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Tips on protecting the
elderly against fraud

As we all know, there are scams everywhere. They can seem inescapable and, unfortunately, fraudsters often target older people and those who are vulnerable as their victims. Nowadays, with the advancement in technology, scams and fraud schemes can be indecipherable from genuine communications. So, the question is how can you spot a scam, and are there steps that you can take to protect yourself or an older person from falling victim to fraud?

What different types

Unfortunately, there are many different types of fraud that a person can be susceptible to. Ensuring that you are aware of each of these types of scams will mean that you can avoid issues and remain safe in the knowledge that your identity and financial information are secure.

Phone
scams

These scams involve phone calls from an impersonator. The person could be pretending to be someone you know, such as your bank. They often ask for personal information under the guise of providing a service.

SMS
scams

Scams and fraud can also be initiated by text messages. Again, the text will impersonate some sort of important authority in order to trick the recipient into providing information.

Online and
email scams

Online and email scams are very similar to the previously outlined methods. There will often be a link in the email that takes you to another site – it’s important not to click this link.

Postal
scams

Postal scams will come to your home address. These fraud attempts can be disguised as lottery and prize draws, pyramid schemes, and more. Even if these things are tempting – say no!

Fraud at
the door

Sometimes scams occur in person when someone visits your home. Be wary of anyone who is trying to aggressively sell you a product or service and don’t let them into your property.

Family
fraud

Although unpleasant and emotionally distressing, it’s important to be aware that fraud can involve a family member or friend. This often happens via manipulative tactics such as offers to take over finances or manage a bank account.

Spotting a

When you know what to look for, your susceptibility to scams and fraud will decrease. Being vigilant is important, whether you think you might be targeted for fraud yourself or you’d like to keep an eye out for a loved one. There are certain characteristics of fraud attempts that you can look out for:

Requesting personal information they should know

If an ‘authority’ requests your National Insurance number, they should already know this. This could be a sign that fraud or identity theft is at work.

Poor written
English

Official letters from reputable companies or sources will have impeccable English and grammar. If this isn’t the case, this could be a clue that the message isn’t to be trusted.

A link to
follow

If an email or SMS message has a link that you can click through to, this is a heads up that it isn’t coming from a trustworthy source. Avoid clicking on the links.

Unofficial
contact details

Email accounts that aren’t tied to a company and use a personal hotmail or gmail account instead, are a common sign of scamming. Watch out for these details when deciding if a message is trustworthy or not.

Steps to take to protect yourself

Taking steps to prevent fraud will help you or your family member to stay vigilant and protect their details. Make sure you are staying safe with these precautions:

  • Check your bank balance regularly to ensure everything is as it should be.
  • Avoid giving out your personal information to people you cannot be sure can be trusted.
  • Check the identification of everyone who asks you for something, especially when at your front door.
  • Be vigilant when checking your emails, texts, and phone calls.
  • Be aware of people hassling or behaving aggressively towards you or family members.

What do you do if you are a

If you do happen to fall victim to fraud and scams, there are a number of steps you can take to minimise the damage.

  1. Don’t panic! It’s possible there could be some kind of resolution – concentrate on finding help.
  2. Document everything that has happened so far – paperwork, dates of phone calls, and everything you can remember.
  3. Contact your bank to change your details and passwords, then cancel your cards and order new ones. Check that everything is as it should be.
  4. Check your credit score – this will allow you to see if the scammer has bought any goods with a credit card or obtained any debt.
  5. Report the fraud. Action Fraud is the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime. Many older adults avoid reporting the crime due to embarrassment and lack of confidence, but doing this is so important. This could mean that the fraudsters are caught, stopping them from inflicting the same distress on someone else.

How can your care worker

With home care, you will be able to benefit from the extra eyes and ears of an experienced care worker. Many people in the care industry have seen examples of fraud before and know what to look for. Your care worker can help you by:

  • Checking your post and emails to ensure that you haven’t received anything suspicious.
  • Observing how you act after certain family members visit you, keeping an eye out for distress or manipulation.
  • Making sure you check their identification badges every time they see you.
  • Monitoring if you are writing any cheques or bank transfers, as well as who they are being made out to.

Back

Here at Verilife, we have experienced, passionate care workers to give you the highest level of support. For whatever you need, from help getting out of bed to preparing your meals, we can support you whilst enabling you to maintain your routines and independence. For more information, email us at hello@verilife.co.uk or call 02031419290.

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