We are Stevie and Caroline, two new members of the research team at the National Centre for Cross-Disciplinary Social Work (NCCDSW) at Bournemouth University (BU). We want to share with you our amazing experience of attending and organising an event on cyber scams and financial fraud at the House of Commons this September.
How We Got Involved
We joined the NCCDSW team in June and August 2017 respectively, and we were thrilled to be part of such a dynamic and impactful research centre. We were both very interested in the topic of financial scamming, as we knew how important and prevalent it was in current times.
When we heard that our colleagues were planning to host an event at the House of Commons to raise awareness and share their research on this issue, we jumped at the chance to assist them. We did not hesitate to accept the offer to attend the event, as we knew it would be a great opportunity to learn from experts and meet influential people.
How We Prepared
In the days leading up to the event, we were busy with creating information packs, ensuring everyone had RSVP’d, and sorting out nearly 100 name badges. We also helped with setting up the venue and arranging the catering. We spent the morning of the event in London, getting ourselves ready and having a nice lunch. We found this to be a very beneficial team building experience, as it helped us bond with our colleagues and settle our nerves.
How It Went
The event was held on September 12th, 2017, at the House of Commons, and was hosted by Conor Burns MP. It was attended by over 100 people, including members of parliament, representatives from various organisations, such as Age UK, Which?, and Trading Standards, and members of the public who had been affected by scams.
The event featured several key speakers, who shared their insights and expertise on financial scamming. They included:
- Professor Emeritus Keith Brown, Founding Director of NCPQSW
- Professor Lee-Ann Fenge, Director of NCCDSW
- Dr Sally Lee, Research Fellow at NCCDSW
- Superintendent Glenn Maleary from the City of London Police
- Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK
- Professor John Vinney, Vice Chancellor of BU
The speakers highlighted the scale and impact of financial scamming, especially on older and vulnerable people. They also discussed the strategies and interventions that can help prevent and combat scamming, such as education, awareness, collaboration, and technology.
We felt fortunate to be able to listen to these speakers and engage in great conversations with them and other attendees. We learned a lot about how to protect ourselves and others from scammers, and how to support those who have been scammed.
The event was a success, despite some minor technical glitches and a loud alarm bell that interrupted some of the speeches. We were so proud to see how our hard work paid off, and how our research made a difference.
What We Learned
We had an unforgettable experience at the House of Commons Financial Scamming Event. We felt honoured to represent NCCDSW and BU in such a prestigious setting, and we were inspired by the passion and dedication of our colleagues and partners.
We also realised how important it was to raise awareness and share our research with a wider audience. We used social media to promote our event and our work, using the hashtag #BUScamsAware. We also took photos and videos of the event, which we posted on our Twitter account.
We hope that there will be more opportunities like this in the future, as we believe that our research can make a positive impact on society. We also hope that you will join us in our efforts to prevent and stop financial scamming.
Here are some interesting facts that we learned at the event:
- £16 billion has been seized from criminals in the last five years.
- Since November 2016, 1.9 million items of scam mail have been intercepted by Royal Mail.
- Call blockers like True Call can be used to help protect the most vulnerable from unwanted calls.
