My elderly parent has been scammed
Discovering that a parent or elderly relative has been scammed is distressing for the whole family. The good news is that enhanced protections apply to vulnerable consumers, and you can help them pursue a claim.
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Enhanced protections for vulnerable consumers
Under PSR rules, vulnerability must be considered when assessing fraud claims. Age, health conditions, cognitive decline, digital literacy, and emotional state are all relevant factors.
Vulnerable consumers must be reimbursed regardless of whether they met the consumer standard of caution. The £100 excess cannot be applied. And banks are expected to have had additional safeguards in place to protect them.
How to act on behalf of your parent
You can help your parent make a claim by contacting their bank together, gathering evidence, and supporting them through the process. If your parent has difficulty managing the process themselves, you may need a third-party mandate (which most banks provide on their website) or power of attorney.
When you contact us, we can guide you through exactly how to set this up. Our team is experienced in working with families of elderly fraud victims and handles every case with sensitivity.
Common scams targeting elderly people
Impersonation scams (someone calling pretending to be the bank or police) are particularly common among older victims. Romance scams targeting loneliness, fake investment opportunities, and courier fraud (asking victims to hand over cards to a ‘police officer’) are also prevalent.
The sophistication of these scams means that falling victim reflects the criminals’ skill, not your parent’s judgement. Banks should have systems to detect when vulnerable customers are being targeted.
The emotional impact
Fraud can have a devastating emotional impact on elderly victims — shame, embarrassment, loss of confidence, and fear. Supporting them emotionally is just as important as pursuing the refund.
Organisations like Victim Support (0808 168 9111) and Age UK (0800 169 6565) provide free emotional support for fraud victims and their families.
Key points
- Vulnerable consumers get enhanced protections — no £100 excess, lower caution threshold
- You can act on behalf of your parent using a third-party mandate or power of attorney
- Banks should have had additional safeguards to protect vulnerable customers
- Age, health, and digital literacy are all recognised vulnerability factors
- Emotional support is available from Victim Support and Age UK
Common Questions
My elderly parent has been scammed FAQ
Yes, with their consent. Most banks offer a third-party mandate form that authorises you to manage their account. If your parent lacks capacity, power of attorney may be needed. We guide families through this process.
This is very common. Reassure them that these are professional criminals who target people of all backgrounds. Many elderly victims feel shame, but pursuing a claim is their right. Our team handles every case with complete sensitivity and confidentiality.
We operate on a no-win, no-fee basis under a Damages-Based Agreement. If your claim is unsuccessful, you pay nothing. If we recover funds for you, our fee is a percentage of the amount recovered. The exact percentage is clearly explained before you sign anything, as required by SRA regulations.
The PSR mandatory reimbursement scheme applies to payments made within 13 months. For older cases, the Financial Ombudsman can consider complaints up to 6 years from the event, or 3 years from when you became aware. We can assess your eligibility during the free initial review.
My elderly parent has been scammed?
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