Charity warns older people to be wary of rogue traders looking to take advantage of digital switchover
Published on 05 April 2024 01:22 PM
Landlines in Wales are going digital
As the telephone industry upgrades from analogue to digital landlines, Age Cymru is warning older people to be wary of rogue traders trying to take advantage of the switchover.
The change will see calls made over a broadband line instead of the old analogue network, which is becoming increasingly unreliable.
The charity says for most customers, all aspects of the switchover will be free of charge with no home installation work required. If customers require additional support with set up, they will be contacted by their telephone provider.
Age Cymru therefore warns that if somebody offers to carry out work relating to the switchover, in return for some form of payment, it’s likely to be a scam that should be reported to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.
People can also check with their telephone provider about what work is or isn’t taking place in their area. However, if anyone feels threatened or in any danger from a rogue trader they should call the police as soon as possible.
Age Cymru’s chief executive Victoria Lloyd says “It’s such a shame that we must warn older people to be on their guard in relation to the digital switchover as this is something that should improve people’s experiences of phone services.
“We’ve been told that lines will be clearer, which will help those who are hard of hearing. There’ll be a facility to enable three party lines which will help people to have mini group chats with friends and family and thereby help reduce loneliness. And there’ll be increased protection against unwanted marketing or nuisance calls.
“However, given our experience of how rogue traders work we want to forearm older people so they can avoid potentially expensive and emotionally damaging scams and instead take full advantage of the new phone services without any unnecessary fears.”
Understanding the digital switchover process
BT, the biggest supplier of landlines in Wales, is holding dozens of events across the country to advise customers face-to-face about the switch. Other phone providers may also be organising similar events.
Age Cymru understands that for most customers, digital switchover will simply involve connecting your home phone handset to a router rather than the phone socket on the wall. And for BT customers, if you don’t have the correct router, they will send you one completely free of charge.
At this stage, BT will be writing to all their customers to make them aware of the changes, and following up with those who are ready and eligible to make the switch. BT will not be switching customers who may have difficulty making the change just yet and will give these customers additional support when the time comes.
If you think you’ll have a problem with the transition, think you are vulnerable, or use a healthcare alarm connected to your landline, please contact your phone provider and tell them.
And if anyone uses a personal healthcare alarm, they should also check with their suppliers that they have everything they need prior to the switchover.
BT customers who are ready and eligible to make the switch will be contacted four weeks before making the move to ensure they have everything they need.
While BT are by far the biggest provider of telephone services in Wales, this is an industry-wide change and other telephone providers are managing their own switchover process so contact your provider to understand how the change will affect you.
How big is the issue of scamming in Wales?
According to the Wales Against Scams Partnership (WASP) older victims of scams in the UK lose an average of £1,200 over their lifetimes.
WASP also cites Action Fraud data showing that they receive around 15,000 cases of fraud from Wales each year. However, Action Fraud believes that the reported figure is just the tip of the iceberg and that the actual number of scams undertaken, or attempted, is seven times bigger.
And according to recent BBC research it is estimated that the UK is losing £2,300 per minute to scam activity.
When will BT visit your area?
03-Apr |
Haverfordwest |
Riverside Library, Off Swan Square, Haverfordwest SA61 2AN |
10 until 2pm |
3 - 4 April |
Abergavenny |
Red Square (by Waterstones), High Street, Abergavenny NP7 5RY |
10 till 4pm |
3 - 4 April |
Newtown (SY16 1EJ) |
Morrisons Newtown, Pool Road, Newtown SY16 3AH |
10 till 4pm |
05-Apr |
Welshpool |
Morrisons Welshpool, Berriew Street, Welshpool SY21 7SS |
10 till 4pm |
5th & 8th April |
Merthyr Tydfil |
Co-op Pentrebach, Brown Street, Pentrebach, Merthyr Tydfil CF48 4BG |
10 till 4pm |
8 - 9 April |
Dolgellau |
Dolgellau Library, Bala Road, Dolgellau LL40 2YF |
10 till 4pm |
09-Apr |
Aberdare |
Aberdare Library, Green Street, Aberdare, CF44 7AG |
10 until 2pm |
9 - 10 April |
Port Talbot |
Morrisons Port Talbot, Baglan Industrial Park, Christchurch Road, Port Talbot SA12 7DA |
10 till 4pm |
10-Apr |
Cardiff |
Cardiff City Stadium, Leckwith Road, Cardiff, CF11 8AZ |
10 until 3pm |
10 - 11 April |
Porthmadog |
Porthmadog Library, Stryd Y Llan, Porthmadog LL49 9HX |
10 till 4pm |
11-Apr |
Newport |
Newport Central Library, John Frost Square, Newport NP20 1PA |
10 until 2pm |
11 - 12 April |
Swansea |
Dobbies Garden Centre Swansea, Siemens Way, Bon-y-maen, Swansea SA7 9FT |
10 till 4pm |
15 - 16 April |
Llanelli |
Morrisons Llanelli, Pemberton Retail Park, Trostre Roundabout, Llanelli SA14 9DR |
10 till 4pm |
15 - 16 April |
Caernarfon |
Morrisons Caernarfon, Ffordd Y Gogledd, Caernarfon LL55 1BA |
10 till 4pm |
17-Apr |
Denbigh |
Denibigh Library, Hall Square, Denbigh, LL16 3NU |
10 until 2pm |
17 - 18 April |
Carmarthen |
Carmarthen Garden Centre, Myrtle Hill, Pensarn, Carmarthen SA31 2NG |
10 till 4pm |
17 - 18 April |
Holyhead |
Morrisons Holyhead, Penrhos, Holyhead LL65 2ZZ |
10 till 4pm |
18-Apr |
Wrexham |
Ty Pawb, Tŷ Pawb, Market St, Wrexham LL13 8BB |
10 until 3pm |
19-Apr |
Aberystwyth |
Aberystwyth Library, Town Hall Canolfan Alun R. Edwards Queen's Square, Aberystwyth SY23 2EB |
10 until 2pm |
19th & 22nd April |
Ammanford |
Ammanford Library, 3 Wind Street, Ammanford SA18 3DN |
10 till 4pm |
22 - 23 April |
Llanrwst |
Co-op Llanrwst, Plough Street, Conwy LL26 0AG |
10 till 4pm |
23 - 24 April |
Pembroke |
Pembroke Dock Community Learning Centre, Albion Square, Pembroke Dock SA72 6XF |
10 till 4pm |
24th April |
Ogmore Vale |
Ogmore Vale Library, Ogmore vallery Life Cente, Cwrt Gwalia, CF32 7AJ |
10 until 2pm |
24 - 25 April |
Colwyn Bay |
Bayview Shopping Centre (outside Costa), Sea View Road, Colwyn Bay LL29 8DG |
10 till 4pm |
25 - 26 April |
Cardigan |
Cardigan Library, Morgan Street, Cardigan SA43 1DG |
10 till 4pm |
26 & 29th April |
Prestatyn |
Prestatyn Shopping Park (beside Tesco), Fforddd Llys Nant, Prestatyn LL19 9BJ |
10 till 4pm |
29-Apr |
Lampeter |
Co-op Lampeter, Lower Bridge Street, Lampeter SA48 7AF |
10 till 4pm |
30-Apr |
Llandrindod Wells |
Llandrindod Wells, The Gwalia, Ithon Rd, Llandrindod Wells LD1 6AA |
10 until 2pm |
30-Apr |
Brecon |
Morrisons Brecon, Free Street, Brecon LD3 7SE |
10 till 4pm |
30th April |
Mold |
Mold Library, Earl Road, Mold CH7 1AP |
10 till 4pm |
For more information visit www.agecymru.org.uk/digital-switchover or call Age Cymru on 029 2043 1555.
Ends.
Notes to editors
https://www.ageuk.org.uk/cymru/our-work/policy/wales-against-scams-partnership/
Warning UK losing £2,300 per minute to fraud - BBC News