This week, from 15th April 2019, Police Scotland are running a ‘Shut out the scammers’ campaign, focusing on doorstep crime and advising people on how to avoid bogus callers.
This can be a big concern for people with sight loss who may not be able to read ID. This leads to worry that a person at their door is not who they say they are. A scammer might even describe works or damage to a property that the person is not able to check for themselves.
The simple advice from the Police is a polite ‘no thanks’ but there are a few more key pieces of advice available too:
Doorstep Scammers Checklist
If in doubt; keep them out!
LOCK, STOP, CHAIN and CHECK
LOCK – Keep front and back doors locked
STOP – Don’t open the door until you have checked through a viewer or window to see who is there
CHAIN – Use a door chain or bar
CHECK – Only let callers in if they have an appointment and you have confirmed they are genuine. Always ask for ID
Call the published number from the internet or phone directory for their company or service to check if they are legitimate. Do not use a telephone number provided by the caller. Remember to be on your guard if requested for personal or financial information over the phone or online, and be wary of mail scams (if it looks too good to be true, it probably is). Scammers can appear incredibly legitimate no matter what approach they use.
Call 101 to report any suspicious activity. If you feel scared or threatened call 999 and ask for the police.
Remember, you can ask your utility company to provide you with a key phrase before you open your door. The Police all have radios and will be happy to check that someone who says they are an officer is actually on your doorstep. There is no need to fully open your door.
For more advice, see the Police Scotland list of partnerorganisations and links on their website here: https://www.scotland.police.uk/keep-safe/personal-safety/shut-out-scammers
Talk and Sign get Cyber Scammer Secure
Appropriately, our Talk and Sign Group, which meets in the evening, third Monday of each month, had a presentation from
The Dunfermline Police Scotland Youth Volunteers (PSYV) who returned to talk about internet safety, password security, social media safety and how to protect yourself from scams. There was also an input on 3rd Party Reporting, a scheme for those wishing to report Hate Crime of which the centre is a member of.
Massive thanks to Morgan, Head Youth Volunteer and Mark from Sign Language Interactions who was the interpretor for the evening.
The group is open to anyone with hearing loss from mild to profoundly deaf. Get in touch if you would be interested in joining!
Personal Safety and Self Defence
As well as the hints and tips above, we also offer our personal safety and self defence course with David from the Scottish Centre for Personal Safety.
The course helps build confidence and independence, providing a ‘toolkit’ for people to avoid or get away from threatening situations, including how to stop someone grabbing your clothing and improvised weapon techniques.
The free class runs in regular blocks throughout the year. Again get in touch if you would be interested in finding out more.
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