Scam Awareness, Protect Clients: Our Carers Learn from Age UK Wandsworth

Our carers learned how to spot scams in a talk from Age UK Wandsworth. Read our top tips and where to find free scam support in Wandsworth.

Scammers don’t go looking for the strongest target. They look for the person who is most likely to be on their own, most likely to be worried, and least likely to have someone nearby to ask, “Does this look right to you?” For many older people living at home, the person who is in the house most often is their carer.

That’s why scams awareness isn’t a nice extra in home care. It’s part of keeping people safe.

Our quarterly carers meeting, with a very special guest

At Home Instead Wandsworth, Lambeth & Dulwich, we bring our whole care team together every quarter. It’s a chance to share news, swap stories, learn something new and, as you’ll see further down, have a bit of fun too.

At our latest meeting, we were joined by Tallulah from Age UK Wandsworth, who gave our carers an excellent and genuinely informative scams awareness talk. The aim was simple: to give our team the knowledge and confidence to help keep our clients safe from scammers.

Why carers are so well placed to help

A carer who visits regularly gets to know a person’s routines, their moods and their home. That closeness, and the trust that comes with it, means carers are often the first to notice when something feels off.

It might be a pile of unusual post that wasn’t there last week. It might be a phone call that leaves someone flustered, or a sudden worry about money that has come out of nowhere. Age UK’s own guidance says to look out for unusually large amounts of post, a lot of spending, or someone who seems secretive or defensive about either. Noticing these small changes early, and knowing what to do next, can make a real difference.

The scams older people face most often

Scams come in many shapes, and they keep changing. These are the main types covered in Age UK’s Avoiding Scams guide:

  • Doorstep scams. Someone calls at the door pretending to be a trader, a charity collector, or even a police officer or bank worker. Real police and bank staff would never turn up and ask for your PIN or bank cards.
  • Phone scams. Calls claiming to be from your bank, the police, or your computer provider often create pressure and urgency. A caller knowing your name or address doesn’t mean they’re genuine.
  • Text and message scams. Links to “track a parcel” or “fix a problem with your account”, or a message from a supposed family member who says they’ve got a new number and need money urgently.
  • Mail scams. Official-looking letters about prizes, lotteries or unclaimed inheritances that ask for a fee.
  • Email and online scams. Fake websites, fake tax refund emails and unexpected attachments.
  • Relationship scams. Someone builds trust online over time, then asks for money.
  • Investment and pension scams. Cold calls and offers that sound too good to be true, with pressure to act quickly.

What our carers take away

Scams only work when the person on the receiving end feels rushed, flustered or alone. So much of staying safe comes down to slowing things down and checking before acting. These are some of the key messages from Age UK’s guidance that our team carry into every visit:

  • Stop, Lock, Chain, Check at the front door. If you’re not expecting anyone, don’t just open up. Ask for ID and check it carefully, and phone the company using a number you’ve found yourself. (As Age UK points out, remember to take the chain off afterwards if carers or others with a key need to get in.)
  • Genuine organisations won’t ask for your PIN or full password by phone, email or text, and they won’t pressure you to decide on the spot.
  • Check before you trust. If a call or message seems worrying, hang up and contact the organisation using the number on a bill or on the back of a bank card. Banks can also be reached on 159.
  • Never feel embarrassed to say no, to hang up, or to ask someone to leave.
  • Report it. Unwanted texts can be forwarded free to 7726, and suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk.
  • Tell the office. If a carer has any concern at all about a client, they let us know straight away, so we can talk to the family and take the right next steps.

And just as important, we remember that anyone can be scammed. Scams can leave people feeling embarrassed and unsure who to trust, so a kind, non-judgemental conversation matters as much as the practical advice.

About Age UK Wandsworth’s scams service

Age UK Wandsworth runs a free Scams Prevention and Support Programme for older people in the borough, now in its fifth year. It offers tailored one-to-one support and group awareness sessions that explain how different scams work, what the warning signs are, and what practical steps people can take. It also gives dedicated support to anyone who has already been affected by a scam, helping them rebuild confidence.

The need is real. Age UK Wandsworth highlights that two people aged 65 and over are scammed every minute in England and Wales, and that fraud makes up over 40% of all crime in England and Wales, according to the Crime Survey for England and Wales. The good news is that the programme has been given a further two years of funding, through Lloyds Banking Group, to continue until the end of 2027.

To find out more, visit the Age UK Wandsworth Scams Prevention page, read their programme news, or call 020 8877 8940. The service is for people living in the borough of Wandsworth. If you live elsewhere, Age UK’s national Advice Line is free on 0800 169 65 65.

And now, the fun part: our raffle winners

We run a raffle at every carers meeting, because learning works best when people enjoy coming along. Our lucky winners this time headed home with a £20 prize each, and a lot of smiles.

It’s a small thing, but it says a lot about the team we have. Our carers are the heart of everything we do, and we want them to feel valued, supported and glad to be part of the team.

Raffle ticket winners Qtrly meeting Oct 2026.jpg (1)

Thank you, Tallulah

A big thank you to Tallulah and everyone at Age UK Wandsworth for taking the time to share their expertise with us. Talks like this help our carers feel more confident, and that confidence goes straight into the care our clients receive.

Looking for care you can trust, or a team to be part of?

If you’re looking for home care for yourself or someone you love, our team is here to help. We’re rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission, and we match every client with a carer who suits them. Call us on 020 4579 4363 or make an enquiry online.

If you’re a caring person who wants to work for a team that invests in learning, supports its carers and still finds time for a raffle, we’d love to hear from you. Take a look at our careers page to find out more and apply.

Home Instead Wandsworth, Lambeth & Dulwich: investing in our carers, so every family we support receives care with confidence, dignity, and heart.