What is Financial Abuse?

Financial Abuse is another name for stealing or defrauding someone of goods and/or property. It is always a crime but is not always prosecuted. Sometimes the issue is straightforward, for example a care worker stealing from an older person’s purse, but at other times it is more difficult to address. This is because very often the perpetrator can be someone’s son or daughter, or age prejudice means that other people assume it is not happening or that the older person is to blame. 

For further information see the Action on Elder Abuse website [external link].

Financial Abuse can also include elaborate and convincing telephone scams. A scam is a dishonest scheme used by criminals to trick people out of their money. Your personal details (such as name, address, passwords, account numbers and date of birth) are high on scammers’ wish lists, as they provide a route to your cash. Stealing personal details is known as ID fraud. With this information, it’s possible for fraudsters to take money from your bank, go on a spending spree with your cards, open new accounts in your name or even make false insurance claims.

Scammers are convincing liars who use every trick in the book to make their scams sound plausible. They are ruthless and don’t care who they hurt along the way. If a scammer gets lucky – targeting the right person, in the right way, at the right time – anyone could fall victim to a scam.

Scammers might be individuals, but often they are organised gangs who work full time thinking up new and inventive ways to con innocent people out of their cash. They might approach potential targets by phone, post, online or even by visiting them at home.

For more information about recognising telephone scams and what to do see Which? Scams aimed at older people

Contact the Police on 101 if you think that you may have been targeted by a scammer.  

Doorstep Crime- see Durham Constabulary website [external link] for advice and guidance on bogus callers, rogue traders and doorstep crime.