VULNERABLE people in Bury at risk of fraud and other scams are being given a helping hand by a Whitefield company.

Kevin Winch, owner of Home Instead, has been giving talks to various community groups across the borough, to give people the knowledge to recognise and the conmen and scams.

The presentations, entitled ‘Silence of the Scams’, are part of Home Instead’s senior fraud protection programme.

The at-home provider, based in Bury New Road, Whitefield, has also put together a free fraud protection kit containing information on the most common ruses, and checklists to help potential victims take action.

It is estimated that people across the UK lose an estimated £3.5 billion each year as a result of falling victim to tricksters.

Mr Winch said: “The ‘faceless’ criminals who use e-mail, telephone and post to lure their victims into parting with their life savings, personal banking information and other assets, often prey in particular on the elderly who they see as easy targets.

“The sad thing is that much of this could be avoided with better awareness and education.

“In launching the senior fraud protection programme, it is our hope that we can branch out into the wider community and keep as many people as possible better informed and better armed with the knowledge to correctly recognise and respond to scams and scammers.”

The groups which have benefited from Home Instead’s talks include Bury and Whitefield Probus, The Bury Widows, and The Monday Club at Our Lady of Grace Church in Prestwich.

Each of the groups made a donation of £25 to Rachel Yates, of Making Space, to help run the Bury Dementia Café.

l Any groups which are interested in getting trained in fraud protection or would like more information regarding the fraud awareness workshops and the senior fraud protection kit should call Mr Winch on 0161 796 2988 or visit www.homeinstead.co.uk/bury.