Fraud Epidemic

Jan 26, 2021

Fraud Epidemic and Scamming of older people

The BBC has reported that there is a Fraud epidemic and that it 'is now national security threat'. At Nannies 4 Grannies we have clients who have been ‘scammed’ so we know first-hand the pain and anguish this horrendous crime can cause. The BBC article is here

Our advice to everyone is that if you are offered something that’s too good to be true it usually is.. if you are asked to part with money – just don’t. We know it is often not as simple as that. We have listed some common scams to look out for below.

What is a scam?

A scam is a dishonest scheme used by criminals to trick people out of their money. Your personal details (such as name, address, passwords, account numbers and date of birth) are high on scammers’ wish lists, as they provide a route to your cash. Stealing personal details is known as ID fraud. With this information, it is possible for fraudsters to take money from your bank, go on a spending spree with your cards, open new accounts in your name or even make false insurance claims.

What are the different types of scam?

The main objective of a scammer is to trick someone out of money. They might try to do this by:

promising a gift, prize or ‘windfall’ of some kind, if you first part with a smaller amount of cash
befriending you, then convincing you to part with cash to help them out of a tricky situation.
selling a product or service that you do not need, or that never materialises.
tricking their way into your home so that they can steal cash or valuables.
impersonating a trusted organisation – such as your bank, utility company, the police, or a government department – to trick you into divulging personal information.

Scammers might get in touch using a variety of different methods:

Phone (calls and texts)
Post
In person/on the doorstep
Online (websites and emails).

It might be a scam if:

you are asked to authorise the transfer of money to a new account.
you have never heard of the company or person before.
you are asked to give your Pin or passwords in full (on the phone or via text) – your bank or the police will never ask you for this information.
the person says that they will send someone to your home to collect cash, bank cards or anything else.
You are asked to reveal personal or banking information.

Concerned about someone being scammed?

Warning signs to look out for:

If you think that your loved one has already been targeted by scammers, use our advice to help them take the appropriate action. Look out for these warning signs:

they have unusual amounts of post or letters lying about the house.
there is evidence of large unexplained cash withdrawals or cheque payments.
they seem short of money when they shouldn’t be.
they seem to get a lot of phone calls from strangers or companies.
they seem anxious or upset for no apparent reason.

Some scam victims do not believe they are being scammed. Your loved one might believe this person is their friend or that they are just about to win a big prize.
Things can be even more difficult if the person you are supporting has dementia. They might find it harder to say ‘no’ to salespeople, be more likely to believe strangers or not realise what is happening.

At Nannies 4 Grannies Ltd we offer Companion Care and Support for residents in St Albans, Harpenden, Watford and the surrounding areas. Contact Kay on 01727 857988 to discuss the range of specifically tailored services we can provide for you or an elderly loved one. For full details go to our website Nannies 4 Grannies. Stay up to date with older issues by following us on Twitter or Facebook

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