Heartless fraudsters have been calling elderly Sefton residents and telling them that they need to switch over their LifeLine service straight away because their landline is going digital.
LifeLine is a call button worn as a pendant or around the wrist that enables the wearer to contact and speak with Sefton’s service monitoring centre.
The centre team can then call a named responder or the emergency services. The service is often used by older people prone to falls or other incidents, and enables them to live independently.
A Sefton Council spokesperson said:
“We have been contacted by three of the service’s users who have been called by scammers, telling them they need to sign up ahead of the digital switch over and urging them to divulge their bank details.
“They have then become aggressive if the user doesn’t agree to sign up and wants to think about, saying they have to sign up ‘today’.
“Fortunately, the service users have not been scared into sharing their bank details and have contacted the Council.”
The analogue telephone system that has been used for many years is being gradually replaced with a modern digital system with the process due to be completed by the end of 2025. Sefton Council is liaising with phone companies on the switch to digital and will be in touch with anyone who needs to do anything about their LifeLine service.
The spokesperson added:
“Sadly, there are some heartless people out there who are willing to try and frighten older and vulnerable Sefton residents into sharing their financial details so that they can steal their money.
“We urge anyone contacted and asked for any personal details like this, to hang up straight away and call us directly on 0151 934 3785.”
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