AQW 13277/22-27

Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry

Tabled Date: 12/06/2024
Answered On Date: 21/06/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Justice how she is working with (i) the PSNI; (ii) the British and Irish government; and (iii) overseas counterparts, to prevent and prosecute international scammers targeting older people.

Answer:

Scams targeting older people are particularly cruel, often preying on someone’s loneliness, vulnerability, fear, or kindness to gain access to their personal information and ultimately their money.

My Department helps to address harm and vulnerability caused by fraud and supports partnership working to tackle the threat of scams through its membership of the ScamwiseNI Partnership, which is chaired by the PSNI. The Partnership was established eight years ago and now has over 45 partners who work collaboratively to provide valuable information and crucial advice to keep the public informed, aware and vigilant. It has an effective online presence which is managed by staff from the Office of the Commissioner for Older People (COPNI) and the Department of Justice uses its own social media channels (Twitter & Instagram) to highlight current scams and the steps people can take to protect themselves.

As part of its membership of ScamwiseNI, multi-national IT company Allstate has made its cyber safety sessions, including those focused on older adults, available to members of the public across Northern Ireland.

ScamwiseNI launched its most recent campaign on 13 October 2023. The six-month long campaign featured radio and newspaper advertisements, along with posters in public transport spaces, including bus shelters and inside buses. Its aim was to help empower older people and those who are not regularly online to stay safe against scammers.

In addition, in partnership with the Northern Ireland Policing Board, the Department provides annual funding of £4.5m to Policing and Community Safety Partnerships (PCSPs), across each of the 11 council areas, who lead on the Department’s response to community safety issues at a local level. That funding is utilised by the PCSPs across Northern Ireland to fund a range of locally identified projects and initiatives which include projects to help address scams and frauds as well as internet safety awareness raising initiatives and campaigns.

For example, Lisburn & Castlereagh PCSP in partnership with PSNI delivered 20 sessions to community groups involving 705 pensioners during 2023-24. These sessions covered crime prevention including a wide range of scams including international scams. Similarly, Fermanagh and Omagh PCSP carried out 12 scam awareness presentations to elderly groups. In Derry and Strabane, Community Safety Wardens regularly cover scam awareness as part of their talks to older persons groups. Also during 2023/24, the wardens attended 134 community engagement meetings with 1,567 residents attending. All PCSPs provide similar projects which target scam awareness, often with a focus on the elderly.

Information and advice on preventing and reporting cyber crimes, and on the PSNI work to tackle fraud and scams is available in the Organised Crime Task Force Annual Report available at: OCTF Annual Report and Threat Assessment 22-23 | Department of Justice (justice-ni.gov.uk)

Tackling scams from international or UK based criminals is also a priority for the PSNI. The Economic Crime Unit leads on this work and reviews all reports of scams to the PSNI and monitors the UK wide trends. The PSNI is also engaged with aspects of work to implement the UK Fraud Strategy. It works with UK and international law enforcement partners to identify and tackle emerging scams and assists in investigations impacting victims in Northern Ireland. As an example, the PSNI regularly obtains lists of potential victims seized from scammers. The PSNI action this by visiting potential victims in person to provide safeguarding advice and guidance.