Scams Awareness & Aftercare
- Location: Age UK Cheshire
- Price: Free
Please note, this service is available in the Cheshire East borough only
Age UK Cheshire
Barbers Lane
Northwich
CW8 1DT
United Kingdom
Email: scams@ageukcheshire.org.uk
Telephone: 01625 612958
Each year in Cheshire, more than 5,000 people report being victims of scams and fraud, costing them over £20 million. Scammers are criminals who commit fraud. They target older people more than any other group.
This project helps older people, across the whole of Cheshire, to be resilient against scams and provide advice and support to victims of fraud.
What is the Older Persons Scams Awareness and Aftercare project?
Scammers often work in teams and target the same person with several different scams. The scam might be a phone call, text, email, letter, or someone knocking on your front door.
Age UK Cheshire are partnering with Cheshire East Council's Trading Standards Team to raise awareness of scams and doorstep crime amongst local older people, and support those who have been scammed to not become a repeat victim.
What does the project offer?
We offer a range of services to groups and individuals:
Personal scams advice sessions – These are available to anyone over the age of 50 who would like to find out how to protect themselves, their money and their information from scams and fraud. The sessions are tailored to the client’s needs, giving information on how to spot, avoid and report scams. These sessions are free and can take place in your home, online over zoom, or in your local community centre or library.
Support for people who have been a victim of scams and fraud - Being scammed can seriously affect a person’s quality of life and wellbeing. If you have been targeted by a scammer, you should never be afraid or embarrassed to speak up. Older people defrauded in their own homes are 2½ times more likely to either go into residential care or die or within a year. However, 84% of victims who have received support afterwards report feeling safer and more confident.
We offer a one-to-one support visit to older people who have been victims of scams. This could include information to reinforce scams awareness and safety tips, an opportunity to talk about how the fraud has affected you, and signposting to organisations that may help further.
Community talks – We deliver free talks to groups of older people and to those who work or volunteer with older people. These interactive sessions awareness of scams and fraud, and give top tips on how to protect yourself and others.
Scams awareness update bulletin – this monthly newsletter has a featured fraud and alerts to current frauds in the area. It is free to anyone who has an email address. New editions are currently suspended. But, we are issuing back copies of the bulletin to keep us all on our toes. These are also available to download from our website below.
To book any of our services, please give us a call on 01625 612958 or email us. We are happy to hear from older people directly or take referrals from agencies.
Special multi-ageny scams awareness events - video
How can I get involved?
Become a Scams Awareness Volunteer: We have a team of Scams Awareness Champions who help us deliver our services.
Our Champions:
- Share fraud awareness information in the local community.
- Prepare resources for fraud awareness sessions.
- Help out and talk to people at fraud awareness sessions.
- Visit older people to raise their awareness of fraud.
To find out more, please visit our volunteering pages or contact us at volunteering@ageukcheshire.org.uk or call us on 01625 612958.
Scams Awareness Bulletins and Leaflets
To keep you up-to-date our work, we regularly publish handy bulletins, giving you vital information about scams and doorstep crime, and how to avoid becoming a victim.
Keep up to date with our scams awareness bulletins
Are you Scam Proof?
Join us for an afternoon of talks from Age UK Cheshire, Trading Standards, Cheshire Police and the
Crown Prosecution Service about cyber safety, doorstep crime, banking online,
password security and more.