Protecting an older parent from scams

This is general information, not legal or financial advice.

Scammers do not only target the confused or the careless. They target people who are polite, who answer the phone, and who trust official-sounding voices, which describes a lot of our parents. Shame stops many older people telling anyone, so the first safeguard is making it easy to talk about.

Work through this list together, a few items at a time. It is about keeping someone independent, not taking things off them.

The golden rules to share

Write these on a card by the phone:

• Hang up and call back. If a caller says they are from the bank, the tax office, the phone company or the police, hang up and ring the number you already have, not one they give you.
• Never share codes. No real organisation asks for a PIN, a password or a one-time code sent by text.
• No one legitimate demands gift cards, cryptocurrency or a transfer today. Urgency is the scam.
• Do not let anyone onto the computer. Remote access requests from “tech support” are almost always a scam.
• Ask someone first. Any request for money or personal details can wait until a trusted person has had a look.

Simple safeguards to set up

• Put trusted family numbers in the phone with clear names, so callers claiming to be family can be checked
• Ask the bank about daily transfer limits and alerts for large payments
• Turn on call and text spam filtering on the mobile, if the phone supports it
• Register the landline on the Do Not Call Register to cut down on unwanted calls
• Agree a family “check with me” rule for any unexpected request for money, with no judgement attached
• Keep important documents somewhere safe, and see our documents worth sorting list

Common scams to know about

• a text or call “from the bank” about a suspicious payment
• a message from a “son” or “daughter” on a new number, asking for urgent money
• a parcel delivery text with a link
• an online friendship or romance that leads to requests for money
• a “government” refund or fine that needs payment details

The Scamwatch website, run by the Australian Government, keeps an up-to-date list of what is circulating and how to report it.

If money has already gone

1. Call the bank immediately, using the official number.
2. Change any passwords that were shared.
3. Report it at scamwatch.gov.au, and to the police if a large amount was lost.
4. If identity documents were shared, ask the bank about next steps for protecting the person’s identity.

Then, just as important, reassure the person. They were targeted by professionals.

When it is not a stranger

Sometimes financial harm comes from someone the person knows. If you are worried that a family member, friend or worker is taking advantage of an older person, the National Elder Abuse Helpline can help. Its number is on our aged care contacts and hotlines page.

How Aldera handles money and trust

Aldera workers never ask for or handle PINs, passwords or cards, and never accept money or gifts. Because the same small Care Circle visits each week, they get to know the person’s usual routine, and they are trained to mention it to the Care Lead if something seems off, such as unusual calls, a new “friend” asking for money, or a sudden worry about bills. You can read more about how we work on the Aldera way.