From ‘Rogue Traders’ to organized crime groups: doorstep fraud of older adults

This paper explores fraudulent acts by offenders who target and pressurize older adults ‘on the doorstep’ to have property repairs, often misrepresenting themselves as skilled tradesmen, and overcharging for such work. It uses extensive documentary materials from 11 enforcement operations in England...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Philips, Coretta (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2017
In: The British journal of criminology
Year: 2017, Volume: 57, Issue: 3, Pages: 608-643
Online Access: Presumably Free Access
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Keywords:
Fraud
Older adults
Trading standards officers
Organized crime
Policing
Haustürgeschäfte
Betrug
Organisiertes Verbrechen
Alte Menschen
Description
Summary:This paper explores fraudulent acts by offenders who target and pressurize older adults ‘on the doorstep’ to have property repairs, often misrepresenting themselves as skilled tradesmen, and overcharging for such work. It uses extensive documentary materials from 11 enforcement operations in England together with interviews with trading standards officers and financial investigators. Using Reiner’s Necessary Conditions of Crime framework illustrates the dynamics of doorstep fraud—from ‘low-value’ crimes to incidents of grooming and repeated victimization to the actions of organized crime groups often involving money laundering. The paper’s contribution is a focus on a relatively understudied but vulnerable demographic group in criminology, and in highlighting the investigative practices of non-constabulary law enforcement officers who have not been the subject of empirical study in criminology.
ISSN:1464-3529
DOI:10.1093/bjc/azw011