Safeguarding Adults Procedures

124 In all cases this is financial abuse and the adult at risk can be persuaded to part with large sums of money and in some cases their life savings. These instances should always be reported to the local police service and the local trading standards service for investigation. CONTEXT 3.1 The themes dealt with in this Appendix are of current and growing concern. Please see here for detail about various types of scamming and the scale scam-booklet-final-draft.pdf (tradingstandards.uk) 3.2 Reasons for this are varied but will include increases in the numbers of adults living alone, more who are living with dementia (impacting on a person’s ability to manage their own finances) as well as the more prevalent use of the internet. In a recent study 15% of family carers reported that the person they cared for was known to have been subject to some sort of financial abuse. More worrying was that 62% said the cared for person had been approached by unscrupulous cold callers or salespeople. It is estimated that 53% of those aged 65 or over have been targeted. 3.3 The average age of a person being scammed is 75 years old and it is estimated there may be up to 750,000 victims. Scamming takes many forms – doorstep sales, clairvoyants, fictitious lotteries and prize draws being amongst the most prominent. 3.4 The major danger for the person approached lies in making the first response. That will inevitably lead to the criminals in receipt of personal details selling these on to others and relentless targeting the adult via all communication means possible. 3.5 Unlike other crimes, scams and other frauds require the cooperation (the willingness to part with their money) of the victim and this can have a profound impact on the relationship between the person and the perpetrator. Adults can make bad decisions and will sometimes recognise this, but their initial commitment may make it harder to then withdraw. Despite the profiling above about the numbers of older people, everyone has a capacity to make irrational decisions and anyone can become a scam victim. The fact that it is, in the main, older adults simply reflects on how they are more likely to be unprotected or unsupported and may be more removed from social networks which could provide some checks and opportunities for discussion. 3.6 Scamming is about technique:  It masquerades as social marketing  It relies on persuasion  It may be aimed at a mass market to trawl whoever it can  It may carry messages of authority or flattery – ‘a special message from Prince…’  It may carry a message to encourage the person to like the sender  It will inevitably carry a message of urgency and secrecy – ‘you are specially chosen’ or ‘speed is critical to take advantage of this offer’ 3.7 It is thought that some messages are deliberately ‘dumbed down’ to ensure receptivity by those who may be most open to simpler messages. 4 AGENCY ACTIONS 4.1 During their routine work, staff from Trading Standards, Adult Social Care and Dorset Police, as well as those from other agencies, will meet adults who may be at risk or in need of safeguarding. This Appendix provides guidance about how to identify and deal with the offences described here as well as with the safeguarding processes and concerns.