War Waged on Conmen Who Target Elderly (UK)

War waged on conmen who target the elderly
Jun 11 2008
by Neil Atkinson
Huddersfield Daily Examiner

IT’S war on the conman!
A new Kirklees Council campaign is aimed at families, carers and friends of older people to advise them on how to stop them falling prey to cash scams.
A scam is a scheme to con someone out of their cash. They often take the form of bogus and fraudulent offers sent by post, phone or email.

Fake lottery and prize draw wins, foreign money offers, bogus psychic predictions, ‘get rich quick’ investments and miracle health cures are some of the tricks that fraudsters use to con victims out of money.

Clr Khizar Iqbal, who chairs the Kirklees Safer Stronger Communities Partnership, said: “We would urge anyone who cares for older people to look out for their welfare and safety by raising their awareness of scams and giving them the confidence to spot and say ‘no’ to them.”
The warning coincides with World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on Sunday, which is being supported by Kirklees Council and other agencies. The day aims to raise awareness of different forms of elder abuse and highlight appropriate action.
“The people who con them out of money are cunning and manipulative. But taking a few simple, practical steps can greatly reduce people’s chances of becoming a victim.”
For advice on financial scams contact Consumer Direct on 08454 040506 or go to http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk.

If you are worried about the emotional and physical welfare of an older person contact Kirklees Council Adult Services on 01484 223000 .

Safety tips for potential victims of cash abuse include:

• Never give bank details or personal information to people you don’t know.
• Never reply straight away to an offer. Speak to a relative, friend or carer before sending any money.
• Never trust anyone who says you’ve won the lottery or a big prize; they will want you to send a fee or order something and you will never see your promised winnings.
• Don’t ring a premium rate phone number to claim a prize unless you know how much the call will cost and what you will receive.
• Contact Royal Mail and ask to be put on the free Mail Preference Service to reduce unsolicited mail.
• Register with the phone preference service as well to stop unsolicited marketing phone calls.

Abridged
SOURCE: TheExaminerUK
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