Your Local Area

Enter your postcode to find local community information schemes and citizens patrols close to you

Your opportunity to ask questions about staying safe online

Alert message sent 05/11/2020 11:13:00

Information sent on behalf of Dorset Alert

Dorset Alert subscribers are being invited to put their questions to Police and Crime Commissioner Martyn Underhill and an expert in online safety.

The first in a series of ‘Question Time’ style virtual events will take place at 6pm on Thursday November 12, and will be an opportunity for the public to ask questions about how to stay safe online and avoid cyber criminals.

The event will feature Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner Martyn Underhill with Dorset Police cyber protect officer Chris Conroy, and will be chaired by BBC Radio Solent presenter Laurence Herdman.

How to take part

The session will take place over Microsoft Teams, and if you would like to be in the audience please email pccmedia@Dorset.PNN.Police.uk by Sunday 8 November.

If you would like to ask a question during the session, please send it to the above email address, making it clear whether or not you would be happy to have your name mentioned.

Invitations will be sent out to audience members’ e-mail addresses early next week, featuring a link they need to click in order to take part.

Audience members will remain muted while the panel answers submitted questions, but there will be an opportunity for a general question and answer session at the end of the event if timing allows.

Staying safe online

Online criminals are thought to be taking advantage of the ongoing pandemic, using increasingly sophisticated scams targeting everyone from lonely people using the internet to find love, to those who have been made redundant as a result of coronavirus.

The session will provide an opportunity to find out more about current scams, how to use the internet safely, and for members of the public to ask questions about anything that has been troubling them such as suspicious emails they have received.

Two more sessions will take place later in the month, featuring Martyn Underhill and a range of different experts, covering issues including hate crime and how Dorset Police and others are responding to Covid-19 ahead of the Christmas season. Invitations to take part in these sessions, and to ask questions, will be sent out via Dorset Alert over the coming weeks.

Martyn Underhill said: “I know a lot of people are very worried about online fraud and scams, and there are criminals out there trying to take advantage of the fact that more of us are spending time online, while some of us will also be more isolated as the country is put into a second lockdown.

“However, there are ways to make sure you remain safe and this session will be an opportunity for people to put their questions directly to an expert who can provide some of the best, most up to date advice.

“The ongoing pandemic has sadly prevented me and others from going out to speak to members of the public face to face, so these virtual events will be an opportunity for the people of Dorset to have their questions answered directly and I look forward to hearing from them.”

Message sent by

PCC Communications (Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner, Communications and Engagement, Dorset)

Send a reply

Message tag words

Back to previous page

Click here to tweet this message to your followers

@FollowAlertMessages

Discuss this alert message

Please see terms below before using this feature

Please be aware that the facility above is a Facebook service, posting your views will make some of your Facebook information visible to everyone (as with any Facebook activity).

The system administrators (VISAV Limited) monitor the content added. Any misuse or objectionable material should be reported to support@neighbourhoodalert.co.uk.

The views expressed do not represent the views of the system administrators who are VISAV Limited, the Police, Neighbourhood Watch and other Information Provider using this service.