Telford chief’s call to protect vulnerable from fraud
Protecting vulnerable residents from fraud and financial abuse is among the key issues due to be tackled, a safeguarding chief says.
Problems experienced with some residents' finances when they become unable to look after their own money due to illness or old age is an increasing area of concern for the authorities.
Chairman of the Telford & Wrekin Safeguarding Children and Adults boards Andrew Mason said the abuse of people's financial affairs was a key subject that needed to be given attention.
He told members of the borough's health & wellbeing board: "Financial abuse is one of the is one of the abuses that we can get people engaging on, in what is a significant and key area that we need to be looking at in terms of vulnerable adults.
"This is emerging as a major emerging issue. I am concerned about some of the things that have been coming out regarding this matter."
Had told members he had personal experience of the problem.
Some police forces have launched awareness campaigns to tackle financial exploitation which may feature theft, fraud, internet scamming, coercion in relation to an adult’s financial affairs or arrangements, including in connection with wills, property, inheritance or financial transactions, or the misuse or misappropriation of property, possessions or benefits.
Victims may be at risk from social isolation, impaired understanding, emotional or physical dependence on the perpetrator, financial dependence of the abuser on an older person, certain living arrangements, poverty, widowhood and lack of support networks.
Adults with mental capacity can legally arrange for representatives to make decisions over their financial affairs and welfare using what is known as a Lasting Power of Attorney via a solicitor or directly to the Office of the Public Guardian.
Signs of financial abuse might include lack of heating, clothing or food, inability to pay bills or unexplained shortage of money especially after receiving pension payments, inadequately explained withdrawals from bank accounts, unexplained loss of misplacement of financial documents, recent addition of authorised signatories on an accounts or bank cards, a gap between assets or income and living conditions, power of attorney obtained when the adult lacks the capacity to make this decision, door-to-door or cold calling, and illegal money-lending.
Mr Mason told the committee that efforts were in hand to integrate the safeguarding work between partnership bodies.
"From a positive point of view we have got a good partnership working together on the ground. You cannot get a "good" Ofsted rating unless you have the good people working with you. We have also made a lot of progress in developing a more integrated approach to safeguarding. It is significant that we are looking at is happening within families because ultimately children grow up to be adults."
