Practitioner perspectives on what works in preventing fraud against older adults

Fraud is one of the most common crimes experienced by older adults in the UK and compared to younger generations, has disproportionate impact. It is becoming an increasingly critical public policy issue. However, there has been very little research evaluating what works in fraud prevention. This paper provides a unique insight into what works in preventing scams against the elderly population. Using both interviews (n = 17) and a survey (n = 334) to collect the perceptions of experts, the research rates the effectiveness of prevention methods organised into a taxonomy of four strategic themes: digital technology interventions, education, third-party control, and partnerships. Based on the experts’ perceptions, the most effective methods are digital technologies that block scam communications, interventions by trained bank and care professionals, high specificity education, and coordinated partnerships to deliver prevention strategies. As well as actionable insights, the paper offers recommendations for further research.