Shameless fraudsters are knocking on elderly people’s doors

by

Fraudsters are increasingly impersonating officials, knocking on the doors of the elderly and scamming them during the coronavirus crisis, a body has warned.

Exploitative criminals are committing burglary or fraud by pretending to be Government, council or medical officers, the Local Government Association (LGA) said.

People are also being targeted with phishing emails offering quick remedies and vaccination kits, while others are asked to donate to fake charities.

And emails which appear to be from travel companies are asking people about cancelled holidays in a bid to get their payment details.

Elderly residents in isolation should be extra vigilant of strangers offering them unsolicited services as criminals are targeting pensioners in their homes and on the phone

Other vulnerable residents are paying over the odds online for essential goods, such as hand sanitiser, only to never receive the product because it was being sold on a fake platform.

It comes as reports of scams increased by 400 per cent within the space of a month in the City of London.

The police force said there had been 105 reports to Action Fraud, the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime, with total losses reaching nearly £970,000.

The LGA is urging elderly, isolated residents not to accept services from strangers who offer to run errands, such as collecting prescriptions or shopping, if they ask for cash or card details upfront.

Councillor Simon Blackburn, chairman of the LGA’s Safer & Stronger Communities Board, said: ‘By tricking elderly and vulnerable people in self-isolation to part with their cash, fraudsters are playing roulette with the lives of those most at risk.

‘Keeping the elderly and those with underlying health conditions safe is every councils’ top priority and councils will do everything in their power to prosecute fraudsters and seek the toughest penalties for criminals taking advantage in this despicable way.

‘Councils have plans in place for dealing with the very challenging circumstances presented by the coronavirus and will continue to review how best to use their staff and mobilise community resources to ensure that the elderly and vulnerable are given the support they need.’

Scammers would offer hand sanitizer and face masks on fake websites with victims never receiving their orders as fraudsters capitalise on the fear of the general public

Scammers would offer hand sanitizer and face masks on fake websites with victims never receiving their orders as fraudsters capitalise on the fear of the general public 

Charity braced for rise in child sexual abuse reports after school closures

Experts are preparing for a spike in public reports of child sexual abuse on the internet as schools across the UK close during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) is concerned children might be at greater risk of being groomed and coerced into making explicit content, given that many will undoubtedly spend more time online from Monday.

Susie Hargreaves, the charity’s chief executive said increasingly videos and photos are taken by the children themselves, who have been targeted by ‘ruthless predators’ under false identities.

‘Heartbreakingly, we see more and more of this material being filmed by children themselves on devices, sometimes livestreamed from their own bedrooms in the family home,’ she said.

‘My fear is that, with more young children being sent home from school, more of them will be spending a lot longer online, possibly exposing them to some of these criminals.’

In 2019, the charity – which is responsible for finding and removing videos and images of children suffering sexual abuse from the internet – looked into a record of 260,400 reports, up from the 229,328 it investigated the year before.

Of those in 2019, 132,700 were confirmed to be of images or videos of children being sexually abused, an increase on the 105,047 in 2018.

The charity says its hotline will continue to operate while other staff members are forced to work from home to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

‘We are bracing ourselves for a spike in reports,’ Ms Hargreaves said.

‘The pandemic is forcing more and more people to stay indoors, and a lot of people are going to be spending much more time on the internet and at home on electronic devices.

‘More people alone in their homes, and more people spending longer online sadly means we are likely to see more people stumbling across criminal material involving child sexual abuse on the internet.

‘We are also expecting criminals to be more active on the internet during the coming months.

‘This could mean we’ll see an unprecedented number of public reports to our hotline as more people spot things that are not right and report it to us.’

The charity urges parents to trust their children but have a frank conversation with them about the dangers.

Examples of exploitation include scammers impersonating officers at Rochdale Borough Council and offering to run errands for the vulnerable.

Birmingham City Council has prosecuted a retailer selling harmful hand sanitisers, while a neighbourhood watch group in Lewisham and Blackheath reported people knocking at doors of elderly people saying they are from the Health Authority doing mandatory testing for coronavirus. 

It comes as Age UK launched an emergency fundraising appeal to raise £10 million so it can help older people through the pandemic.

Its helpline has seen a 30 per cent increase in demand, while another service, the Silver Line helpline, has seen 40 per cent more calls.

The charity said its biggest worry is for the millions of older people who do not have family and friends to rely on.

Laurie Boult, fundraising director at Age UK, said: ‘The reality is that in the weeks and months ahead older people are going to need Age UK in huge numbers, and to an extent we have never seen before.

‘We are determined to rise to the challenge and be there – to provide comfort, hope and practical support. But we can only do it if we have the funds that it will take.’ 

Action Fraud has given the public advice as to how to avoid being scammed by fraudsters during the coronavirus crisis: 

1. Watch out for scam messages

Don’t click on the links or attachments in suspicious emails, and never respond to unsolicited messages and calls that ask for your personal or financial details. 

2. Shopping online

If you’re making a purchase from a company or person you don’t know and trust, carry out some research first, and ask a friend or family member for advice before completing the purchase. 

If you decide to go ahead with the purchase, use a credit card if you have one, as most major credit card providers insure online purchases.

3. Protect your devices from the latest threats

Always install the latest software and app updates to protect your devices from the latest threats.

Anyone who thinks they may be a fraud victim should speak to their bank immediately and contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040. 

Graeme Biggar, Director General of the National Economic Crime Centre, said: ‘We have already seen fraudsters using the COVID-19 pandemic to scam people looking to buy medical supplies online, sending emails offering fake medical support and targeting people who may be vulnerable or increasingly isolated at home. 

‘The advice is simple, think very carefully before you hand over your money, and don’t give out your personal details unless you are sure who you are dealing with.’

Superintendent Sanjay Andersen, Head of the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, said: ‘Fraudsters will use any opportunity they can to take money from innocent people. This includes exploiting tragedies and global emergencies.

‘The majority of scams we are seeing relate to the online sale of protective items, and items that are in short supply across the country, due to the COVID-19 outbreak. 

‘We’re advising people not to panic and to think about the purchase they are making. When you’re online shopping it’s important to do your research and look at reviews of the site you are buying from.’