvd February 27 Target 11:00 am 3:00 pm 8550 East Freeway **NOTE** If you have questions about any of the listed dates, times or locations, call the telephone number listed for that month
Crime Watch Newsletter January 2016 Page 8 East Division Code Blue News Watch for news from Code Blue In your February 2016 Newsletter Code Blue Training Dates were still pending at publication time. Watch from them in February Newsletter Happy New Year! Freddie Holcomb East Division Code Blue Coordinator 5650 E Lancaster Ave, Fort Worth Texas 76112 freddie.holcomb@fortworthtexas.gov 817-392-4846 (office) 817-897-0026 (cell) Code Blue and CAC Meeting With Captain Hadsell Everyone is welcome! February 1, 2016 6:00 pm Handley-Meadowbrook Community Center 6201 Beaty Street Fort Worth, Texas 76112 Just a friendly reminder that all city offices will be closed January 18, 2016 For Martin Luther King Holiday
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