Campaign set up to stop elderly people in south Cumbria from falling victim to scams

Data from Action on Elder Abuse shows that 84 people over the age of 65 in the Barrow borough may be experiencing financial abuse.

It's feared a further 89 could be victims in Copeland and 169 more in South Lakeland.

READ MORE: Elderly residents in Barrow being targeted by new telephone scam

It comes after several high-profile cases of elderly people being targeted in scams and frauds in recent months.

In May, criminals fraudulently took more than £30,000 from elderly residents in south Cumbria by posing as officers from New Scotland Yard in a telephone scam and deceiving them into transferring money.

In November, residents on Walney received letters claiming to be from the Health Lottery UK and referring them to the Board of Internal Revenue UK - a body which does not exist.

Peter McCall. Cumbria's police and crime commissioner Peter McCall is backing the charity's campaign to help protect older people from financial abuse.

He said: "Elder abuse is a big problem and one that often goes unreported so I'm very pleased that Action on Elder Abuse is raising awareness of the issue and what the public can do to combat it.

"I urge anyone who is either being abused themselves or suspects a loved one may be at risk to be vigilant and report it to the police."

READ MORE: Barrow pensioner, 86, targeted by fake cops tells of her terror

Typical financial crimes targeted against older people include forgery or embezzlement, the misuse of proxy decision making powers, bogus tradespeople, and phone and online scams.

Breakdown of figures

AREA

ALL OVER 65

NUMBER LIKELY TO BE EXPERIENCING FINANCIAL ABUSE

Cumbria

115,218

691

Allerdale

22,488

134

Barrow-in-Furness

14,131

84

Carlisle

22,187

133

Copeland

14,879

89

Eden

13,208

79

South Lakeland

28,325

169

Advice for eldery people

The campaign is urging older people to keep themselves safe by:

- Checking bank statements regularly and tracking receipts;

- Reducing how much money can be taken from an account at any one time;

- Having a copy of bank statements sent to someone trustworthy to check;

- Limiting the use of 'chip and pin' to control money;

- Keeping important documents and valuables out of sight;

- Never letting anyone into your home unless they can confirm their identity or they have made an appointment;

- Only booking work on a house through 'trusted trader' schemes'

- Treat anyone asking for your financial details unsolicited with suspicion and note that banks will never ask you for your account number or pin details.

Advice for friends and family

In instances where an older person is not in a position to protect themselves from financial abuse, for example due to late stage dementia, the charity advises families and loved ones stay vigilant to spot abuse may be taking place.

Signs of financial abuse include:

- Signatures on official documents that do not resemble the older person's own;

- Changes in banking habits (eg large sums of money being withdrawn);

- The inclusion of additional names on bank accounts;

- Abrupt changes to, or the sudden establishment of, wills

- Sudden and unexplained transfers of assets to a family member or someone outside the family;

- The unexplained disappearance of funds or possessions;

- The deliberate isolation of an older person from friends and family, resulting in a carer having total control;

- The sudden introduction of a Power of Attorney document that places control with an unknown third party.

Gary FitzGerald, Action on Elder Abuse chief executive, said: "Unfortunately, older people are particularly vulnerable to financial abuse and there are far too many people who seek to exploit them.

"Financial abuse can take many forms – it's everything from carers or family pilfering money to phone scams and having Power of Attorney misappropriated.

"Very often, the perpetrator is someone close to the older person, such as a relative or carer.

"So we want to equip older people to protect themselves where appropriate and for those who love them to spot the signs that their older friend or relative may be being abused.

"Talking about things such as internet safety and ‘stranger danger’ is something we do routinely with our children. It's about time we took the issue of abuse of older people just as seriously."

Action on Elder Abuse operates a confidential helpline (080 8808 8141) offering advice and support on all aspects of elder abuse.