Thousands of Glaswegians to receive fraud prevention advice

An awareness campaign has, today, been launched to help Glaswegians over the age of 55 to tackle the increasing threat of fraud. The Outreach Solutions’ ‘Tackling Fraud’ campaign is expected to benefit over 30,000 people over the age of 55, by giving them free advice and support about the dangers of fraud. According to Experian, one in five (20%) people over 55 were affected by fraud last year, with Glasgow amongst the areas with the highest number of cases of identity fraud in Scotland¹.

Glasgow Council for the Voluntary Sector (GCVS) has been appointed by Outreach Solutions to lead delivery of the campaign, which is funded by fraud and ID experts Experian. Over a six-month period, Glasgow CVS will work with a range of individuals and community groups to provide advice aimed at over 55’s on how to spot fraudulent activity and stop it happening to them, or people they know or care for. 

Robert Smith from Outreach Solutions, said: “After the success of our award winning campaign in Nottinghamshire, which helped over 15,000 people, we are thrilled to be launching in Glasgow. Fraud seriously impacts the lives of many people which can cause financial difficulty, breakdown in family relationships and a decline in physical and mental health, particulary amongst older people.  By helping people over the age of 55 understand common scams they are then able to take steps to protect themselves in the future.” 

Phil Rance from Experian, said: “Our fraud analysis shows that criminals continue to target the elderly, particulary those with credit cards, loans and healthy amounts of savings.  By working with Outreach Solutions we are able to use our expertise in fraud to help people become more vigilant about protecting their personal data and change lives for the better.”

Experian are now offering a free identity fraud monitoring tool that alerts you when you are at risk of fraud. The tool can help spot the problem early. Their Victims of Fraud team² also offers dedicated support to anyone who discovers their identity has been stolen. During the course of 2016, the team helped over 11,000 people reclaim their identity and restore their credit rating.

Top tips to help people protect themselves from fraud:

• Never give your bank card or PIN to anyone
• Never send money or pay fees to claim prizes or lottery winnings
• Don’t be afraid to put the phone down to cold callers or to end the call with a brief “No, thank you”
• Take your time and don’t be pressured into a commitment – ask questions or seek a second opinion from someone you trust
• Don’t call unfamiliar numbers or reply to unsolicited texts as these may charge at premium rates
• If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Anyone who has been affected by fraud should report it to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040, or visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk  

If you work with or support people over 55 either through your work, as a carer, or if you run or attend a social group –  you should get involved. The campaign, via a series of short talks, provides information to groups and individuals who will learn all the hints and tips about how to spot fraudulent activity and protect themselves from becoming a scammers next victim.  For more information, contact Jo Speirs at Glasgow Council for the Voluntary Service (GCVS) on 0141 332 2444.

-ENDS-

Notes to editors:

¹ The findings were taken from a survey of 2,000 Scots, carried out by Censuswide in February.

² Anyone concerned they may be a victim of fraud should first review their credit report.  Details of how to order a credit report can be found on the Experian website. Once fraud is confirmed, people should contact Experian’s VOF team by emailing identityfraud@uk.experian.comor calling freephone 0800 0155 556

About Outreach Solutions

Outreach Solutions was set up in 2007 to engage target groups with important messages around the digital TV switchover and the support that was available. It quickly became clear that the outreach model was highly effective in engaging audiences who are harder to reach and encouraging individuals to take action. We have successfully transferred the model to other sectors and subjects, from health awareness to care for the environment.

We work on projects which make a difference: projects that aim to break down barriers and create opportunities for a wide range of individuals and communities.

We design, manage and deliver engagement for communications and behaviour-change campaigns, from small local projects to larger UK-wide programmes. We work through the community and voluntary sector and specialise in reaching audiences who are traditionally more difficult to engage or tend not to respond to traditional media.

About Experian

Experian^® is the world’s leading global information services company. During life’s big moments – from buying a home or a car, to sending a child to college, to growing a business by connecting with new customers – we empower consumers and our clients to manage their data with confidence. We help individuals to take financial control and access financial services, businesses to make smarter decisions and thrive, lenders to lend more responsibly, and organisations to prevent identity fraud and crime. 

We have 17,000 people operating across 37 countries and every day we’re investing in new technologies, talented people and innovation to help all our clients maximise every opportunity.  We are listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and are a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. Learn more at www.experianplc.com or visit our global content hub at our global news blog for the latest news and insights from the company.