Protecting an older relative from scam calls
Older people receive more cold and scam calls than average, and fraudsters know it. If you're helping a parent or grandparent, a few simple habits sharply cut the risk — without making them feel watched or treated as incapable.
Why they're targeted more
Fraudsters bank on trust, politeness and sometimes isolation. An older person is more likely to answer, reluctant to hang up on someone mid-sentence, and less familiar with spoofing or pressure tactics.
The classic scripts: fake bank fraud teams, bogus computer 'support', prize draws, and the distressed-relative con. All lean on emotion and urgency to short-circuit clear thinking.
Practical steps, without patronising
Agree one simple rule together: never give a bank detail or payment over the phone, and always hang up and call the official number back. Register their number with the TPS and switch on their network's call protection.
Talk about it regularly and calmly. Framing these scams as a common problem that targets everyone removes the shame, so they're more likely to tell you before acting rather than after.
Help and tools
In the UK, the free 159 service connects straight to their bank's fraud team, Action Fraud takes reports, and Age UK offers scam advice. In Ireland, contact An Garda Síochána and ALONE for older-person support.
On their phone, a filter set up once does the sorting for them. Allociao automatically hangs up on suspicious numbers while letting family and their GP through — a quiet safety net that needs no daily fiddling.
Set up the phone once, together
Get their handset ready so protection works without them thinking about it. Save every genuine contact — family, GP, pharmacy, bank — so trusted callers are recognised, and divert unknown numbers to voicemail. Put a note by the phone: 'Never give a code or payment over the phone.' Most frauds rely on the victim acting alone, so agree they ring you first if pressured — and 159 reaches their bank whenever something feels off.
FAQ
How do I raise it without offending them?
Frame scams as a general problem that targets everyone, and suggest shared rules rather than surveillance. The goal is to reassure, not to control.
What number helps if they've been scammed?
In the UK, dial 159 for their bank's fraud team and report to Action Fraud; Age UK offers advice. In Ireland, contact the Gardaí and ALONE.
Can calls be filtered on their behalf?
Yes. A filtering app on their phone automatically blocks suspicious numbers while letting their saved contacts ring through normally.
Sources
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