BBC Morning Live finance and security expert Marc Cananur, known for his role on Channel 4's Hunted, is urging people to safeguard vulnerable friends and relatives following his own father's dementia diagnosis. He has partnered with Dementia UK to raise awareness about the heightened risk of scams faced by individuals living with dementia.
Vulnerability to Scams
Marc explained that people with dementia may be more susceptible to scams due to difficulties with judgment, decision-making, communication, and understanding. Drawing on over 30 years of experience in law enforcement and security, he and Dementia UK's Admiral Nurses have shared advice on preventing fraud against those with dementia.
"Criminals are aware that people living with dementia can be more susceptible to scams, and are willing to exploit these vulnerabilities to defraud them of money and information using a number of techniques. It is important to offer advice to someone living with dementia, but also to create protective systems around them to help prevent this happening and to report them when they do occur," Marc said.
Personal Experience
"Following my father's diagnosis of dementia, I have seen the brilliant support offered by Dementia UK's Admiral Nurses, and urge anyone affected by the condition to reach out if they need support on the financial and legal challenges a diagnosis can bring," he added.
Paul Edwards, Chief Nursing Officer at Dementia UK, stated: "Nearly one million people are estimated to be living with dementia in the UK today, which means that more people than ever are taking on caring roles. Scams can be hard to detect and can affect anyone, but people living with dementia may be more vulnerable to being scammed or defrauded, so it is important that carers are aware of how to spot potential scams."
How to Protect Vulnerable People from Criminals
Limit Exposure to Scams
Many fraud incidents begin through phone calls, emails, or door-to-door cold calls. Simple steps can help prevent many scams before they start:
- Register with the Telephone Preference Service to reduce unsolicited marketing calls
- Use a call-blocking service through your phone provider
- Add spam filters to email accounts
- Place a 'no cold callers' sign on their front door
Simplify and Protect Finances
Reducing complex financial situations lowers the chances of innocent mistakes and manipulation. It can be helpful to:
- Set up direct debits for regular bills
- Keep limited cash available
- Use daily withdrawal limits on bank cards
- Set banking alerts for unusual transactions – many UK banks offer 'trusted contact' alerts if suspicious activity appears
- Set up a Lasting Power of Attorney for property and financial affairs, and choose a trusted family member or friend who can monitor accounts and major financial decisions
Be Vigilant for Warning Signs of Fraud
Prompt action and open conversations about money can help identify fraud and prevent further losses. Family, friends, and carers should look out for signs that a person may be a victim of a scam:
- Large or unusual withdrawals of cash
- New 'friends' asking for money
- Bills going unpaid despite sufficient funds
- Confusion around payments or purchases
- Excessive phone calls from unknown numbers
- A sudden reluctance to discuss finances
Key Rules for Avoiding Fraud
Marc shared his key rules for avoiding fraud and scams, which he advises both carers and people living with dementia to familiarise themselves with:
- Never give bank details to someone who contacts you unexpectedly
- Hang up on callers asking for money or passwords
- Do not click links in unknown emails or texts
- Always check with a trusted person before sending money
- Report suspected fraud immediately by contacting Report Fraud, the UK's national fraud reporting centre, or Citizen's Advice
Nationwide Partnership
Dementia UK has partnered with Nationwide to bring face-to-face support from Admiral Nurses to more than 200 Nationwide branches across the UK as part of the building society's Fairer Futures programme. Nationwide is funding 30 dementia specialist Admiral Nurses who offer confidential, tailored support in a private space within branches. Appointments can be booked at www.dementiauk.org/nationwide.
Jim Winters, Head of Financial Crime at Nationwide, said: "Dementia can increase someone's risk of being targeted by scammers as criminals look for any opportunity they can find, we see this on a daily basis. Arranging a Power of Attorney early, while someone still has capacity, offers extra protection from scams and makes managing their finances simpler. We can help if customers, friends, or family are worried about being targeted. We can add extra protections, from monitoring unusual activity to offering tailored support in branch or over the phone."
Practical and emotional support from dementia specialist Admiral Nurses is available to anyone affected by dementia through the charity's free Admiral Nurse Helpline and virtual clinics on 0800 888 6678 or helpline@dementiauk.org, and clinic appointments can be booked at dementiauk.org/appointment.
Importance of Lasting Power of Attorney
Personal finance guru Martin Lewis has urged people to register for a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) costing £92. An LPA is a legal document enabling someone to designate trusted individuals to make decisions regarding property, financial matters, or health and welfare on their behalf.
"I would argue that a lasting power of attorney is more important than a will. A will dictates what happens to your assets when you die. A power of attorney dictates who can look after your finances and your assets if you are alive but lose capacity. And this happens to many more people than they think. Lots of people say, 'Oh, it doesn't matter. We will deal if in the event,' whether it is Alzheimer's or a severe stroke or an accident or anything else that takes away your capacity, the idea that someone else can simply take over your finances and your health and welfare decisions is not true. You have to go to the court of protection. It is costly, difficult, expensive, and incredibly stressful for the people doing it. The alternative is you put a power of attorney in place and that gives somebody else the ability to take over your financial decisions and the health and welfare decisions," Mr Lewis said.
Types of Lasting Power of Attorney
- Health and welfare lasting power of attorney: Use this LPA to give an attorney the power to make decisions about things like your daily routine (washing, dressing, eating), medical care, moving into a care home, and life-sustaining treatment.
- Property and financial affairs lasting power of attorney: Use this LPA to give an attorney the power to make decisions about money and property for you, such as managing a bank or building society account, paying bills, collecting benefits or a pension, and selling your home.
