Elderly victims of fraud are being defrauded of more than £1 million a day, shocking figures show
- Over the past four years, over 65s have lost £1.7 billion to scammers
- Elderly fraud has increased from 36,105 cases in 2019 to 57,430 cases in 2022
- Losses hit a new high last year, with pensioners losing nearly £460 million
Elderly victims of fraud lose more than £1 million a day to scams, shocking figures from Action Fraud reveal.
Over the past four years, people over 65 have lost 1.7 billion pounds, equivalent to 1.2 million pounds a day.
It has prompted the government to bring forward its plan to combat fraud, which can particularly affect the elderly and the vulnerable.
Elderly fraud has risen from 36,105 registered cases in 2019 to 57,430 cases in 2022 – or more than 157 victims per day.
Losses reached a new high last year – with pensioners losing nearly £460 million, a ten percent increase from £417 million in 2021, according to figures obtained by the Lib Dems.
Over the past four years, people over 65 have lost £1.7 billion – equivalent to £1.2 million a day (stock image)
Since the beginning of 2019, more than 212,000 cases of fraud against pensioners have been registered.
On average, each victim has lost £8,314 – significantly more than the average fraud against victims of all ages.
The Lib Dems accused the government of “sleeping behind the wheel” in the fight against fraud.
The Home Office said: “This government is absolutely committed to tackling fraud.”