‘Only the Tip of the Iceberg’: Scams and older people Phil Mawhinney 10 November 2015.
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‘Only the Tip of the Iceberg’: Scams and older people Phil Mawhinney 10 November 2015
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Transcript of ‘Only the Tip of the Iceberg’: Scams and older people Phil Mawhinney 10 November 2015.
‘Only the Tip of the Iceberg’:
Scams and older people
Phil Mawhinney
10 November 2015
Research, policy
•Report – ‘Only the Tip of the Iceberg’.
•I&A queries, real life cases.
•Workshops.
Our work on scams
1. What scams? Targeting older people
2. Older people’s circumstances
3. Impacts on people’s lives
4. ‘Flood defences’
5. Conclusions
1. What scams?
Pension and investment scams
• Pension freedoms – targeted re investment scams.
• x2 lost to scams April-Aug 2015 compared to same period 2014.
(Portus, 2015)
Doorstep scams
• 85% of victims were 65+
(NTS, 2014)
1. Older people as victims
Vishing
‘Older consumers were disproportionately represented in the complaints we reviewed….
Most were over 65 and many were over 75.’
(FOS, 2015)
Postal scams
‘The average age of victims is 74, showing that these criminals tend to prey on older – and often more vulnerable – members of society.’
(NTS, 2015)
1. What scams? Targeting older people
2. Older people’s circumstances
3. Impacts on people’s lives
4. ‘Flood defences’
5. Conclusions
2. Older people’s circumstances/risks
Living alone, lonely, bereaved>60% lived alone4 in 10 were lonely1 in 3 bereaved in past 2 years
Mental and cognitive health1 in 7 had a cognitive impairment
DiversityEnglish not as first language
Doorstep crime victims(National Trading Standards working group report, 2014)
Barbara
2. Growing risks?
1. Ageing population
• People 85+ to double in next 20 years
3. More older people online
•Risk among newly online with low confidence/skills.
2. Dementia
• 850,000 people – 1 million by 2025
4. Pensions reforms
•Since April 2015, access to cash pots
1. What scams? Targeting older people
2. Older people’s circumstances
3. Impacts on people’s lives
4. ‘Flood defences’
5. Conclusions
3. Financial impacts
• Any amount – relatively small – can have severe impacts.
3. Health and independence
Real example: raised by client of a local Age UK
Client’s neighbour lived alone and was the victim of a scam [doorstep] trader.
As a consequence, she wouldn’t open the door to anyone, leaving her to struggle to look after herself.
She had vascular dementia and needed help with washing, dressing, preparing food, etc.
She deteriorated to such a degree that another neighbour became concerned, and called an ambulance.
She spent 6 weeks in hospital and is now in a care home.’
1. What scams? Targeting older people
2. Older people’s circumstances
3. Impacts on people’s lives
4. ‘Flood defences’
5. Conclusions
4. ‘Flood defences’
Awareness raising
• Essential, we do it – but not sufficient
• Info not understood by people
• Not reaching the most isolated
• Scams are complex, hard to spot
4. ‘Flood defences’
Call blocking
•‘One of the technologies used during the trial blocked over 95% of the nuisance calls’
(Angus Council, 2013)
‘Cold Calling Control Zones’
• Residents support them.
• Increased neighbourly care and reporting.
Delayed payments
• Many people realise quickly they have been scammed:
‘You feel it in your gut – you feel uneasy within seconds.’
4. Financial institutions
• Can banks delay payment by hours? – chance to cancel.
• 20% of customers alerted bank within 2 hours of fraud.
• 75% of customers did so within 24 hours. (FOS, 2015)
1. What scams? Targeting older people
2. Older people’s circumstances
3. Impacts on people’s lives
4. ‘Flood defences’
5. Conclusions
5. Conclusions
1. Older people are at particular risk• Especially in vulnerable circumstances
3. Build flood defences• Don’t just raise awareness
4. Leadership and co-ordination• Scams task force
2. The problem will escalate• Ageing population, pension freedoms…
Thank you
Get in touch with questions or comments:
Phil Mawhinney
Policy Officer
Age UK
020 303 31391
