Scammers target anyone they think they can get some money out of and, sadly, that means that vulnerable adults seem like easy targets for those with malicious intentions.
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With vulnerable people often being in financially precarious positions on
fixed incomes or living off limited savings and equity, even relatively minor
financial scams can have disproportionate impact on their lives.
So how can those who often deal with vulnerable adults help to protect them
from financial abuse?
The Role of Carers in Preventing
Financial Abuse
Carers, whether professionals or family members taking a full-time or long
term carer role, can do a lot to both protect vulnerable people from scams,
and to assist in finding and prosecuting those who perpetrate scams.
To help protect vulnerable people, carers can, quite simply, take an active
interest in the life and wellbeing of those they are responsible for. Keeping
abreast of what is going on in a vulnerable person’s life can often be enough
to warn a carer that an individual has been targeted by a scam, allowing the
carer to help them to avoid it and potentially even to catch the individual.
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A sad truth is that, occasionally, carers and others in positions of authority
and responsibility in dealing with vulnerable people can become the abusers.
To avoid this, make sure when you employ a carer to carry out a basic DBS
check. It is also important that a power of attorney is put in place for the
individual so that trusted family members can make decision for them on
financial matters should they be deemed as having lost capacity in being able
to do so. A Power of Attorney Cheltenham company such as https://beesandco.co.uk/our-services/power-of-attorney-cheltenham/ can talk
you through the process and ensure that the vulnerable individual is protected
at all times.
Educating Carers, Family Members and
Vulnerable People
According to Age UK, more than half of people over 65 believe they
have been targeted by fraudsters, with over 70% of those who responded having
lost money. Education is the best way to bring this number down and keep
vulnerable people safe, because if carers as well as the individuals keep up
to date on common scams, warning signs, and even basic internet safety and
personal information privacy, potential scams can be identified early and be
avoided or stopped.
There is no way to prevent scammers from targeting vulnerable people, so we
need everyone involved in a vulnerable adult’s life – from the individual, to
family, to carers – to be knowledgeable about scams to help prevent them.