This Learning Disability Week, it is crucial to highlight an often-overlooked issue: how individuals with learning disabilities are more susceptible to fraud and scams.
This year’s theme is ‘Do you see me?’, which challenges us to recognise and address the barriers that people with learning disabilities face, including those that make them vulnerable to fraud.
How Scammers Target Individuals with Learning Disabilities
Scammers often target those who they perceive as less likely to detect deceitful tactics, making people with learning disabilities prime targets. Individuals with learning disabilities may have difficulties processing complex information and decision-making, which fraudsters exploit.
For instance, people with learning disabilities may fall victim to romance scams, where they are manipulated through emotional connections. Victims who lack awareness of online safety and who seek genuine connections could end up losing thousands of pounds believing that they are building a romantic relationship.
Similarly, investment scams can be particularly devastating, as their complexity makes them difficult to understand, especially for individuals with lower financial or literacy skills and limited capacity to make sound decisions. Scammers, aware of their victims’ vulnerabilities, will often exploit this by using threats and emotional manipulation to extract money from them.
Individuals with learning disabilities may also fall victim to job task scams, which often advertise easy ways to make money from home, appealing to those who may have limited employment options. The isolation and lack of support can make these individuals more susceptible, as they may trust scammers who appear to offer solutions and companionship.
How to Protect Yourself from Fraud
A common theme across all types of fraud is that victims often trust scammers due to the deep, seemingly genuine relationships that develop between them. Greater awareness and access to resources would better protect victims, reducing their reliance on scammers for financial and emotional support. It’s crucial for all individuals, regardless of their abilities, to feel empowered to make informed financial decisions and protect themselves against fraud.
If you or somebody you know has suffered because of a scam, you can reach out to our expert scam recovery team by completing our online form or calling us at 0808 273 0900. At CEL Solicitors we offer no win, no fee legal advice to help get your money back to you.
Resources:
Telephone: 0808 808 1111
Learning Disability Helpline. Available 10 am – 3 pm, Monday to Friday.
Telephone: 0300 123 3393
Mental Health charity to support those in crisis. Available 9 am – 6pm, Monday to Friday.
Telephone: 111
None-emergency medical help and advice for people in England.
Telephone: 111
None-emergency medical help and advice for people in Wales.
