silverlinings scam - mum gave out her card details

[ASH74]

Not quite sure what you mean about changing the bank account details. The credit card would probably work, but she needs a cheque book as she sometimes pays for her Age UK day-care by cheque (she sometimes forgets to take enough cash with her, or she can't find where she's put her cash!). Also, she may well pay her cleaner, or her 'tame' gas engineer by cheque when she has the boiler serviced.

....I meant changing the account numbers so she didn't have the details to pass on....but if she needs a cheque book she will always have them.....the only other way is a joint account with conditions.....if it is under £50 cheque one signature....over £50 needs two signatures .....Direct Debits only set up with two signatures etc etc bank manager might be able to advise.


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[Mumsmum]

thanks

Thanks for everyone's help. I scratched off the security number off the bank which the lady at the bank thought was a good suggestion as it would stop any cold caller setting up a payment. The other suggestion from the bank was to change the account to a saving account, which would stop any direct debits or cheques on the account. I am just going to keep a low amount of cash in the account, and keep a daily watch on it to make sure nothing else happens on it. Luckily there is no overdraft on the account so the worst that can happen is a bounced payment charge - which I would challenge!

 

[halojones]

absolutely dreadful

I just had this posted by a friend on FB and would like to share it on here it is disgraceful

I hope you don't mind me using your thread for it,


My Mum is almost 85 yrs old and becoming increasingly vulnerable due to her short-term memory letting her down.
My daughter rang me today to say that my Mum had a freezer absolutely bursting with packs of fish,(each containing around 1lb of fish) .......... and I quote from her later text:
"16 packs Haddock, 8 of Silver Hake, 10 of Pollock, 6 of Salmon"
A mobile Fishmonger trading under the name of ?? Fisheries had sold this fish to my Mum yesterday, taken all of her cash (£65) leaving her with 3p in her purse ........... along with a cheque for £142 - a grand total of £207 !!!!!!!
The 2 men had actually gone into her bungalow,, dumped the packs of fish on her living room floor and left with the cash/cheque .............. luckily (or unluckily for them!) they left a written receipt with a mobile number on it, telling her to ring 'IF SHE WANTED ANY MORE'!!!!
If my daughter had not gone to visit her Gran today and seen how upset she was - we would have been none the wiser! Mum cherishes her independence, and we are not in the habit of rummaging through her freezer etc!
I rang the mobile to be told that my Mum had asked for all of the packs, and that 'they did Pensioner Packs anyway. The so-called Pensioner Packs are apparently £138 .............. which begged the question "why did you sell an old frail lady who lives alone £207 worth of fish"?????
The person I spoke to said he would 'meet me half way' and that she would have to keep and pay for half of the packs .............idiot!
Well now Durham Constabulary are aware and have logged it, Care Connect are aware and if this gets re-posted enough times, hopefully they will be prevented from taking advantage of some other elderly person who may not have the back-up of a loving and caring family.
The cheque has now been stopped, and I have to contact the Police if they don't return the cash she handed over by monday and remove the packs of fish.
The cheeky swine told me that the fish was no good to him now because Mum had frozen it! Mmmmmm how many 84 yr old frail ladies do you know that would keep 40lbs of fish in the fridge to eat whilst it was still fit for consumption?
I feel sick that my Mum who would have sent them packing at one time has been taken advantage of in this way.
So watch this space - I will be ringing the number again tomorrow to inform him that the Police are now involved and are prepared to take further action if he doesn't do the decent thing and refund the £65.
Ironically I was delivering Safeguarding Adults at Risk training over 2 sessions today and highlighted the need for us all to be vigilant and report unscrupulous 'companies' who are all too happy to take our vulnerable loved ones to the cleaners ........... furious beyond belief!!!!

This story is disgusting..!I am furious for you. ! These people know they are ripping off a vulnerable person and couldn't give a damn, they actually look out for their victims ,have names they call them and spread the word to other nasty bits of work.! It is devastating for the victim. I hope the police act and prosecute them.Name and SHAME them, put them in the papers! so other people will know who they are..I get asked for money when I am out walking my mum and it makes me really cross, still, my look says it all!!! I hope your mum is okay x

 

[jeany123]

This story is disgusting..!I am furious for you. ! These people know they are ripping off a vulnerable person and couldn't give a damn, they actually look out for their victims ,have names they call them and spread the word to other nasty bits of work.! It is devastating for the victim. I hope the police act and prosecute them.Name and SHAME them, put them in the papers! so other people will know who they are..I get asked for money when I am out walking my mum and it makes me really cross, still, my look says it all!!! I hope your mum is okay x

Hi it isn't actually my mum it is a friends and she put this on Facebook her mum is very nervous of opening the door now,

 

[Madusa]

This happened to my MiL yesterday, only she got taken for £196 via her card and PIN number which she gladly handed over to them. The police's response was 'what would you like us to do about it? She gave over her payment and recieved the fish

How can we protect our loved ones from such unscrupulous people?

 

[Sue J]

The police's response was 'what would you like us to do about it?

Something rather than nothing! would be my reply, it's disgusting. No wonder people try and do it when the police don't seem to want to protect vulnerable people, makes me livid

 

[Madusa]

Something rather than nothing! would be my reply, it's disgusting. No wonder people try and do it when the police don't seem to want to protect vulnerable people, makes me livid

My husband came home and cried! He doesn't know what to do, he has called the police, stopped her bank card as they have the PIN and just feels useless now as if he is failing his Mum which he isn't but thats just how he feels at the moment

 

[SouWester]

Genuine Phone blocking or scam?

Friends and I have had nuisance calls from people saying they can stop nuisance calls.

I have long suspected that they make several silent calls and then call offering this service, once you pay the number of calls does indeed reduce as they stop making them

Today I have discovered that BT offer a genuine service (of course other genuine services may be available!).

Sadly it is a chargeable service but for me I think it is worthwhile as it allows you to block calls even if the caller has withheld their number.

I can't make this an active link on Talking point but if you paste it into the browser or Google you can reach it and there is a video explaining how it works:-

All about Choose to Refuse | Help | BT.com Help

 

[RedLou]

My father was told by a head injuries charity that his memory problems were caused by a fall and would get better in time and they would help him. That got them £500 in a donation plus more I don't know about. & only increased his belief that he doesn't have dementia.
Now he's in a long-stay ward where he lives (not UK). A friend of his said she'd heard one of the church regulars announce to the coffee morning: 'Off to see xx at the hospital. Let's see if I can get some money.'
It's not only scammers and scum who prey on the vulnerable.

 

[teahound]

Could you ask the bank to provide you with a chip and signature card. My mum ended up with one of these. You can only use it in shops by signing instead of putting in a pin and in branch at the counter to withdraw cash. I think it's much harder for people to be scammed with a chip and signature card but I had to push quite hard to get one. I think it may be because then much more of the liability lies with the bank if there is a problem.