24 January 2024 , 09:50
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A new "easy read" guide has been launched by Mencap and UK Finance's Take Five to Stop Fraud campaign.
This guide aims to help people with learning disabilities identify scams, such as romance and impersonation scams. Mencap warns that falling victim to fraud could rob someone of their independence and confidence.
People with learning disabilities often need more time to learn and process information, and may require extra support to develop skills, complete tasks, and interact with others. It is suggested that those with a learning disability might be more at risk of being targeted by scammers, potentially missing the subtle warning signs of the social engineering tactics used in these crimes.
These types of fraud are also more likely to involve criminals manipulating victims into making repeated payments over an extended period, leading to significant financial loss. Impersonation scams are one of the most common forms of authorised push payment (APP) fraud, where people are tricked into transferring money to a fraudster.
In the first half of 2023, a shocking £76.1 million was stolen by con artists pretending to be someone they're not. They tricked people into giving them money by acting like police, bank workers or even pretending to be from a gas or internet company.
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Love can lead to loss too, with romance scams making crooks £18.5 million richer, as they fool folks into thinking they've found the one online, only to take their cash that's up by a quarter from last year. Jackie O'Sullivan from Mencap warned: "Many people with a learning disability successfully manage their own money, which means they maintain freedom to make choices about their own lives.
"The outcome, then, of being a victim of fraud could come at more than just a financial cost, potentially stripping them of crucial independence and confidence. Providing accessible information about potential scams is one important step to protecting people with a learning disability from fraud."
Ben Donaldson of UK Finance added: "Fraud is by far the most common crime in this country, accounting for over 40% of all reported offences. The ruthless criminals responsible will try to target us all."
"Impersonation and romance scams are among the most heartless forms of fraud because they involve the callous manipulation of the victim, which can cause emotional and psychological harm. We want everyone to be able to keep themselves safe from crime. That's why we have developed this guide to ensure people with a learning disability have clear, accessible advice they can use to spot the tell-tale signs of fraud and protect themselves."
The guide is available at www.mencap.org.uk/easyread/how-protect-yourself-scams.
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can report any errors to [email protected]