Public Servant Lifestyle

Bogus callers, frequently preying on the old and vulnerable, are being targeted in a new Home Office campaign.

Crimes committed by bogus callers claim 100,000 vulnerable older victims every year, according to the National Senior Safety Campaign.

'Distraction' Burglary

Such 'hidden' crimes have lead to a large discrepancy between official figures and estimates of actual crimes committed as incidents involving bogus callers often go unreported.

The Home Office Distraction Burglary Task Force estimates there are 100,000 bogus caller incidents per year, in stark contrast to the actual police figures of only 12,000 recorded incidents annually. Older people are reluctant to report these offences to the police for a number reasons such as: embarrassment, fear, a belief that reporting the crime is futile, or because, in some cases, they are unaware that they have been burgled.

Bogus Callers

Bogus callers often work as part of a highly organised, professional criminal fraternity. They pose as utility workers, trades people, and even police officers to gain entry into older people's homes with the intent of stealing money and valuables. Far from being petty crime, bogus callers can take thousands of pounds from their unsuspecting victims. Even greater than the material cost of bogus caller crime is the devastating effect it has on the lives of victims. Elderly victims have suffered heart attacks, strokes, and deterioration in mental health. At its most extreme, post-traumatic stress resulting from a bogus caller incident can lead to death.

Elderly people are seen as easy targets for bogus callers; the average age of victims is 78, with more than three-quarters of these victims being female.

Older people are particularly singled out as targets for a number of reasons:

They have regular habits, collecting pensions for example

They are perceived as being easier to dupe, particularly due to their trust of authority

They are percieved as being more inclined to keep cash and valuables in the home

Their age affects their ability to fight or flee a bogus caller

Report It

The new Help The Aged campaign stresses the importance of victims reporting their experience to the police. Brian Steele, Leeds Distraction Burglary Initiative co-ordinator, commented: "I would urge any victim of bogus caller crime to report it to the police. We need to have an accurate understanding of offending patterns if we are to develop effective prevention plans and bring about the arrest of offenders."

Protect Yourself

The tragedy of bogus caller crime is that it is entirely preventable if a few simple steps are taken:

Always put the chain on before you open the door

Always ask to see an identification card - then ring the company concerned to check that the caller is genuine

Always ask the caller to call back later when you have someone with you if you are still unsure

The Home Office is the UK government department dealing with law, public order, public safety, immigration, fire, passports, prisons and the police among others.

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