Scam Awareness in Sutton Coldfield
Older adults are particularly vulnerable to scams, which is why Home Instead has proudly championed scam prevention for over 10 years.
Scams and fraud
Any of us could be victim to a scam. Sadly, the people who tend to be easy targets for fraudsters are ageing adults. They are particularly vulnerable for many reasons:
- Decline in cognitive function: conditions like dementia can lead to people making poor decisions.
- Loneliness: older people that don’t have as much social interaction are prone to being taken advantage of.
- Financial stability: many older people have years’ worth of savings in the bank.
- Cash: older people are more likely to have cash on them or at home.
- Less tech savvy: navigating the online world isn’t something the older generation tends to be confident doing.
The impacts of being targeted by fraudsters can hit older people the hardest. The key implications are:
- Emotional distress: it causes huge upset knowing you’ve had money stolen from you, and not knowing whether you’ll be able to get it back.
- Loss of trust in other people: particularly if the scam began with somebody befriending you, when you meet somebody new and they’re nice, how can you know whether they’re genuine?
- Inability to recover financially: particularly if you’re on a tight budget, having money stolen from you can be financially devastating.
- Poor self-esteem: it impacts on your feeling of self-worth knowing that you’ve been targeted by a fraudster and gone down the path that they wanted you to.
- Loss of independence: Being scammed might make you feel like you should give up certain responsibilities or leave them to someone else to handle.
Home Instead are champions of scam prevention
For 10 years, Home Instead has been championing scam and fraud prevention. As a partner of UK Finance, we have developed a scam prevention initiative in collaboration with its campaign ‘Take Five’. This offers advice on how to prevent becoming victim to email, phone-based and online fraud. The message is ‘Stop, Challenge, Protect’ to encourage people to consider whether they’re being targeted by a fraudster if they come across anything suspicious.
Our initiative includes Care Professional training, delving into the intricate facets of fraud and scams. We teach Care Professionals the motivations of perpetrators and the vulnerabilities of victims. Unfortunately, many scams go unreported due to embarrassment. We highlight the importance of reporting instances of fraud. The training stands them in excellent stead to work with their elderly clients to make them more scam aware.
We’re proud to see many of our Care Professionals support their clients and preventing them from becoming victim to a scam or supporting them in reporting it. A scam isn’t just about having money stolen from you; it can be a real knock on somebody’s confidence. Our Care Professionals also support clients emotionally and help them deal with the distress of being targeted.
Home Instead Sutton Coldfield work with sheltered housing schemes and GP surgeries locally to deliver scam awareness talks to their residents or patients. We care for older people every day through our quality home care services enabling them to live independently at home, but also help protect them and our local community against scammers. We do this by aiming to raise awareness and inform people about fraud and outline preventative measures they can install in their daily lives.
Types of fraud and scams to look out for:
Fraud and scams are continuously developing, so it’s important to stay alert and vigilant. Some of these can include:
- Impersonation Scams – scammers pretend to be trusted figures, such as family members or officials, to steal personal information or money.
- Purchase Scams – fake online listings trick victims into paying for non-existent products.
- Investment Scams – fraudsters promote fake investment opportunities with promises of high returns.
- Romance Scams – scammers build online relationships and ask for money for emergencies.
- Doorstep Scams – fraudsters visit homes pretending to be tradespeople or charity workers.
- Courier Fraud – scammers claim to be from banks or police and ask for cash withdrawals, often sending a courier to collect it.
How Can You Protect Yourself from Fraud and Scams?
- Avoid Disclosing Security Details – never share personal information like passwords or bank details over the phone or online.
- Check Authenticity – be wary of unsolicited emails or messages; verify the sender’s identity before responding.
- Contact Organisations Directly – use official contact information to confirm any suspicious communications. If somebody rings you and you have doubts over whether they are who they say they are, call them back using the organisation’s official phone number.
- Challenge Unexpected Requests – trust your instincts; if something seems off, verify before acting.
- Report Scams – report any suspicious activity to local authorities or organisations like Action Fraud to help protect others. You can do so here: https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/
