Dr. Jan Bailey, Dr. Louise Taylor & Dr. Charlotte Eost-Telling The Health Impact of Scams

Current Work Evaluation of Halton Trading Standards’ intervention Wider data collection - Mass Observation project Production of “Pivot”

Mass Observation Project Sussex based project documenting the lives of people living in Great Britain Panel of 500 members of the public Respond to a set of questions (“Directives”) 3 times per annum Autumn 2015 Centre for Ageing Studies commissioned a “Scams Directive”.

“Scams Directive” Respondents were asked questions about: Their first reactions to the word “scam” Signs of scams Personal experiences of scams Safeguarding Observation task – scams in the media

Examples of responses

Data analysis 1.Content analysis: simple descriptive statistics types of scam impact 2.Thematic analysis

Psycho-social Consequences Self-esteem “I had been gullible…there’s the personal humiliation that goes with being tricked, and the feeling that everyone who knows about what happened to you will be looking down on you”. (Male, aged 57)

Shame/embarrassment “I can’t remember feeling anything other than slightly ashamed that I had been duped so easily”. (Female, aged 50)

Mental health “Sometimes these episodes of (mental) illness have been triggered by my husband being a victim of a real scam or our computer getting a virus”. (Female, aged 42) “When I saw him he was sheet white and very frightened. He lost a lot of sleep until it was sorted out”. (Female, aged 79

Fear “I did find it upsetting and got to a point where I dreaded picking up my post in case there was another unauthorised bill. I found everyone to whom I spoke helpful but it took a few months for me to feel secure again”. (Female, aged 76) “The frequency is annoying and stressful… Whenever the landline rings, I have an involuntary feeling of trepidation, as it’s usually someone wanting something”. (Male, aged 37)

Fear of future loss “These stories really worry me as I have just started internet banking and doing any transaction makes me nervous”. (Female, aged 51) “I do worry that if/when I become an old lady, I might fall victim to a scam because I haven’t been able to keep up with technology or I get taken in by someone”. (Female, aged 36) “I don’t worry much at present but I am concerned that in future as I get older I could become a victim”. (Female, aged 76)

Longing “I was shocked. During my life I have never had any children and in that instant - and the time immediately afterwards - I realised how much I wanted it to be true…Afterwards I felt devastated. I waited by the phone for the rest of the afternoon in the hope that she might call back. I waited in the next day and the day after that but she didn’t get in touch ever again…This had quite a profound effect on me psychologically at the time and even now I think about it sometimes…The one thing I learned from the experience is how much I ache to have a child…..and now it’s too late. I realise that this is a small thing in the tide of human affairs but for me it’s huge”. (Male, aged 61)

Family Tensions “One thing that really upset me too was when I told my Dad and he was annoyed with me for not shielding my pin because ‘Everybody knows that scam!’ Not helpful Dad!” (Female, aged 50) “I am a bit frustrated with my father-in-law…My husband is a bit frustrated too that his parents seem to be so scared of these people and reluctant to see a solicitor for advice”. (Female, aged 42)

Blaming the Victim “(I) cannot help feeling critical of the naivety of many of the victims”. (Male aged 62) “I have absolutely no sympathy with this woman whatsoever”. (Female 50 ) “ In most cases I would have little sympathy with those caught by scams. Caveat emptor: if you are daft enough to fall for it, then to a large extent it serves you right!” (Male. aged 49 ) ”At the root of most scams is someone taking advantage of another person’s vulnerability – be that greed, arrogance, naivety or stupidity”. Female, aged 36

However …. Gives structure to the day Social connectivity Infrequent success! (intermittent reward, Skinner 1936) Identity (Continuity Theory, Atchley 1989)