The police are launching a campaign to prevent crimes targeting the elderly: if you are worried about an older person you know, talk to them and seek advice

The elderly are targeted by both Finnish and foreign criminals using different scams. In addition, some elderly are exposed to crime-like abuse by their friends and family or other people they trust.

The police are urging friends and family of elderly persons as well as people working with them to bring up any suspected abuse and to report it to the relevant authorities where necessary. The police would also like to see broader discussions on crime with the elderly.

“The messages the police are trying to convey to the elderly don’t always reach them, so we need their friends and family as well as people working with the elderly to help us to warn and educate them. With Christmas around the corner, this could be a good topic to bring up when visiting elderly relatives”, National Police Board’s Chief Superintendent Jyrki Aho says.

Money sent to fraudsters outside of Finland virtually impossible to recover

According to the National Police Board’s Chief Superintendent Jyrki Aho, criminals often target the elderly when they are running errands, such as paying at a till or withdrawing money from an ATM, by distracting them and then stealing their bank card. Another typical crime involves criminals forcing their way into an elderly person’s home by pretending to be a home-visit nurse or police officer.

Then there is the special category of romantic scams, where the criminals ask the victim for money under a false pretence.

“If the fraudster is based abroad, it is virtually impossible to recover any money sent to them. What makes this crime type so challenging is that the urge to be loved can be so strong that the victim won’t believe their bank or the police when they warn them that they are being scammed”, Aho says.

Using computers and smartphones with limited technology skills can also increase a person’s risk of becoming victim of a crime, since criminals can take advantage of their limited knowledge to access their personal information and money.

Abuse should always be reported

Crime statistics give the police a good overview of what kind of crimes are reported. However, the statistics do not always reflect what is happening behind closed doors. The elderly can be exposed to crime-like abuse by their friends, family and others they trust.

“This kind of abuse is often linked to substance abuse, which manifests in violent behaviour and property crimes. In some cases, the crimes and abuse are caused by problem gambling. Victims of abuse are often scared and ashamed and therefore unwilling to talk about the abuse.”

Aho stresses that this is why it is important to bring up any issues if you suspect that something is not right.

“Fear and bruises are just some possible signs of violence in close relationships. If you suspect anything, don’t hesitate to bring it up. If necessary, tell the police about your suspicion or contact adult social care”, Aho urges.

Concerns of abuse or neglect can be reported to adult social care if there is reason to believe that a person is unable to take care of their health, safety and finances.

“The purpose of reporting concerns is to make sure that the elderly get all the help they need even if they themselves don’t know that they can or need to get it”, Jyrki Aho says.

Campaign to promote the safety of the elderly

The police will publish two videos on its social media channels this week to promote the discussion about crimes and abuse targeting the elderly. The goal of the campaign is to prevent these crimes.

Crimes targeting the elderly in 2019 and tips for preventing crime:

Fake police officers

In incidents involving fake police officers, the offender usually approaches the victim over the phone pretending to be a police officer. The victim is told that the security of their bank account has been compromised and that money is being taken from it, and that the police need the victim’s bank details to stop the transfer of money.

In some instances, the victims have also been approached in a more personal manner. The offender, pretending to be a police officer, has for example told the victim that they are part of a secret police operation and that the police need their help. After this, the victim has been asked to leave their bank card, jewellery or money at their front door, by their car’s rear wheel or to a person who has come to collect them from the victim’s home.

There have also been cases where offenders pretending to be police officers have gone directly to the victim’s home to ask for money, back cards, jewellery and other valuables or demand to be let in.

Romance scams

In romance scams the scammer usually contacts their victim on social media. Offenders have for example pretended to be soldiers, doctors or others who work abroad, and they quickly start to ask for money under false pretences, which range from arranging a meeting, obtaining a large sum of money, solving a problem or even protecting the offender against a threat. Common to all romance scams is that the offender asks for money in order to be able to carry out the action they have described.

Spying bank card PIN codes

One crime type specially targeting the elderly is spying PIN codes at ATMs or tills in shops. Offenders have spied the victim’s bank card PIN over their shoulder while they have been withdrawing money, and before they are finished, the offender has tapped the victim on their shoulder to say that they have dropped some money on the ground. When the victim has bent down to pick up the money, the offender has taken the card from the ATM and replaced it with another (usually stolen) card to prevent the victim from immediately noticing that they have been scammed.

In shops, the offenders spy the PIN code while the victim is paying, and when the victim has exited the shop, the offender has for example asked them for help and then stolen their wallet.

Email banking scams

The police have received reports of incidents in which offenders send emails claiming to be sent by the victim’s bank and asking the victim to update their details for example to improve data security. Through a link in an email or text message, the victim is directed to a fake website where they are asked to enter their online banking details, after which the offender has access to them.

Hug scams

In the summer, the police received reports of so-called hugging crimes committed by foreign criminal groups who approach the victim for example to ask for directions. To thank the victim, the offender then hugs them or gives them a cheap piece of jewellery, while simultaneously stealing the victim’s watch, wallet or piece of jewellery. The action is often so subtle that the victim does not realise that they have been robbed until later.

Scams involving male “relatives”

In these incidents, the victim receives a phone call from a person claiming to be their nephew, grandson or son-in-law. In some instances, the caller has also made the victim guess who they are. When the victim suggests a name, the caller claims to be that person. After this, the scammer attempts to make the victim want to help them by telling the victim that something horrible, such as a car crash, has happened. The scammer then asks the victim for money to help fix the horrible situation.

Crime prevention tips:

• The police, your bank or anyone else will never ask for your bank details over the phone.
• The police will never ask you to leave your valuables somewhere to be picked up.
• Real police officers carry badges that they can present.
• Do not let anyone enter your home if you don’t know what their intentions are.
• Have a healthy dose of suspicion when someone you don’t know approaches you. If necessary, try to leave the situation.
• View every request for money made by a stranger with suspicion, no matter how heart wrenching the story might be. It is very likely that you will not get your money back after you’ve sent it to someone.
• Always use your bank’s website when using online banking services.
• File a police report if you have been the victim of crime. Attempted scams, too, must be reported to the police, or to the emergency number if the matter is urgent. There are different services available to crime victims for example through the Victim Support Finland organisation.