Campaigns

Still not enough protection for older people.

To coincide with Scams Awareness month, Age Cymru is calling for more protection for older people from criminals who ruthlessly steal from them through a variety of scams and swindles.

We're calling for:

• MPs and AMs to be active in tackling the real damage scams are doing to older and vulnerable people's lives. They have the influence and the authority to lead a culture change that increases protection for older and vulnerable people;    
• The direct mail industry should be persuaded to end marketing based on misleading vulnerable people, for instance by giving the appearance they have won a prize while hiding the truth in the small print.
• Foreign companies that send misleading mail to targeted older people with false or misleading promises should be prevented from using UK postal networks.
• Telephony companies should make call blocking facilties available to older and vulnerable people to cut out scam and unwanted marketing calls.
• The process of setting up No Cold Calling Zones in Wales should be simplified to allow local authorities to set up more zones at little cost in manpower and finance.
• Better security software should be provided to older and vulnerable people to reduce the number of scam e-mails and protect from malicious websites. Software suppliers should have an ongoing duty to provide accessible safety tips to their customers on spotting scams.
• Standard procedures for reporting and recording scam complaints and actual crimes need to be introduced with clear contact information regulalrly publicised to older and vulnerable people.
• Scams to be consistently recorded by type across the country to allow for a true understanding of the scale of the problem and benchmarking by both trading standards and police (and Citizens Advice Bureau if applicable).
• Figures for scam types to be regularly published by both trading standards and the police for information and comparisson.
• Victims should be treated with standard levels of satisfactory care, including sensitivity, understanding and patience. Extra support should be available through advocacy, social services and financial guidance as requested.
• Victims to be informed on the progress of their cases and fully apprised of any outcomes.
• A national scams task force to be formed by the UK Government and supported by the Welsh Government.