I’m an 85-year-old pensioner, I’ve been scammed five times

Pensioner Denis Robinson would consider himself “pretty careful” when it comes to protect your retirement savings from online scammers, but he never expected to be scammed in person.

The 85-year-old from Nottingham knows not to click on dodgy links on the internet or give your card details over the phone to people who don’t want to call.

However, he did not hope become a victim of fraudsters personally – and especially not many times.

Former journalist Denys was cheated five times, and each time he lost cash and never returned it. He estimates he’s lost several hundred over the past couple of years.

When it first happened in 2022, he was “numb with shock.”

Talking to ihe said: “I felt really bad the first time I was cheated on. I have a heart problem and was desperate for someone to come and help me with my garden because I couldn’t do it myself anymore.

“Conveniently, when I was shopping in town one day, someone came up to me with a flyer about gardening services, so when I got home, I called the number on it.”

Denis arranged for the gardener to come, but after only a couple of hours he said he was done and demanded £2,300.

He added: “He claimed to have applied a miracle chemical to my garden which meant I wouldn’t get weeds for the next five years.

“When he asked me for money, he was at my house, and I live alone, so I was scared. I told him I didn’t have that kind of money, but he was a big chunky guy, so I didn’t want to turn him down.”

Denis went to the bank, and the criminal was waiting at his house. He was advised to “beat him back” and say that the bank would not give out so much money at once.

He added: “I gave him £100 in cash and told him to come back for the first £1,000 from the payment that Saturday.

“When he left I burst in and called the police who arrived very quickly from Trading Standards.

“They stuck a notice on my front door warning the crooks that if they were caught they could be in big trouble and luckily I never heard from the gardener again.

“It just shows how vulnerable you can be. I don’t think there was anything I could have really done to avoid this situation. How was I to know he was a fraud?”

According to the banking industry, fraud has increased by 16 per cent, with fraudsters stealing more than £3 million a day.

Pensioners are often targeted by fraudsterswith separate figures from Nationwide Building Society showing that 25 per cent of all fraud victims are aged 65 or over.

Among the most common schemes is what is called “impersonation fraud,” where a fraudster pretends to be a friend or acquaintance of their victim in order to gain their trust.

Unfortunately, over the years, Denys became a victim of numerous fraudsters.

Explaining another incident, he said i that a “very nice” woman knocked on his door and said he had won the lottery.

She “broke into” his house and laid out a series of prizes on the floor for him to choose from.

He continued: “She had everything, including a brandy bottle filled with coke and an empty perfume bottle.

“I told her I hadn’t bought a lottery ticket and when I took out my wallet to check she must have seen I had it in my coat pocket.

“What she claimed to be helpful and offered to hang up my coat for me turned out to be a trick on her part as she took my wallet with her when she left.

“I saw what she did and shouted after her to turn it back, but she just ran down the road.”

Denis lost the money he kept in his wallet, as well as his bank card, bus ticket and library card – all things that he found difficult to replace.

Now the retiree said his house looks like “Fort Knox” with deadbolts on the doors. Now he also refuses to answer unless he knows someone is coming.

He continued: “I’m so scared and it’s messed up in a way. I’ve always been so outgoing, but now I’m afraid to be. When I go out, I constantly look over my shoulder to make sure no one is following me planning their next scam.’

Joanna Elson CBE, chief executive of Independent Age, said: “Helping older people to identify all types of fraud is one of the most difficult challenges we all face, but it is particularly important for financial services companies.

“With two million older people in the UK living in poverty, any financial loss could be catastrophic. Older people are often on a fixed income and many depend on the state pension. This means that there are limited ways to recover money lost as a result of fraud, or you may not be able to recover it at all.

“It is vital that banks work with experts to ensure that customers, especially the elderly, are protected from the growing threat of fraud. The impact of fraud goes far beyond the immediate financial costs, and many older people are now suffering in silence.”

How to recognize fraudsters

To help everyone stay safe from fraud and scams, Action Fraud Take Five to Stop Fraud encourages you to follow the tips below:

• STOP: Take a moment to stop and think before parting with your money or information. It can protect you.
• ASSIGNMENT: Could it be a fake? You can decline, reject or ignore any requests. Only criminals will try to rush you or panic you.
• PROTECTION: Contact your bank immediately if you think you’ve been scammed and report it to Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk or on 0300 123 2040.

What should I do if I am a victim?

The first thing you should do is report it. If you are concerned about potential fraud or believe you have been contacted by a fraudster, please report it to the FCA. Call them on 0800 111 6768 or use the contact form to get in touch.

If you have made a payment, notify your bank as soon as possible, they will help you prevent further losses. Check your bank statements regularly for any unusual activity.