Elderly people warned of fraudsters posing as post office or bank staff

Elderly people are being warned to be vigilant for scam artists claiming to be post office or bank officials wanting to replace fraudulent notes mistakenly handed out to pensioners.

The fraudsters, who work as a pair, note where the vulnerable person collects their pension and call to their home afterwards.

A similar hoax was recorded by gardaí in Co Tipperary last month and in Headford, Co Kerry, as well as Skibbereen and Terelton, Co Cork, this month, says West Cork crime prevention officer Ian O’Callaghan. A number of the victims handed over their pension.

Age Action said older people need to be wary of strangers as conmen are “deliberately targeting elderly people as they may question their credentials less”. His comments were seconded by Cork city crime prevention officer, Sergeant Tony Davis, who said bogus traders, who cold call to homes offering to fix guttering, to paint or to lay tarmac, are one of the biggest threats.

Eleanor Bermingham runs Senior Security, a Cork-based firm that provides low-cost security for elderly people.

“It’s not always the elderly themselves that call us. It can be family who live away and they are nervous about their mother or father,” she says.

One of the company’s most popular systems is a digital door viewer which lets a householder view a caller via a screen in their hall. A mini CCTV system which is linked to a laptop or an iPad is also popular.

“With the CCTV, they can just keep an eye on what is happening on their laptop. These systems give people the choice about whether they want to answer the door or not,” says Ms Bermingham who will speak at the Over 50s show at Cork City Hall this weekend.

Sgt Ian O’Callaghan said older people should not be too afraid. He said there hasn’t been a burglary-related assault on an old person in West Cork in years and that their community text alert system has proven very effective.

West Cork gardaí will hold meetings in Bandon, Macroom, Clonakilty and Bantry soon to update the text alert system and the list of vulnerable people in the communities.