# Old lady - telephone attack



## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

This is the seond time this has happened.

Basia's Mother(age nearly 97) had another call today saying her daughter had been in an accident. Not true.

The last ime they wanted money sent to pay for medical help.

This time her Mother was even more shaken up and really trembling.

Both times it has been when Basia has been away, but neither time was it through a holiday company, so we must assume that somehow they are getting information from the telephone company, but how do they know that Basia and she are related?

I spoke to our two resident Police Officers (Basia's Son and Dil who live downstairs) and they seem to say there is no way of tracing the bastards. That I find disappointing.

When Basia comes back from skiing we are going to have to find a better way of defence for her Mother against this sort of attack. 

Mother unfortunately is not quick-witted enough to say 'what/where was this accident?' or 'Hang on I will use the mobile to call my Daughter to check'

Have any of you had similar experiences with elderly relatives?

Does anybody have any ideas about protection?

Any help welcome.

Geoff


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## Gretchibald (Jul 22, 2011)

Geez, thought I heard everything but that's a new one on me , hope you get it sorted .


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## xgx (Oct 14, 2005)

Yes, sign up to TalkTalk's 'Call safe' callers have to say who they are and then you get the option of adding them to your allowed list, accepting on a one time only basis or declining. 
(Easy enough to try and familiarise her with the system by 'phoning her on a 'disallowed' 'phone a few times)


another possibility would be to set the 'phone to default to the answer machine, if she doesn't recognise the voice tell her not to answer. If it's important one of the sons/other can then review the recordings later...

third possibility could be to explore diverting incoming calls to the sons' whilst allowing outgoing calls...


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

Shocking!

My FiL had a call from "HM Tax Office" the other day asking for his Nat Ins number and Bank Account number! He just put the phone down...

He is 79 - where do these people get off on doing this...it makes my p1ss boil!

Graham :frown2:


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

1dr said:


> Yes, sign up to TalkTalk's 'Call safe' callers have to say who they are and then you get the option of adding them to your allowed list, accepting on a one time only basis or declining.
> (Easy enough to try and familiarise her with the system by 'phoning her on a 'disallowed' 'phone a few times)
> 
> another possibility would be to set the 'phone to default to the answer machine, if she doesn't recognise the voice tell her not to answer. If it's important one of the sons/other can then review the recordings later...
> ...


I am looking at possibilities like those, but I am not sure they have the same systems in Poland. I will need Basia to come back from skiing to do it in Polish.

Diverting to the son might be problematical, as he is a Police firearms instructor and could be on the range with ear-defenders on.

Geoff


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Would it be worth changing the number Geoff.


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## ob1 (Sep 25, 2007)

​It seems like it's an international wide scam. My granddaughter had a call from a women claiming that our grandson had had an accident and was in hospital semi conscious and needed funds. She transferred money over and the following day had another call requesting more money. At that point she contacted me before doing anything more. It was a scam. Like Geoff, the caller somehow knew that our grandson was at the opposite side of the country, and in the circumstances she described, bet that our granddaughter wouldn't try to phone him.

Ron


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## Yaxley (Jul 25, 2008)

If she gets a strange call get her to ask for the name of the caller and the number and that she will call them back.......and then call you.
She is unlikely to be given either.
Ian


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## Gretchibald (Jul 22, 2011)

Geoff , just thinking , i know your mother in law is 97 but if she still has her 'wits' about her wouldn't explaining what just happened be enough for her to suspect a future scammer and on the other hand if she is like my mother and most people in their 90's I doubt she would be able to transfer money or give out bank account details.


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## dghr272 (Jun 14, 2012)

Could only suggest getting her a dedicated mobile with only family and friends numbers added to the contacts list. These will display when calling and can be safely answered, any other unknown callers to be ignored. 

If it's a landline, caller display is useful if available, if not get rid and use the mobile option.

Unfortunately such scams are on the increase and the impact on vulnerable folk can be traumatic, hope you get it sorted.

Terry


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## TeamRienza (Sep 21, 2010)

Depending on the approach made for money or information, you might be able to reduce the risk as we have done for ourselves and my wife’s mother who is 88.

When abroad (and on occasion at home) I use a separate debit card from Starling Bank which has many good features for foreign travel. This card is linked to my main bank account and I top it up from time to time with moderate amounts of money.

In the event of loss, theft or scam then there is a finite amount of money that can be lost before the card is cancelled. I also use this card for online purchases especially were firms kindly offer to auto renew insurance policies and the like. Again it stops any unauthorised withdrawals.

The point of this post is that we have done the same with my mother in laws account. Using her own bank, we have opened a second account with debit card and my wife tops it up as required. Risk is reduced and the main account and it’s card are ringfenced.

This does not get round the possibility of the main account sort code and account number being accidentally disclosed, my wife has a power of attorney and oversees the finances, and even the main current account is kept small with excess cash being moved into savings accounts.

Davy


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Is Basia on Farcebook Geoff or any other social media??

Ray.


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions.

The possible defences/solutions will have to wait till Basia is back next week.

I just repeat the money potential scam is no the problem, as Basia handles her money transactions, Mother would be able to transfer money.

The major problem is the initial 'Your daughter has had an accident...'

I think at this point Mother goes into panic mode and becomes less rational, so all the questions that some of us would quite rightly ask go out of her head.

I believe the solution has to be to avoid getting to that point.

She has a mobile phone for emergencies.

However, because of deafness, she does not hear the mobile and often does not hear the house phone - that is often a worry for Basia when she has not answered 3 calls. Fortunately the lady who takes her walking/shopping lives in the next block and has keys, so in extremis we can ask her to go to check on Mother.

To answer the comment about an International aspect - well the call was in Polish, so either from Poland or the few pockets of Polish Diaspora.

More to be done next week.

Thanks to all

Geoff


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## dghr272 (Jun 14, 2012)

My previous neighbour, who had hearing issues, had a Bluetooth wristband with a vibrate function, it alerted her to mobile calls.

Terry


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

raynipper said:


> Is Basia on Farcebook Geoff or any other social media??
> 
> Ray.


Ray

Basia is not on any social media - not that she has told me about:wink2::laugh:

But how would that help with her Mother and calls?

Geoff


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

nicholsong said:


> Ray
> Basia is not on any social media - not that she has told me about:wink2::laugh:
> But how would that help with her Mother and calls? Geoff


It's just Farcebook generates more info of peoples whereabouts. If Basia is away then someone knows if she is on social media.

Ray.


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

raynipper said:


> It's just Farcebook generates more info of peoples whereabouts. If Basia is away then someone knows if she is on social media.
> 
> Ray.


Oh I see. As she is not then that is not the source of the information.

Geoff


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