Chris’ Story: Finding Confidence Again After a Scam
Published on 28 November 2025 04:19 PM
When 77-year-old Chris received a text message that began with the familiar words “Hi Mum”, she had no reason to doubt it was from her son. She had been expecting a message from him after her birthday, and with his demanding job in London, she worried about anything that might disrupt his day. So when the message claimed he had broken his phone and urgently needed £1,811, Chris acted quickly. She clicked the link, entered her details and sent the money, wanting to help her son avoid missing anything important at work.
A phone call from him later that day brought the truth into sharp focus. The message wasn’t from him. It was a phishing scam.
Chris describes the moment as one that “pulled the ground out” from beneath her. She felt frightened, embarrassed and suddenly very unsure about using her phone or going online at all. When her bank initially refused to refund the money, she didn’t know where to turn.
That changed when she walked into an Age UK Lincolnshire drop-in session.
Support That Changed Everything
Chris was referred to Age UK Lincolnshire’s Scams Prevention and Support Programme, where she met Louise, the Scams Prevention & Support Officer. From the very first conversation, Chris felt reassured. Louise helped her report the scam, reviewed the bank’s decision and supported Chris to escalate her case to the Ombudsman. Because Chris didn’t feel confident to take this forward herself, Louise acted as her representative throughout the process.
The result was life-changing: Chris received every penny of the £1,811 back.
But the support didn’t stop there. Over the weeks that followed, Chris experienced several more attempted scams by text, email and phone. Each one reminded her of how vulnerable she felt, especially as someone living alone and recovering from long-term health conditions, including a previous stroke.
Louise continued to check in, helping Chris understand how to spot suspicious messages, what to do when something didn’t look right and how to block unwanted calls. Together they strengthened the security on her phone and computer, updated passwords and set up multifactor authentication so she could feel safer online.
With every visit, Chris’ confidence grew. She began using her phone and computer again for everyday tasks, reconnecting with friends, checking community alerts and learning how to recognise trending scams. She even registered as a Scam Champion so she could stay informed.
A Remarkable Woman Rebuilding Confidence
Chris is active, social and independent. She attends groups and activities across the county and volunteers proudly as a poppy seller for the Royal British Legion. Yet becoming a scam victim shook her deeply. She worried she had “fallen for it”, blamed herself and feared it might happen again.
The Scams Prevention & Support Programme helped her move from shame to strength.
It gave her:
- Confidence using her phone and the internet
- Awareness of further potential scams
- Support recognising scam attempts when they occur
- The ability to block and report unwanted calls
- Practical guidance, patience and reassurance
- A sense of safety returning
Chris has experienced many further scam attempts since the incident, but now she feels able to check details, take a moment to think and act calmly. She knows she can contact Age UK Lincolnshire if anything concerns her.
The difference to her daily life has been huge.
What the Support Has Meant to Chris
Chris shared:
“I would not have had the courage without Louise’s help and am so grateful for her assistance, as she had the patience to listen to me and also picked up on the fact that I was a stroke survivor and said that this should be highlighted in the letter of complaint. I am sure that with this information it helped me to get my money back from the Bank… I live alone and it frightened me a lot so the Programme has really supported me to build up my confidence and helped me to come to terms with becoming a victim of fraud and that it was not my fault, as I really did blame myself. I appreciate all the work, kindness and understanding that I have received and have written a letter of appreciation for Louise, as she has been amazing, so thank you”.
Chris has even said that if it helps others, she would be willing to speak to groups or appear on TV or radio to share her experience. She wants people to know how easily scams can happen and how much support from Age UK Lincolnshire can change the outcome.
A Lasting Impact
Chris says that without Age UK Lincolnshire’s help, she would have lost over £1,800 and much of her confidence. Today, she feels safer, more informed and empowered to keep herself protected from fraudsters. Most importantly, she no longer blames herself.
The Scams Prevention & Support Programme has made a big difference in her life: rebuilding her confidence, helping her stay safe online and ensuring she always has someone to turn to.