A pensioner has warned others against the dangers of con artists after being hit by five scams left him "numb with shock".
Denis Robinson, 85, was targeted by five different scammers in a variety of different schemes from people demanding payment for 'work' they had carried out to straight up left.
In one incident, a scammer had turned up to demand payment for work they had done on the house while Denis "was out", The Daily Express reports.
These kinds of scams can be extremely common, with criminals specifically targeting older people.
Data from Nationwide Building Society showed 25 percent of all scam victims are aged 65 and over.
Among the more common schemes is what is called an "impersonation scam", where a scammer pretends to be a friend or acquaintance of their victim to gain their trust.
Denis said: “The most spectacular scam was when I had a glossy leaflet through my door advertising gardening services for older people, it looked professional and as a result I didn’t think to check how much the person would charge.
“After two hours’ work, he told me I owed him £2,300 and said he’d be in trouble with his boss if I didn’t pay up.
"I was numb with shock. Luckily I didn’t have that amount of cash in the house so said I would need some time, he was going to come back two days later, but I contacted the police and never heard from him again.”
Denis has now warned people to remain vigilant: “You can feel foolish when it comes to scams, and the scammers can be so brazen. It’s important to know how to protect yourself, and to have the emotional support there if needed.”
Jim Winters, Director of Economic Crime at Nationwide Building Society, said: “Every day, we see the devastating effects that scams can bring to people’s lives.
"As well as the financial impact, which can see people losing life-changing amounts, there is the emotional toll which can leave people feeling vulnerable.
“Our partnership with Independent Age will allow our older members who fall prey to a scam to receive ongoing support with both their financial and wellbeing needs as well as continuing our efforts to educate people about scams so they can hopefully prevent themselves falling victim to the crime in the first place.”
