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Elderly parents

Mum been victim of a phone scam

56 replies

Marshmallow09er · 28/02/2019 17:36

For the second time. This time they have managed to take around £8k.

I worry they are targeting her, and her vulnerability to these kind of things.

Last time I went through so carefully for her to never give out any details over the phone but she's done it again.

She's 73 and seemingly cognitively ok, no memory issues, but increasingly it feels like her judgement is off somehow.

I'm not really sure how to stop it happening again.
We've blocked her account and the bank are sending new cards (again).

Is there anything more the bank could do?

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Marshmallow09er · 09/12/2019 17:57

(Hang on 3 x 2 doesn't equal 8. But it was definitely over 3 separate transactions to the same account)

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Yurtle · 09/12/2019 17:58

Ah this is a great update. I just read through the thread and was outraged when I saw that they said no. These scammers are just awful.

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CMOTDibbler · 09/12/2019 18:03

These scams are just awful. My dad is always getting these calls, and though he hasn't been caught yet (only once he bought vastly overpriced vitamins from a company who would then keep sending them apparently after they made it sound like they were from the hospital) but he gets really anxious that maybe they are the Inland Revenue, or that there really is a problem with his gas or whatever.

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Perrinelli81 · 09/12/2019 18:21

Ah it’s so awful and people feel really embarrassed about it which can stop them from telling people/getting help.
Good advice above and I agree you need to:
Report to the police
See if she’s willing to make Power of attorney
Support her to restructure her accounts so that savings are separate in an account she doesn’t have ready details for. If she agreed you could be joint signatory so any withdrawals from that one also need your permission.

I know it’s difficult and she won’t want to accept help with it perhaps but given that it’s the second time, changes need to be made I think.

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Perrinelli81 · 09/12/2019 18:22

They are so sophisticated now eg the ones where they phone you then tell you to hang up and phone 999 but it’s actually them still on the phone, then a fake ‘police’ person coming round to collect cash/jewellery etc.

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countrygirl99 · 14/12/2019 14:27

Some banks run Scam advisory sessions especially for elderly customers. It might be worth getting her along to one of those. They do seem popular with our customers.