Clients experiencing fraud can become vulnerable 'in an instant'

It can be ‘hard’ for firms to convince customers they are being scammed

Jen Frost
clock • 3 min read

Advisers must work to protect already vulnerable clients from scams, while acknowledging that a fraud event can make any customer vulnerable “in an instant”, attendees at a conference heard.

Speaking on a panel last Thursday (21 October), Rathbones Group chief risk officer Sarah Owen-Jones shared that the business has seen recent instances of "criminal conduct" against its clients. "In these situations, we have to act very quickly, but quite often… it's [through] somebody the client trusts, that has got the knowledge of the client, to be able to ask one extra question that flushes out that a fraud is underway." Owen-Jones highlighted two sides to the coin when it comes to fraud and vulnerability. Clients who are already vulnerable can be particularly at risk of falling vi...

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