How do I protect an older relative from scams?

Scams targeting older people work through urgency and authority, not gullibility. The most effective protection is a simple pre-agreed rule that removes the need to make a judgement while someone is applying pressure over the phone.

Safety

Step by step

1. Have the conversation as an equal, not a carer."These are getting really convincing, I nearly fell for one" works far better than "be careful". Shame makes people hide it when something happens, which is the real danger.
2. Agree one memorable rule.No legitimate bank, police force, utility or government body ever asks you to move money to a safe account, buy vouchers, or read out a code. That one sentence covers most scams.
3. Establish that hanging up is always fine.Give explicit permission to put the phone down on anyone. Politeness is the lever scammers pull hardest, and older generations are often more susceptible to it.
4. Agree a check-in person."Ring me before you do anything with money, whatever they say." A single phone call defeats almost every scam, because urgency is the whole mechanism.
5. Set up practical barriers with the bank.Many banks offer trusted-contact arrangements, lower transfer limits and additional checks on large payments. Ask what is available on their account.
6. Reduce the incoming volume.Register with the telephone preference service, enable network-level call screening, and mark scam texts as junk. Fewer attempts means fewer chances.
7. Cover the door and the post too.Not all scams are digital. Agree that nobody legitimate needs entry without an appointment, and that ID can always be verified by calling the company on a number you look up yourself.
8. Make it easy to admit if something happens."If this ever happens, just tell me, I won't be cross." Delay caused by embarrassment is what turns a recoverable loss into a permanent one.

Tips

• A card by the phone with the one rule on it is genuinely effective. Under pressure, people read what is in front of them.
• Scammers can fake caller ID and email addresses convincingly. Always hang up and dial a number you looked up independently — never one they give you.
• Set up alerts on the account so a large transaction notifies you as well. Early warning is most of the recovery.

Common mistakes

• Framing it as a competence problem — It causes people to conceal incidents. Scams work on everyone, and treating it that way keeps the conversation open.
• Calling a number the caller supplied — It goes straight back to them. Always look the number up independently, and use a different phone if you can.

Questions people ask