Monthly talk: Natalie Follows – Avoiding scams

There was a good attendance at October’s monthly meeting to learn more about one of the most concerning subjects facing us day by day: scams, and most important, how to avoid becoming victims.

Natalie Follows from ageUK Devon introduced her talk by telling us that 40% of all crimes in the UK are scams and they cost the country £5-10 billion pounds every year.  Significantly, 95% of these crimes involve human error, so the good news is that there is something we can do to help ourselves and everyone else.

She told us that scammers use some very clear tactics, whether they are on the doorstep, telephone, text or online.  They use pretence, and play on your

• Hope
• Fear
• Anxiety
• Time pressure

Whatever the situation, Natalie said we must never be rushed into making any decision, but scammers will invariably try to put you under pressure.  If we are unsure, pause and seek advice.  Her favourite catchphrase in all of these situations is, ‘If it’s out of the blue, it’s not for you.’

She examined some specific types of scam, starting with ‘doorstep scams’.  These are not quite so common as they used to be but are nonetheless an issue.  In these, and in other scams, she urged us to share information about scams with other people so they are on the alert and won’t fall victim themselves.  As ever, don’t give your personal details, especially bank details, on the door step, and always ask for ID – and check it.

As we all know, telephone scams are all too frequent.  Be aware of uninvited calls, even if they appear to come from the bank or the police.  If you have any doubts, end the call and ring them back using a number you can verify, perhaps from a business card you already have or from a website you trust.  Doing this will give you time to think, check, take advice and enable you to make a good decision.

If you do call back, do it after a period of time – perhaps 15 minutes – and use a different device with a different number.

When it comes to online, social media or text messages you are unsure about, never click on a link.  A common scam is ‘Dear Mum…’  This might be an email, WhatsApp or text, and seems to come from a member of your family who needs some help or favour perhaps because they have lost a card or their wallet, and they need some money immediately.  Be aware of the risk that your family member has had their account hacked and a scammer has access to all the contacts.

Natalie gave very good advice to ensure that you have strong passwords, especially for your email account.  It takes a frighteningly short period of time for a scammer to work out your password so you need to have something secure.  She suggested choosing three random, unconnected words linked together, and including a number and a symbol, ideally a £ sign as not all keyboards will have these.  Some organisations ask for a minimum of eight letters but this is no longer adequate.

Needless to say, remembering passwords is a challenge, so the advice is to use the password managers which appear on your screen: they are secure.  Also, it is safe to write them down and keep them somewhere out of sight in  your own home.  A scammer is not likely to get into your house to find a piece of paper.

There was so much more that could have been covered but time did not allow more than a brief mention of romance scams, AI and voice cloning – all real issues.  Natalie reassured us that she is available to provide one to one support, including in your own  home, if you have a problem, and she can be contacted through ageUK Devon on 0333 241 2340.

The information and advice section of their website is here.

If you are concerned about a possible fraud, and you want to contact the bank, ring 159 as this will provide a link to any of the main banks, so you don’t need to remember each number.

And finally, if you fear you have been a victim of fraud, you can contact Report Fraud (formerly Action Fraud) on 0300 123 2040.

Remember, ‘If it’s out of the blue, it’s not for you.’

John Vick