Scams and financial abuse
Scams and financial abuse can happen to anyone. They may take place online, over the phone, by post, at the doorstep, through social media, or through someone the person knows and trusts. For some adults with care and support needs, the impact can be particularly serious, especially where the person is isolated, dependent on others, under pressure, or unable to protect themselves from abuse, neglect or exploitation.
Financial abuse is a form of adult abuse. Under the Care Act 2014, financial abuse includes having money or property stolen, being defrauded, being put under pressure in relation to money or property, or having money or property misused. It can also include theft, fraud, internet scams, coercion about financial affairs, wills, property, inheritance or transactions, and misuse of possessions, property or benefits.
If you are worried that an adult with care and support needs is being financially abused, exploited or neglected, you should report this as an adult safeguarding concern.
If there is immediate danger
If someone is in immediate danger or a crime is happening now, call 999.
If a crime has been committed but it is not an emergency, contact the police on 101.
If you are worried that an adult with care and support needs in Warrington is being abused, exploited or neglected, contact Warrington Adult Social Care / One Front Door on 01925 443322. Outside office hours, call 01925 444400. Professionals should use the online adult safeguarding referral route.
Link: Report an adult safeguarding or care quality concern
What scams can look like
Scams can be very convincing. Criminals may use pressure, fear, friendship, romance, authority or urgency to persuade someone to share personal details, transfer money, buy goods or services, or allow access to their home or device.
Common examples include:
- Doorstep scams and rogue traders – someone calls at the door offering unnecessary, poor quality or overpriced work, or pretending to be from an official organisation.
- Telephone scams – someone calls pretending to be from a bank, police, government department, utility company, delivery company or other trusted organisation.
- Postal scams – letters claiming the person has won a prize, inherited money, or needs to send money to release funds.
- Online, email and text scams – messages that encourage someone to click a link, share personal information, pay a fee, or download something unsafe.
- Investment and pension scams – unexpected offers that promise high returns, low risk, or pressure the person to act quickly.
- Romance scams – someone builds an online relationship and then asks for money, gifts, financial help or personal information.
- Impersonation scams – criminals pretend to be family members, professionals, banks, police, HMRC, NHS, delivery companies or other trusted organisations.
- Power of attorney, deputyship or appointeeship concerns – where someone trusted to manage money or decisions may be misusing their role.
Warning signs
Be cautious if someone:
- contacts you unexpectedly
- asks for money, bank details, passwords, PINs or security codes
- pressures you to act quickly
- tells you to keep the contact secret
- asks you to transfer money to a “safe account”
- asks to access your phone, tablet, computer or online banking
- offers an investment or deal that sounds too good to be true
- refuses to provide written information or proper identification
- becomes angry, threatening, charming or persistent when challenged
- asks for payment by bank transfer, gift card, cryptocurrency or another unusual method.
A genuine organisation will not mind you taking time to check.
Stop, check and protect yourself
If something does not feel right:
- Stop – do not rush, click links, make payments or share personal information.
- Challenge – ask yourself whether it could be fake. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you.
- Protect – contact your bank, the police, adult safeguarding, or another trusted organisation if you are worried.
Take Five to Stop Fraud provides clear advice on how to stop, challenge and protect yourself from financial fraud.
Link: Take Five to Stop Fraud
If you receive a suspicious call about your bank or money, hang up and call 159 to be connected safely to your bank, where your bank is part of the scheme.
Link: Stop Scams UK – call 159
If you have lost money or shared financial details
If you think you have been scammed:
- Contact your bank immediately using the number on the back of your bank card, through your banking app, or by calling 159 if appropriate.
- Report fraud and cyber crime to Report Fraud online or by calling 0300 123 2040.
- Change passwords if you have shared account details or clicked a suspicious link.
- Keep evidence, including messages, letters, emails, phone numbers, bank details, receipts and screenshots.
- Seek support — being scammed can be distressing and support is available.
Report Fraud is the national reporting service for fraud and cyber crime in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Link: Report Fraud
Reporting suspicious emails, texts, websites and adverts
If you receive a suspicious email, forward it to report@phishing.gov.uk. The National Cyber Security Centre can investigate and take action against scam email addresses and websites.
If you receive a suspicious text message, forward it free of charge to 7726.
Do not click links, download attachments, reply to suspicious messages, or use contact details provided in the message. Instead, contact the organisation directly using a trusted number or website.
Links:
Investment, pension and financial services scams
Be especially cautious if an investment, pension or financial offer is unexpected, time-limited, secret, or promises high returns with little or no risk. Scammers may use professional-looking websites, documents and phone numbers.
Before making financial decisions, check whether a firm is authorised using the Financial Conduct Authority Firm Checker. The FCA warns that fraudsters can be convincing and may pretend to be authorised firms, so people should use the contact details on the FCA Firm Checker rather than details provided by the caller or website.
Links:
Doorstep scams and rogue traders
Doorstep scams can include rogue traders, bogus officials, fake charity collectors, made-up surveys or people using “hard luck” stories to get money or gain access to a home.
You can protect yourself by:
- not agreeing to work or purchases on the doorstep
- asking for identification and checking it independently
- not letting unexpected callers into your home
- using trusted traders where possible
- talking to family, friends, neighbours or a trusted professional before agreeing to work
- reporting suspicious traders or scam activity.
For consumer advice or to report concerns about unfair trading, rogue traders or scams, use Citizens Advice consumer advice routes. Citizens Advice passes relevant information to Trading Standards.
Warrington residents can also access local Trading Standards information and sign up to iCAN – Warrington Consumer Alert Network for updates about scams and rogue traders affecting Warrington and beyond.
Links:
Concerns about an attorney, deputy or guardian
Sometimes financial abuse may involve someone who has authority to manage another person’s money, property or decisions, such as an attorney under a Lasting Power of Attorney, a deputy appointed by the Court of Protection, or a guardian.
You can report concerns to the Office of the Public Guardian if you think an attorney, deputy or guardian is not acting in the person’s best interests, is using money or property in the wrong way, is abusing their position, or is not following the legal rules of their role.
Link: Report a concern about an attorney, deputy or guardian
If the person is also at risk of abuse or neglect, raise an adult safeguarding concern as well.
Support after a scam
Being scammed can have an emotional impact as well as a financial one. People may feel embarrassed, frightened or ashamed, but the responsibility lies with the criminal, not the victim.
Support is available from:
Victim Support provides independent, free and confidential advice to victims of crime and traumatic incidents in England and Wales.
Helping others stay safe
Scams can affect anyone. You can help by talking openly with family, friends, neighbours and people you support about common scams and how to report them.
Friends Against Scams is a National Trading Standards initiative that helps people learn about scams, spot the signs and support others. People who have been targeted by scam mail can also become Scam Marshals and help the National Trading Standards Scams Team gather evidence.
Links:
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Suggested page note: “This page provides general safeguarding and scam-awareness information. If someone is in immediate danger, call 999. If you are concerned that an adult with care and support needs is being abused, exploited or neglected, raise an adult safeguarding concern.”