Safeguarding adults at risk from scams
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Safeguarding Adults at Risk from Scams Conference Hosted by Dr Priscilla Harries and Mr Brian Smith Monday June 16 th Newton Road, Hamilton Suite, Brunel University London
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This was an event held at Brunel University Monday June 16th 2014 Conference Organisers Dr Priscilla Harries, Director of Occupational Therapy Brunel Institute for Ageing Studies Mr Brian Smith Joint Lead Officer Crime and Disorder, Trading Standards Institute The event was for professionals or organisations who work with adults at risk or are in a position to detect and prevent scams as well as researchers who are interested in research on financial abuse/ fraud and prevention of scams. We plan to make this an annual event The speakers were Ms Marilyn Baldwin OBE – Think Jessica Mr Nick Ellender, Former Chair of the London Safeguarding Adults Network - ‘Safeguarding from the Local Authority perspective’ Dr Cassandra Cross -Key note ‘Beyond money and borders: Seniors’ experiences of online fraud’ Chief Inspector Ronnie Megaughin and Mr Graham Vance, Financial Business Security Adviser at Scottish Business Resilience Centre – ‘Banks Detecting and Reporting Financial Harm’ DC Suzanne Grimmer, A/DS Hannah Nunn, A/D Jim Egley, Operation Amberhill Specialist Organised & Economic Crime Command – ‘Courier Fraud, Suspicious Activity Reports and the Little Book of Big Scams’ Brian Smith, Trading Standards - “At risk “ consumers being targeted by scammers; the Trading Standards response. Lou Baxter, National Scam Team – The role of the National Trading Standards Scams Team Maria Gray and Sam Falkner – Capability and Support Central Safeguarding Team - An Adult Protection Framework Dr Priscilla Harries, Brunel University – Evidence based training tools
Transcript of Safeguarding adults at risk from scams
Safeguarding Adults at Risk from Scams Conference
Hosted by Dr Priscilla Harries and Mr Brian SmithMonday June 16th Newton Road, Hamilton Suite, Brunel
University London
Hosts
Dr Priscilla HarriesDivisional Director for
Occupational Therapy, Brunel University
Mr Brian SmithLead Officer for Crime and
Disorder Trading Standards [email protected]
Welcome
Professor Mary GilhoolyExecutive Director
Brunel Institute of Ageing
The Need for Safeguarding
Chair Suzanne Kuyser Service director
(communications and policy) Trading Standards Institute
Ms Marilyn Baldwin OBE Think Jessica
Safeguarding from the Local Authority perspective
Mr Nick Ellender, Former Chair of the London Safeguarding Adults Network
SAFEGUARDING ADULTS AT RISK – A LOCAL AUTHORITY’S
PERSPECTIVE
NICK ELLENDER
“No Secrets – Guidance on the developing and implementing multi-agency policies and procedures to
protect vulnerable adults at risk” – Department of Health 2000.
• “To create a framework for action within which all responsible agencies work together to ensure a coherent policy for the protection of vulnerable adults at risk of abuse and a consistent and effective response to any circumstances giving grounds for concern”
• Primary aim is to prevent abuse where possible
• Robust procedures are in place for dealing with abuse.
“No Secrets” – defining who is at risk and in what way
“A vulnerable adult is a person who is or may be in need of community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness; and who is or may be unable to take care of him or herself, or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation.”
Abuse is a violation of an individual’s human and civil rights by another person or persons
“No Secrets” – Categories of abuse.
• Physical• Sexual• Psychological• Financial or material• Neglect and acts of omission• Discriminatory• Institutional
“No Secrets” - setting up an inter-agency framework
• Establishing a multi-agency management committee.
• Identifying roles, responsibilities and accountability of relevant agencies
• Developing strategy and plans re safeguarding adults.
• Establishing procedures, protocols and guidance.
• Monitoring and reviewing mechanisms.
Care Act 2014 – Safeguarding Adults at Risk changes for Local Authorities.
Definition of an adult at risk
• “Has needs for care and support (whether or not the Local Authority is meeting any of those needs). Is experiencing, or is at risk of abuse or neglect
and• As a result of those needs is unable to protect himself or herself
against abuse or neglect or the risk of it.”
Care Act 2014 – Changes (continued).
• The L.A. must make, or cause to make, whatever enquiries it think necessary to decide whether any action needs to be taken
• Safeguarding Adults’ Boards (SABs) – role and functions defined in law
• SAB review of cases - formerly known as “SCRs” . New criteria set.
• Duty to co-operate and sharing of information.
• Abolition of Section 47 of National Assistance Act 1948
• Protection of property of adults cared for away from home
“SAR” 2012 – 13 (Health and Social Care Information Centre Feb 2014)
SAR Alerts / Referrals 2012 - 13
• Alerts = First contact with a Local Authority by a person with a concern about alleged abuse.
• 176,000 Alerts (132 Councils). Increase of 20% (27,000) on those LAs who reported alerts in 2011 – 12.
• Referrals = Meet the threshold for progressing under SA procedures
• 109,000 Referrals (152 Councils) Increase of 2% although 43% of Councils reported a decrease in referrals.
• Highest regions for referrals - North West / West Midlands / London Lowest regions for referrals – Yorkshire and Humber / South West / South East
Nature of Alleged Abuse 2012 – 13.
• Physical – 28% (38,340)• Sexual – 5% (6,750)• Emotional / Psychological – 16% (21,560)• Financial – 18% (24,330)• Neglect – 27% (37,110)• Discriminatory – 1% (1,010)• Institutional – 4% - (5,990)
Age Breakdown on Financial Abuse 2012-13
• 18 – 64 years = 38%
• 65 – 74 years = 15%
• 75 – 84 years = 23%
• 85 years over = 25%
Safeguarding Adults at Risk – case examples
• Mr A – The lure of gold, romance with a “femme fatale” and exotic locations. All at the click of a mouse.
• Mrs B – You need to pay me for your care, in cash, and I’ll take you to the ATM.
Safeguarding Adults - Problems of dealing with Scams and Fraud.
• Data protection issues and information sharing.• Reluctance of victim to co-operate or lack of mental capacity to co-operate.• “Fixed ideation” of victim• Mental capacity and fluctuating mental capacity.• Inability to recognise circumstances of fraud and sophistication of the fraud.• Time needed to effectively investigate and build a case.• Overlapping responsibilities.• Time delays in taking measures to protect the victim.• Fragmented social care market and ineffective staff vetting procedures.• Multiple suspects or unreachable suspects.
Q and A
Tea & coffee break
11.00 – 11.20
A trans-jurisdictional issue
ChairDr Priscilla Harries, Brunel University
Beyond money and borders: Seniors’ experiences of online fraud – slides withheld from slides sharing
due to research contract conditions
Dr Cassandra CrossLecturer in Law
School of Justice, Queensland University of Technology
Adults at risk of financial harm slides withheld from slide sharing due to sensitive and
developmental nature of activity.
Ronnie Megaughin Chief Inspector, Police Scotland
Graham VanceFinancial Resilience Manager, Scottish Business Resilience
Centre
Q and A
Lunch
12.40 - 13.30
Opening of afternoon sessionEducation, Empowerment and Enforcement
Professor Geoff Rodgers Pro Vice Chancellor for Research
Brunel University
‘Courier Fraud, Suspicious Activity Reports and the Little
Book of Big Scams’
DC Suzanne Grimmer , A/DS Hannah Nunn, A/D Jim Egley, Operation Amberhill Specialist Organised &
Economic Crime Command
Operation Sterling
Sue Grimmer / Hannah Nunn &
Jim EgleyMetropolitan Police
ServiceSpecialist Organised &
Economic Crime Command SC&07
Date Arial 14ptTOTAL POLICING
Operation STERLING: Fraud Prevention
The Threat:
Fraud - £52 bn annual loss to UK Economy.• Fraud Individual loss - £9.1 bn – 1% entire
population's income. • Mass marketing fraud - £3.5 bn.• Online Ticket Fraud - £1.5bn
The St£rling Process: To prevent fraud by identifying emerging
threats/raise awareness/disrupt fraud enablers. • Partnership working with both private and public sector.• Create and develop forums to share fraud intelligence and best practice. • By debriefing/researching the fraud its enablers are identified.• Disrupt the enablers by raising awareness/requesting changes in
private/public sector processes – increasing due diligence.• Website take downs.• Presentations to businesses and vulnerable communities.
TOTAL POLICING
Results• Created and nationally distributed "The Little Book of Big Scams".• Developing similar booklet for small and medium businesses.• Courier fraud - 76% of offences now unsuccessful – arrests increased by
86% and 80% telephone network cut "call party held" enabler.• Mass market fraud – Seizure of 7.5 Tonnes of scam mail – (saving victims
£8 million).• Sarah Neale Network - Victim care and prevention tasking re 3500 victims
of online retail fraud. • Prevention intervention to the Vulnerable. Tasked via the SARS regime –
prevented one elderly man transferring £60,000 via western union re romance scam.
TOTAL POLICING
SAR Glossary of Terms – October 2013
Vulnerable Persons ~ XXV2XX
Suspicion that a person aged 18 or
over is susceptible to significant harm
or exploitation including from financial
crime
Key facts re courier fraud
Since January 2011
there have been approx 4000
Reports within MPS.
Average Age of victim – 70 years
Average loss £4000
TOTAL POLICING
Courier FraudWhat is a Courier Fraud?
Victim receives call from thefraudster who claims to be working for a Bank/Police/other authority.
They state there has been criminal usage on the card/or faulty.
They will be persuasive andplausible but ultimately want thevictim to give them their cardand PIN or ask them to withdraw cash from their Bank.
Keeping the Phone line OpenThey may ask the victim to ring
their bank or police (999/101) to confirm the fraud.
They keep the phone line open and the victim assumes they are talking to their bank/police.
They may ask the victim to key in their pin number, which is captured by the fraudster.
TOTAL POLICING
Obtaining the card The fraudster arranges for a
courier / taxi driver to collect
the card/cash/valuables.
The card and pin is then used
to empty the victims bank
Account.
TOTAL POLICING
Method Used There are numerous claims made by
fraudsters – Bank/Police are the main ones.
They ask for the card along with your PIN. They may ask the victim to cut the card but avoiding the CHIP.
They will ask for the card to be put into an envelope.
Banks They may also ask the victim to
assist by withdrawing money claiming they are investigating bank staff or it is counterfeit.
Victims are told to have a cover story ready if challenged by the bank staff emphasising the secrecy.
Courier collects the cash from the victim's home or collects from the bank itself.
Rolex Watches
Sometimes the suspects will ask the victim to buy a Rolex Watch
Similar to the previous scenario the fraudster will claim that they are conducting an investigation into a jewellers shop and they need the assistance of the victim to arrest the suspects.
TOTAL POLICING
www.met.police.uk/fraudalert
Any Questions ?
Chair - Professor Mary Gilhooly
14.15 -15.30
Brian K Smith
Lead Officer for Crime and Disorder
Trading Standards Institute
[email protected] 435623
“ At risk” Consumers being targeted by
Scammers- The Trading Standards
Response
Brunel University16th June 2014
Features of the Scam problem
• Demography• Health• Recognition of issues • Massive under reporting• Policy Implications • Ethics
Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading
Regulations 2008
Defines a vulnerable consumer by virtue of Age Infirmity – physical or mental Credulity
Financial Crime against Adults Report - December 2011
National Fraud Intelligence Bureau and City of London Police
“the victims of financial crime can suffer as much as those who are victims of violent crime”
Variety of Impact of Financial harm
Individual
Family
Business
Community
State
The Cold Facts
Safeguarding-Individual financial harm is not just
monetary loss it can result in :
Emotional distress resulting in psychological damage Increased fear and stress because of victimisation Often repeatedly victimisation Alienation from family and increased social isolation Physical illness is worsened as result of the psychological
upset Death including suicide
TYPICAL DOORSTEP VICTIM PROFILE
• ELDERLY , average age of victim 83• FEMALE , more older women than men• VULNERABLE ,often exacerbated by memory
problems and visual , physically difficulties.• ALONE , many single person households• AT HOME in the afternoon
2013
Trading Standards Aims• Prevention of harm• Empowerment of consumers• Stopping any on going abuse (Intervention)• Protecting assets and preventing any future
opportunities for abuse• Getting reparation for the victim• Disrupting criminal activity • Prosecuting any criminal activity
Multi agency response
• Doorstoppers - Police, Neighbourhood Watch, Operation Liberal • Think Jessica – SOCA, TSI, Social Services,
Citizens Advice Scotland• Call blocking – Police , social work ,Business• Protecting Vulnerable Adults from Financial
harm – SBRC and Police in Scotland • Banking Protocol – Financial sector
National Scam Awareness Month May 2014
– the risk of Unsolicited Contacts- especially first contact Four routes for rogues :• In Person - Doorstoppers – doorstep crime• Scam Mail -Think Jessica – Mass Mail Marketing
Scams• Electronic Scams – Phishing on line security• Scam Telephone calls - call blocking
The scale of the detriment caused by Scams
• NFA 2011/12 estimate £ 9 + billion fraud against the individual in UK • Often Scams, disproportionate
impact on Older or vulnerable Adults
• 3 Million Scam victims p.a.
Nowhere is immune -The scale of scam Detriment
Metropolis - City of London Trading Standards 4 Contacts per day from consumers who have lost their life savings.
Rural Angus the safest Local Authority in mainland Scottish Angus 2% Scottish populationLast 18 months 1 x £160k 1 x 110K
1 x £95K 2 x £40K+
200 contacts from other victims or concerned relatives
SAM14 - one consumer saved from a 200K loss
Snap shot -Trading StandardsTS TODAY May 2014
• Doorstoppers - North Yorkshire, Cambridgeshire, Surrey, Sandwell, Angus, Lanarkshire …..
• Think Jessica TSI, Angus ……• Call blocking Croydon, Angus, E Renfrewshire, E
Dunbartonshire….• Scam awareness workshops – Norfolk, Suffolk, Lincolnshire,
Angus ……• Accommodation Addresses- clamp down by City of London• Scambusters Investigations - East Anglia South West • Royal Mail pilot – Fife….• National Intelligence Hub- Norfolk …..• National Scam Hub - East Sussex……
What next ?
• Everyone here to day remember what you have heard
• Raise awareness – colleagues, clients, other professionals and decision makers
• Aim to tackle scams , identify and protect the victims and the vulnerable
• Work with the new contacts you have made today
• Work towards SAM15 with TSI and CAB
Rise to Gandhi’s Challenge
“BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE”
Brian K Smith
Lead Officer for Crime and Disorder
Trading Standards Institute
[email protected] 435623
Louise BaxterNational Trading Standards Scams Team Manager
The National Scams Team (NST) is a project funded by the National Trading Standards Board (NTSB) and hosted by East Sussex
Trading Standards Service.
Mass Marketing Fraud is NOW a National Priority
The Aims of the NST are
To IDENTIFY victims of Fraud
To PREVENT victims from further victimisation
To DISRUPT criminal activity
To EDUCATE local authorities/agencies on how to work with scam
victims
Referral mechanismIn a nutshell
125 40 16 150,000
14,000 5 100 410
Achieving greater impact with less resource - What have we achieved?
Achieving balance – securing and enhancing safer and healthier local communities
Delivering tangible outcomes
Victims39%
Not Victims36%
Unknown25%
Victim Feedback
Detriment - £4.3 Million (£3363.92 per head – based on 1265 confirmed scam victims)
Savings - £1.3 Million (£1060.23 per head – based on 1265 confirmed scam victims)
78% of consumers had their awareness raised
21% reported a reduction in mail
26% reported a reduction in spending
Delivering tangible outcomes
Next Steps
Mrs A
Trading Standards Quotes
“Almost a third of those sending money in response to scams had lost over £1000”
“Examples were uncovered where victims had sent £250,000 and £300,000”
“One lady had sent off over £20,000 in a short space of time, I have now managed to stop this happening again”
“Two of my victims were also victims of other crimes”
Capability and Support Central Safeguarding Team - An Adult
Protection Framework
Maria Gray and Sam Falkner
TOTAL POLICINGTOTAL POLICING
Vulnerability Assessment Framework
The MPS definition of Vulnerability
Vulnerability may result from an environmental or individual’s
circumstance or behaviour indicating there may be a risk to that person
or another.
Those who come to notice of the police as vulnerable will require an
appropriate protective safeguarding response.
Additional factors to vulnerability may include mental health,
Disability, Age or illness and should include appropriate multi agency
intervention especially in cases of repeat victimisation
Date Arial 14ptTOTAL POLICINGTOTAL POLICING
Vulnerability Assessment Framework
Date Arial 14ptTOTAL POLICINGTOTAL POLICING
• Simple tool to identify vulnerability in all that police have contact with – victim/suspect/witness
• Simple process to act on the identification of vulnerability
• Enabling accurate recording of police engagement and action taken.
• Adult Coming to Notice Merlin (ACN) – April 2013
• Referral to the appropriate agency to deal with the vulnerability
• Developed with UCLAN so has academic rigour
• Supports the integration of adults into the MASH
• Identifies patterns and trends enabling early intervention
E
D C
B
A
ABC of Mental Health
• Appearance and atmosphere: what you see first including physical
problems such as bleeding.
• Behaviour: what individuals in distress are doing, and if this is in keeping with
the situation.
• Communication: what individuals in distress say and how they say it.
• Danger: whether individuals in distress are in danger and whether their
actions put other people in danger.
• Environment: where they are situated, and whether anyone else is there
•Police Officers are expected to be a Jack of all trades
•Police Officers are not medical professionals yet too often are
expected to make a diagnosis and are criticised when they get it
wrong.
•UCLAN developed the ABCDE tool and the MPS have furthered
this to use as a tool to identify all vulnerability.
•When vulnerability identified Officers follow the VAF process. As a
minimum requirement officers submit a Merlin Adult Coming to
Notice (ACN) and if required take immediate action to safeguard the
individual.
Date Arial 14ptTOTAL POLICINGTOTAL POLICING
Vulnerability Assessment Framework
Subsequent research and developmentUCLAN are carrying out further research within MPS officers to refine
the process and ensure the tool remains fit for purpose.
Evidence based training tools
Dr Priscilla Harries, Brunel University
Q and A
15.30 – 16.00
Thank you for coming
Drinks Reception
16.00
