Family scam help · Bournemouth & Dorset
Worried a parent is being scammed online? Here's what to do
It's a horrible feeling — and you're right to act on it. These scams are run by professional criminal gangs, and with a calm plan you can protect mum or dad without a single cross word. Rated 4.9 on Google.
- ● We phone first — they watch everything
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- ● Family-run in Bournemouth since 1995
Spot the signs
Signs a parent may be caught in a scam — even from a distance
You can't always sit beside mum or dad while they use their computer — but scams leave traces you can spot from a phone call or a Sunday visit. No single sign proves anything on its own; a pattern of them is worth acting on.
- A new online friend they're secretive about. A companion, penfriend or "investment adviser" they've never met in person — especially one who asks for money, gift cards or secrecy. That's the classic shape of a romance scam.
- Unusual bank activity. New payees, transfers they can't quite explain, gift card purchases, or a sudden reluctance to talk about money at all.
- The computer was "fixed" by someone who phoned. Genuine companies like Microsoft don't cold-call about viruses. If a stranger rang up and "sorted the computer", assume something may have been installed.
- New toolbars, apps or programs. Especially remote-access tools such as AnyDesk or TeamViewer that your parent doesn't remember asking for.
- Agitation around phone calls. Jumping up to answer at set times, taking calls in another room, or seeming flustered or upset after the phone rings.
- Prizes and piling-up subscriptions. A flurry of "you've won" letters and emails, or lots of small recurring charges for services they never use.
If money has already gone, don't wait — go straight to the steps below and speak to their bank. Dialling 159 connects you securely to most UK banks.
The conversation
How to raise it without shame
This is the part most families dread — nobody wants mum or dad to feel foolish. The kindest and most accurate framing is simple: blame the criminals, never the parent. These are professional gangs running scripted, rehearsed operations designed to catch intelligent, careful people — and they do. Being caught by one is not a sign of failing; it's a sign the criminals are good at their job.
Gentle ways to open the conversation:
- Make it about the criminals: "I read about gangs phoning people and pretending to be Microsoft — it's frightening how convincing they are. Has anyone like that ever rung you?"
- Make it about yourself: "I nearly clicked a fake parcel text last week. Do you get those too?"
- Make it routine: "I'm getting my own computer checked over — shall we get yours looked at at the same time?"
Avoid "How could you fall for that?", and avoid taking over. If the conversation gets shut down, don't force it — leave the door open and try again another day. A calm second conversation achieves far more than a heated first one. Some families find our free Spot the Scam quiz a friendly, no-blame way to talk about it together.
Act today
What to do today, step by step
Here's what we'd do today, in order. You don't need to be technical for any of it — and if you'd rather a professional handled the computer side, that's exactly what we do.
- Talk kindly first. Use the openers above. The goal today is honesty, not blame — you need to know what's happened so far.
- Check the computer together — or have it checked. Look for unfamiliar programs, new toolbars and remote-access apps. If a caller was ever allowed to control the screen, read our guide on what to do after giving a scammer remote access — that needs sorting before anything else.
- Secure the email account, then the bank. Change the email password first — a criminal inside the email can reset everything else — then online banking. Use strong passwords that aren't reused anywhere.
- Switch on two-factor authentication. Turn it on for email and banking, so a password alone is no longer enough to get in.
- Tell the bank and report it. If any money has been sent, call the bank straight away — dialling 159 connects you securely to most UK banks. Then report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040. Reporting matters even when no money was lost.
- Forward scam texts to 7726. It's free of charge and helps get scam numbers blocked for everyone.
If your parent wants to work through it themselves, our step-by-step guide I've been scammed — what do I do? is written to them directly, in plain English.
How we help
A patient, professional check — and protection that stays on
After a scam — or a near miss — the last thing your parent needs is another stranger asking to get onto their computer. That's why we work the way we do:
- We phone first, at an arranged time. Never cold pop-ups, never out-of-the-blue calls — so nothing about our help feels anything like the scam did.
- They watch everything on screen. With our remote support your parent sees every click we make, and our access ends the moment the session ends.
- Same familiar faces. We're a small family firm, not a call centre — your parent gets to know the actual person helping them.
- Remote or in person. Most checks are done remotely in minutes via Splashtop SOS. Where a home visit is better, we come out across Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch and wider Dorset — and we call with an ETA before we arrive.
For ongoing peace of mind, our home IT support plan is £18.25 a month per computer — rolling monthly, cancel anytime, and we're not VAT registered so there's nothing added on top. It covers the patient, unhurried help that stops small worries becoming big ones. You can set the plan up and pay for it yourself, from anywhere — families often do exactly that for a parent in Dorset.
There's free help too: our free online safety course is open to everyone, and every page of this website has an accessibility toolbar with bigger text, higher contrast and read-aloud.
// FREE · LEARN SOMETHING NEW
11 free, friendly online courses for beginners and older learners — computer basics, email, WhatsApp, staying safe online and more. Short plain-English lessons, a printable certificate at the end, and never a sign-up form.
FAMILY-RUN SINCE 1995 · ★ 4.9 ON GOOGLE · 200+ COMPUTERS UNDER OUR CARE · NO FIX, NO FEE · SAME-DAY REMOTE SUPPORT
// GOOD QUESTIONS
Frequently asked
My mum insists her new online friend is genuine. What can I do?
Don't issue ultimatums — romance scammers deliberately isolate people from their families, so staying close matters more than winning the argument. Gently agree some ground rules together, like never sending money or gift cards to someone she's never met in person. If you'd like, we can patiently check her computer for anything the contact may have asked her to install, and you can report concerns to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 even while the friendship continues.
Dad let a caller claiming to be from Microsoft onto his computer. How serious is that?
Treat it seriously but calmly. Microsoft never cold-calls about viruses, so the caller was a scammer, and anything they installed needs finding and removing. Change the email and banking passwords from a different device, tell the bank if any payment was made, and have the computer professionally checked. Our guide at /gave-a-scammer-remote-access/ walks through it step by step, or call us on 01202 775566 and we'll check it for you.
Can you check my parent's computer if I live far away?
Yes — families often arrange this from the other side of the country. We arrange a time, phone your parent first (never a cold call), and they watch everything on screen while we work remotely via Splashtop SOS. Our access ends when the session ends. If a home visit suits them better, we cover Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch and wider Dorset, and we call with an ETA before we arrive. You can arrange and pay for it all from anywhere.
Should we report it even if no money was lost?
Yes. Report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 — reports help build the picture that catches these gangs, and having a report on record helps if the same criminals try again. Forward any scam texts to 7726 free of charge, and if money was sent, dial 159 to reach the bank securely.
How much does ongoing protection cost?
Our home IT support plan is £18.25 a month per computer — a simple rolling monthly plan you can cancel anytime, and we're not VAT registered so there's nothing added. A family member can set it up and pay for it on a parent's behalf from anywhere. Microsoft 365 can be added at £4.85 per user per month if needed.
Will you make my parent feel silly about what happened?
Never. These scams are run by professional criminals whose full-time job is being convincing — being caught out is nothing to be ashamed of, and we say so plainly. We're a family firm, so your parent will see the same familiar faces each time — and everything is explained patiently, in plain English, at their pace.
Talk it through with a patient local techie
Call 01202 775566 (Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm) or text 07520 615332. We'll listen, tell you honestly what needs checking, and you can arrange — and pay for — everything from anywhere in the country.
01202 775566 · help@365techies.co.uk · MON–FRI 9AM–5PM