Such a shame

That is awful, these people have no conscience. Are the police investigating? There are so many scams around these days that we all have to be so careful but someone with autism must have been an easy target.

I don't normally wish ill on people but as my late DH used to say "May they die roaring"!

Yes the police are investigating.

How awful and also There are no words to adequately describe these scammers really.

At least the PoA will help him with future finances.

They really are scumbags...the lowest of the low. I saw a programme about this the other day, and the scams are getting more and more sophisticated.

I've talked about it to the OH as he is in his late 80s and very hard of hearing so I worry that if I die before him, he might be a victim, as he is a little bit gullible. My main worry is that even if you tell them you are going to call your bank to verify what they have told you they can do some techie thing to divert the number you have dialled back to them, who will of course pretend to be your bank. I have already decided, should it happen to us I would call our bank on my mobile rather than via the landline, but how many older people (by which I mean the 80-90 year olds) have a) the gizmos such as mobiles and iPhones, or b) the ability to think that quickly.

That is the advice given by the police. To use a different line to call your bank.

Like you absent I worry about the OH, he just trusts everyone, and doesn't seem to think before giving out information. Fortunately he can't see to read the bank/credit card details, and certainly doesn't remember them, but the other day I heard him confirm our address to someone over the phone and warned him of this, because of course we never know who is contacting us and why, do we?

I honestly don't know how these people sleep at night knowing the devastation they are causing to innocent and vulnerable people. They clearly have no conscience at all

tragic case nina.

That is not an unusual story. A vulnerable person who is kept going by parents but who cannot manage once said parent dies. A lot of people with autism or other moderate learning difficults encounter difficulties once they on their own. With a parent behind them to keep them functioning they seem to manage.
However many ssds dont now offer any services to this group unless learning disabilities are severe. Often the parents have not considered what help their relative might need once on their own. Very sad but a lot of people who don't have learning diffs have fallen for that scam.

Your right Nellie it's sadly not unusual and it's not just the vulnerable. More a case of the gullible.
I just felt the need to vent, sorry.

Also, as I mentioned in the op he has only been diagnosed this year. When his mum was alive (dad died 40yrs ago) they thought he just had an 'odd personality'

Don't banks have any record of where money is transferred to? I would have thought they would know the bank and account number it had been transferred to.

Presumably they have ways round this rubysong or the police would have put a stop to them all by now.

There was an article about scammers and cyber crime in the i today. I was explaining about it to my grandson, and he asked me if that was what happened when I told people I was not interested on the phone and put it down. I said yes!
Apparently criminals are quite happy to talk to the police about cyber crime and said they were rubbing their hands in glee at the government's new pensions scheme.