Scam victim reclaims losses

A 90-year-old Shropshire man who was left distressed after losing £499 in an online scam was later reimbursed the full amount thanks to advice from Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin.

‘He was understandably very upset at having lost almost £500 but one of our Digital Inclusion volunteers was able to help,’ says Janet Guice, Digital Inclusion Project Officer for Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin.

‘She was able to put him in touch with the Action Fraud team who then connected him with his own bank. He was later refunded the full amount. So, a happy outcome, thank goodness.’

‘This was a man, by the way, who had used a laptop for 20 years and was perfectly used to online banking. But this terrible scam left him feeling shaken and anxious and he has since reverted to visiting a high street bank rather than banking online.’

Janet says she is getting a regular stream of calls from people who have been scammed or hacked and says older people in particular are being targeted by these criminals.

With national End Digital Poverty day on 12 September, Janet says this is the perfect moment to focus on how so many people are being hit by scammers and hackers.

Digital poverty is defined as the inability to interact with the online world fully, when, where and how an individual needs to.

While the awareness-raising day is certainly not confined to shining a spotlight on scammers and hackers, it does, with a host of events taking place across the nation, aim to help tackle such activity. The day is also an opportunity for people to come together and address the issue of digital poverty head on.

The Digital Poverty Alliance says: ‘By dedicating a day to this cause, we can raise awareness, promote practical actions, and rally support from individuals and organisations to make a tangible difference.’

You can find out more about digital inclusion, and seek help and advice on a wide range of issues, by telephoning Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin on 01743 233 123.