Whilst the world of the Internet offers great opportunities for young and old alike, it also presents many risks. Last week we looked at keeping younger people safe online but older persons are equally, if not more, susceptible to Fraud. A recent crime survey stated that more than a fifth of respondents aged 65 years and over had been a victim of fraud last year.

Older victims of fraud may also become more secretive about what has happened because of the feelings of shame and guilt they have through falling to the fraudsters.

So why not sit down and have a chat with older family members, friends or neighbours about staying safe online, on the phone and even on the doorstep? Talk to them about the different types of Fraud to watch out for and how they can protect themselves.

TYPES OF FRAUD

As technology becomes more sophisticated, so do the techniques used by criminals. They now use a wide variety of methods to trick people, the most frequent are listed below:

IMPERSONATION FRAUD
Criminals are experts at impersonating trusted organisations, including banks, the police, and government departments such as HMRC and DVLC, to convince you to make a payment or share your personal and financial detail.

INVESTMENT FRAUD
There are numerous paid adverts or comparison sites claiming to be legitimate firms offering guaranteed returns with minimal risk. You may be asked to complete a “Contact Form” with your personal details for a Call-Back.
The use of genuine company logos, celebrity endorsements and testimonials may often be fake.

PURCHASE FRAUD
It can be easy to fall for a purchase scam. Criminals advertise goods/services at “too good to be true” prices often via social media or auction sites to trick people into purchasing something that does not exist. They often use images taken from genuine sellers to convince you they are the real deal. They may also ask for payment prior to delivery and send fake receipts and invoices that seem to be from the payment provider.
Where possible pay by Credit Card which offers you a level of protection in reclaiming payments if things go wrong.

ROMANCE FRAUD
The ease of online dating services often means you can find the love of your life in the comfort of your own home. However, this also provides criminals with an opportunity to gain your trust and build a relationship with you by using information and fake identities found on social media – also known as catfishing. Criminals will claim to declare strong feelings for you just after a few conversations before pretending to need money for a personal emergency, or flights to visit you.

COURIER FRAUD
If you’re contacted by someone purporting to be from your bank or the police, take a moment to question their authenticity. If the caller is from the bank, they may claim that their system has spotted a fraudulent payment on your card or that it is due to expire and needs to be replaced.
They may even confirm personal details about you, such as your full name and address and offer you peace of mind by having someone such as a courier collect your card to save you from having to go to your bank or local police station. You may even be asked to write down your PIN and place it in a separate envelope to that of your card.

Banks will never ask you for personal details over the phone.

DOORSTEP FRAUD
Doorstep criminals can come in all sorts of disguises, from dodgy salesmen to unscrupulous tradespeople and, can be very convincing. They may claim to have noticed something about your property that needs work or improvement, such as the roof, and offer to fix it for an inflated price with payment required upfront. Some criminals may even convince you to visit your bank branch to withdraw money whilst they set up their equipment.
Always request a written quotation on headed notepaper and never make upfront payments.

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF AGAINST FRAUD

If you receive a request to provide personal or financial information whether that’s over the phone, in an email, online or through social media always remember:

• Criminals are experts at impersonating people, organisations and the police. They spend hours researching you for their fraudulent schemes, hoping you’ll let your guard down for just a moment.
• Stop and think - It could protect you and your money.
• If you are unsure, then talk to a trusted relative or friend
• Avoid making payments by Bitcoins or Gift Cards if asked

Please feel free to share these messages with any vulnerable friends, relatives or neighbours
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If you’ve fallen for fraud

Report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or via actionfraud.police.uk

Fake Text messages can be forwarded to 7726 to help phone providers take early action and block numbers that generate spam on their networks. You can also report fraudulent mobile calls by texting 7726 with the word “Call” followed by the fraudster’s phone number.

Forward Fake Emails received to report@phishing.gov.uk

If you think your bank account or personal banking details have been used fraudulently, then use the short phone number - 159 - to contact the Fraud Prevention Department of most major UK banks.

Message Sent By
Michael Barbour
(Police, PSV, Economic Crime Unit – Fraud Protect’)

People looking to snap up online holiday deals ahead of the summer are being warned to stay extra alert and do their research before booking their getaways, as new data reveals victims lost a total of over £11 million to holiday fraud last year.

Action Fraud, the national fraud and cybercrime reporting service, has launched a holiday fraud campaign, urging the public who are looking to snap up their next holiday deals online to look out for suspiciously enticing offers online, including on social media, and do their research before booking their getaways.

New data shows there were 6,066 reports of holiday fraud made to Action Fraud last year, with July recorded as the highest month of reporting with 647 reports.

Holiday makers lost a combined total of £11,183,957 in 2024, which is comparatively less than the £12.3 million lost in 2023. Despite, the drop in reported loss, the average loss per victim remains at similar levels, with £1,851 the average in 2023 and £1,844 in 2024.

What can you do to protect yourself from holiday fraud?

Check the travel company is legitimate: about to book a holiday? Do some research first to check that the company is legitimate, especially if you haven’t used them before. Use consumer websites, or reviews from people (or organisations) that you trust.
Look for the logos: look for the ABTA, ABTOT or ATOL logos on the company’s website. If you’re unsure, you can use the links below to verify membership:
ABTA - https://www.abta.com
ABTOT - https://www.abtot.com/abtot-members-directory/
ATOL - https://www.atol.org
Use a credit card to pay: use a credit card for payments (if you have one). Many of these protect online purchases as part of the Consumer Credit Act.
Only provide required details at checkout: when making your payment, only fill in the mandatory details (often marked with an asterisk) such as your address. Unless you think you’ll become a regular customer, don't create an account for the store.
Keep your accounts secure: create a strong and unique password for your email. If 2-step verification is available, always enable it.
Watch out for suspicious links: whether it’s in an email or social media post, be wary of promotions for unbelievably good holiday offers. If you receive a suspicious email, report it by forwarding it to: report@phishing.gov.uk
Find out how to protect yourself from fraud: https://stopthinkfraud.campaign.gov.uk

If you’ve lost money or provided your financial information to someone, notify your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040. In Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101.