Innovation to help older residents deal with fraud crisis
A Scams Bingo game in session. Picture: Age UK Wandsworth
April 7, 2023
In a bid to help local older people protect themselves against scamming, Age UK Wandsworth has teamed up with the Take Five to Stop Fraud campaign to host a free-to-play Scams Bingo game.
Research conducted for UK Finance - the banking and financial services trade association working with Take Five - the Stop Fraud campaign shows that although 87 per cent of over-65s say they are confident about spotting the signs of scamming, only 20 per cent have heard of all the five most prevalent types of authorised push payment (APP) fraud.
The survey also reveals that the average loss for a fraud victim in the UK is £1,381, a figure that is particularly detrimental to older people who are often on low incomes.
In response to this threat, Take Five’s Scams Bingo provides info about the most common types of fraud and scams.
The Scams Advisers at Age UK Wandsworth have already taken on the Bingo challenge, while local members and attendees report having enjoyed how the game transforms some traditional ‘Bingo lingo’ to help people guard against approaches from fraudsters.
The teams from Wandsworth Age UK particularly mention: Knock at the Door #4 Ignore suspicious requests for your personal and financial information; Unlucky for Some #13 Don’t let criminals get lucky with your money; and Up to Tricks #46 Criminals will use tactics to con you into making an ‘urgent’ payment.
Wandsworth Age UK says their clients have also benefitted from the following straight-forward and impartial advice from Take Five to Stop Fraud, which can particularly help people protect themselves from financial scamming.
STOP: Taking a moment to stop and think before parting with your money or information could keep you safe.
CHALLENGE: Could it be fake? It’s ok to reject, refuse or ignore any requests. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you.
PROTECT: Contact your bank immediately if you think you’ve fallen for a scam and report it to the police at Action Fraud https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/.
If you fancy a game of Scams Bingo, the free pack and ‘how to’ guide is available from Take Five to Stop Fraud.
Meanwhile, there is more help locally on the matter. Age UK Wandsworth is offering scams prevention advice in a service which is only available within the borough. If you’re not sure how to recognise a scam, or if you’ve already lost money and don’t know what to do about it, the Wandsworth branch offers 1:1 support for those who are concerned about fraud or have been a victim of a scam, as well as scam talks across the borough in sheltered housing and community groups.
Age UK Wandsworth says its Scams Prevention Programme “aims to help older people in Wandsworth feel more confident in identifying and reporting common scams. We also provide advice and support for those who have been affected by scams”.
For more information please contact Wandsworth’s scams adviser Debbie Foster by telephoning 020 8877 8940 or emailing debbie.foster@ageukwandsworth.org.uk.
Take Five said, “These crimes can have a devastating impact on victims. Advanced security systems and innovations in which the finance industry invests to protect customers stopped more than £1.8 billion of unauthorised fraud. But despite this, criminals successfully stole £1.2 billion through fraud and scams in 2019.
Take Five is a nationwide drive offering straight-forward and impartial advice to help everyone protect themselves from financial fraud. This includes email deception and phone-based scams as well as online fraud – particularly where criminals impersonate trusted organisations.
UK Finance is a trade organisation for the banking and finance industry which works on behalf of its members to promote a safe, transparent and innovative banking and finance industry.The organisation “seeks to ensure that the UK is the safest and most transparent financial centre in the world – thus creating a hostile environment for criminals by working with members, law enforcement, government agencies and industry”.
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