Robbing the elderly – if there’s anything lower, let us know

By Alec Hogg

Some months back, a mature member of the Biznews community shared how our stories on the Belvedere Ponzi scheme (courtesy of an excellent OffshoreAlert.com investigation) had prevented losing her life's savings.

There's no such happy ending for Dianne Bayley's 78 year old father who was fleeced by a conwoman who targets senior citizens. Dianne is frustrated at the bank's impersonation of Pontius Pilate and a justice system which puts criminals ahead of victims. So she sent us her Dad's story, which we published yesterday. And suddenly other stings are coming forward.

When we created Biznews three years ago, the intention was to take online media further. Curating and contextualising news drives us. But it's just as critical for the site to become a platform for our community. You can play your part by contributing under articles or sharing information to a wider audience just like Dianne has done.

We're here to serve. Use us to help others.

From Biznews community member Susan Brickhill

This kind of daylight stealing from the elderly is nothing new and has been well covered in the media over the years. I remember myself writing about it in the early eighties. But it is wise to refresh the minds of the elderly of current issues.

What needs to be pointed out is that banks do have report back facilities in place whereby clients are notified immediately by SMS of money withdrawn from their savings accounts. The amount can be as little as R1000 or less. Elderly people and their carers should be encouraged to make use of this facility at their individual banks.

And it is not only the very elderly that are being robbed. The very well known and rich businessmen can fall into the same trap.