New data shows online scams cost older people an average of £4,000: but financial loss is only part of the story, according to new research from older people’s charity Independent Age.

The research reveals that, alongside the financial impact, there are alarming hidden costs of scams on older people. A third (31%) of people aged over 65 report that their experience of fraud has negatively impacted their mental health, and more than one in ten (12%) say it has worsened their physical health. 

Banks are being urged to do more to protect older customers as the research shows that around 1.9 million older people in the UK have been scammed. This means that people in later life are being defrauded to an eye-watering total of nearly £7.4 billion.

The new report from Independent Age, the national charity focused on improving the lives of older people in financial hardship, highlights how scams are landing a heavy blow on older people, especially those on a low income.

The report sounds the alarm about the prevalence and impact of financial fraud on older adults in the UK, and shines a light on its often hidden affects. 

• Nearly three in five (61%) people aged over 65 have been the target of fraud or a scam
• On average, older people who have been scammed have lost nearly £4,000 each 
• 45% of older adults report that fraud negatively affected their financial health
• 31% experienced negative impacts on their mental health, and 12% suffered physical health consequences after being the target of fraud.¹

Denis, an 85-year-old from Nottingham said: “You see, there’s that sense of guilt – how could I have been such a fool to have been taken in?”

Not only do scams strain the finances of older people, but they also contribute to lasting mental and physical health challenges. Older people who have been targeted by scammers have told advisers at the Independent Age helpline how they question themselves, lose their confidence, and experience anxiety as symptoms of fraud. 

Sir Brian Pomeroy, President of the Financial Inclusion Commission and former Independent Director of the Financial Conduct Authority, said: “Fraud is clearly affecting the health of older people. It’s an issue that, if left unchecked, will weigh on families, institutions like the NHS and charitable organisations.”

The report also highlights concerning trends in fraud detection and reporting:

• 55% of over-65s could not correctly identify whether a text message purporting to be from their bank was legitimate or a scam
• 29% of older adults did not report fraud attempts
• Of those that did, 21% found reporting fraud to their bank confusing, and 37% thought the communication was transactional.

Joanna Elson CBE, Chief Executive of Independent Age, commented: “Supporting older people to recognise all the different kinds of scams out there is one of the most difficult challenges we all face, but it is particularly important for financial services firms.

“With two million older people in the UK living in poverty, any financial loss can be catastrophic. Older people often have a fixed income, and many are reliant on the State Pension. This means there are limited ways they can recoup the money lost as part of a scam – or may not be able to recoup it at all.

“It is vital that banks work with the experts to ensure they are protecting customers, especially older people, from the growing threat of fraud. The impact of scams goes far beyond the immediate financial cost, and currently many older people are suffering in silence.”

Independent Age is calling for urgent collaboration between the financial services sector and organisations supporting older people to tackle this growing issue and mitigate its devastating impacts together.