Scammers target careline users as the telephone system turns digital, Dorset council warns.

Dorset Council is warning people who have carelines - the personal alarm system - to be on their guard against scammers.

The authority has had reports of incidents in which fraudsters are getting people to pay for services they don't have to.

Some careline equipment needs to be upgraded as part of Ofcom’s requirement for BT and Openreach to update the telephone system to a digital one.

BT and Openreach are moving householders from the old copper network to a new broadband connection but landline telephone numbers will remain the same.

The upgrade will be down to the telecom companies, who will inform people of the changes on a postcode basis, between now and December 2025.

The new carelines will need to be installed by care providers before the digital switchover takes place.

People who have had a careline service and equipment installed by Dorset Council since February 2022 will have automatically received a new digital version so will not need to have equipment replaced.

Councillor Jane Somper, Portfolio lead for Adult Social Care, Housing and Health and Councillor Jill Haynes, Portfolio lead for Corporate Development and Transformation, said it was important for the local authority to raise awareness of the forthcoming changes so residents had time to plan.

“Telecom companies must give people at least one month’s notice before the analogue line is switched over to digital and in some areas, this may not happen for another 12-18 months.

But we are getting reports some individuals are using this to try to scam people into paying for services they don’t have to.

If you receive a call asking for you to pay for your careline please put down the phone. Do not give out any bank details."

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