Financial abuse

Financial abuse is where an abuser uses finances and money to control another person. It could involve withholding or concealing money, making all financial decisions without consent, or restricting the victim to work.

Financial abuse is a common way for an abuser to gain power in a relationship and those who experience financial abuse are also likely to become victims of other forms of abuse such as emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. Anyone can fall victim to financial abuse and the abuser could be a partner, carer, or family member.

The risk of financial abuse towards older people is also increasing. Visit our Elder Abuse webpage to learn more.

Keep your finances safe

Preventing financial abuse can be difficult. However, below are some preventative measures you can take to try protect yourself and keep your finances safe:

• Ensure that anyone who has third party authorisations over your accounts is trusted.
• Don’t share your card PIN, app PIN or online banking password. If these details have been compromised, ensure you change them and keep the new passwords safe.
• If you can, it’s important to check your bank accounts regularly and monitor for any unauthorised transactions
• Never sign any legal documents that you don’t understand
• Ensure you are up to date and able to recognise the latest financial scams
• If possible, have a discussion with someone you trust about concerns you may have
• Ensure no one else has access to or is opening your mail or emails

Please contact one of the below organisations for free and confidential support