Don’t fall for the scam merchants
09/04/2009
The Office of Fair Trading estimates that over three million people fall victim to scams, losing around £3.5 billion every year. Anyone can be taken in but older people are the most likely to be targeted.
New research by Intune reveals a third of people aged 60 plus have been the victim of a scam in the last year. On top of this, our research shows a quarter of older people have been the victim of a more direct crime in the same period. Crimes range from suffering a theft from their home or garden, car crime, credit card fraud or having property stolen when in a public place or on holiday.
Scams can range from letters predicting the future and pyramid selling to miracle health cures and investment opportunities. Every day someone is told they have won something in a prize draw, lottery or sweepstake that they haven’t even entered and are asked to pay a fee or tax to release the prize or to call a premium rate telephone number.
In today’s economic climate, many people will be tempted by working from home opportunities offering enormous potential earnings. Many require money upfront or don’t pay for any work done. Internet based scams are also on the rise.
There won’t be many who haven’t received an email offering huge sums of money in return for help in getting funds out of a foreign country. Other common cons include online dating involving a dream partner from overseas who eventually asks for money to help them come to the UK, or fake emails claiming to be from your bank or another organisation, attempting to acquire your identity and personal details.
The good news is the number of domestic burglaries has fallen over the last couple of years. Most robberies, burglaries and car crimes are undertaken on the spur of the moment by opportunist thieves taking advantage of open windows, unlocked doors or valuables left on display. Households with no security measures in place are ten times more likely to be burgled than those with simple precautions such as strong window and door locks or burglar alarms. If you know your security is weak, so will a thief.
Common sense steps can make a real difference. Basics such as shutting windows or locking car doors, even when you are only gone for a minute, can be all that it takes to prevent a crime.
Crafty fraudsters and thieves will use various techniques to trick people into parting with their money or property. Thankfully if you know what to look for you can avoid them, so we have compiled some top tips:
Scams
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Avoid any scheme that offers money based solely on signing up new members.
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Don’t dial any number unless you are absolutely sure how much you will be charged.
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If you win something you shouldn’t have to pay anything to receive your prize, not even the cost of a telephone call.
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If you haven’t entered a competition or lottery, then there’s a good chance you haven’t won anything and it’s a trick.
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Never give your bank details to anyone you don’t know.
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Be very sceptical if you are asked for money in advance for any home working opportunity.
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Never send money to someone you don’t know or have only corresponded with online, however plausible they sound.
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Get independent financial advice before making any investment, particularly if it sounds too good to be true.
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Check your credit card or bank statement as soon as you get them and investigate any purchases you don’t remember.
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Check if your home insurance covers identity fraud protection as standard.
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If you get any emails or pop-up messages that ask for personal or financial information, do not reply. Legitimate companies do not ask for this type of information.
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Don’t buy from doorstep traders. And never be persuaded to make a snap decision on the basis that they are only in the area for a limited period or it is a special offer that is about to end.
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Never pay for materials or work in advance and don’t pay cash.
Help the Aged has produced a leaflet on Avoiding Scams which can be downloaded from the first link below.
The Home Office has produced a Keep It Safe, Keep It Hidden, Keep It Locked guide to keeping your property safe which is available from the second link.