How to protect elderly relatives from postal scams
According to Age UK, almost half of all people in the UK have been targeted by a scam. Scams can be a particular problem for vulnerable people such as the elderly.
Scammers commonly contact people by post. They often use sophisticated techniques and it can be very difficult to spot the difference between scams, unsolicited mail and legitimate offers from genuine companies.
Age UK offers some excellent advice about how to protect against postal scams. Their advice includes:
- If you receive something you think could be a scam, do not respond as this likely to create more letters
- Putting a ‘no junk mail’ notice on your door
- Contacting the Mailing Preference Service to have your name removed from direct mailing lists in the UK
If you or an elderly relative receive something that looks like scam mail, call Age UK Advice on 0800 169 65 65.
If you become the victim of a scam
Contact Action Fraud, who will try to track down the fraudster and help to ensure that others don’t suffer the same experience.