To think more should be done about these scam callers.

[CoffeeAndBiscuitsPlease]

I took years trying to get my 70 yr old dad to use the internet, he really enjoyed it once he got into it and had just asked me to set up his internet banking.

A couple of weeks later he gets a call from "windows technical support" who managed to convince him to let them access to his computer, convincing him they had monitored viruses and whatnot to his system. By the time he had realised it wasn't what it seemed they had accessed his computer. Luckily he has nothing important on there, but he umplugged the internet and refuses to use it again.

He is a widower and barely goes out, and the internet was helping him with his hobbies at home that including building, inventing, modelling...etc. And now he won't touch it, he feels like an idiot and says that's why he won't use the internet because it's nothing but trouble.

He's stubborn, and now he's missed out on something that should have been fun all because of these pathetic foreign call centres scamming him.

I get these calls everyday all from the microsoft support team. It really makes me angry, obviously we can't trace the calls. But nothing seems to be done about anything like this :(

I agree and it's one of the reasons I'm glad my DM of 86 doesn't use the Internet. It is bad enough having to tell her never to give out bank card details over the phone and fending off double glazing salesmen at the door. At least I'm pretty sure she can't switch the laptop on!

I don't think fraudsters should be a reason why we should be glad older people don't use anything.

For the short time my dad used the internet he found it so useful, called me to tell me what he had found, how it was helping with his hobbies...etc and then that one incident put him off.

It's not regulated, or controlled. In america you can report telephone fraud the same as the dodgy emails you get, but not over here it would seem.

I'm surprised how they conned him, because he is a "trust no one" kinda guy. He won't even use a debit card for pay for things, in case someone steals his details, always uses cash, and if anyone comes to the front door and it isn't family he tells them to piss off and not waste his time lol.

EVERY time you get a scam call contact Action Fraud www.actionfraud.police.uk/ they are also on twitter and facebook, and all the "how to report scams" google search results will point you to them - if you don't report it they don't get the full picture -

people complain something should be done - then don't say what THEY have done to help get it dealt with...

Excuse me shirty. But I report everything. To the authorities and to my phone provider. (and every phishing email I get)

Most of the time I'm told there's nothing much that can be done. Their words not mine.

These people usually call from withheld numbers - he can make it so his phone won't accept such a call without a PIN which only callers he approves would have. Do you think that might help him?

They are doing something, but in reality there is very little that can be done to stop scams. These people are criminals. They are clever. They will set up in places and then move on quickly. More often than not they are abroad. Action fraud do deal with this as much as they can but it is the internet, it is very difficult to police, you cannot stop criminals phoning people. You stop one and there are hundreds more. All you can do is keep reporting to action fraud. Awareness is the key, so that people don't get scammed.

I don't know what's else can be done. It's like saying stop burglars or shop lifters. You can o ly do so much.

YANBU it's shit but there is little they can do or will do. Have you registered him on TPS to try and stop the calls? Can you get him call screening? That way if the number is in his phone book it registers, he sees and answers and if not goes to voicemail? Genuine people will leave a voicemail so your dad can get back to them and you can help him screen further?

can you convince him that you have downloaded some software that keeps things confidential, buy some even? show him the secure sites so he feels ok about accessing information but maybe take off any personal stuff like banking? shame if he is missing out.