> Hi Marilyn

>

> Below is my story for your web site.

>

> Approximately, five years ago my father took out a subscription to

> Reader's Digest; he started ordering books and subscriptions and told me

> that 'he needed to do so to be in with a chance of winning their prize

> draw'. At the time I explained that he did not need to order anything to

> be in their draw and in any case he didn't need money as he had pension

> and savings. My father began ordering overpriced goods (he didn't need)

> from catalogues which are targeted at the elderly, (Best Of) etc., again

> prize draws were involved. Our Christmas and birthday presents from then

> on were cheap watches, and jewellery that he had been sent and he

> marvelled at how wonderful the companies were for sending it to him.

>

> Before long, he asked me to send off some letters for him whilst he was

> away. I checked the letters which were replies to scam mail, prize draws

> etc so I refused to reply to them for him. Gradually the time he has been

> on holiday reduced to not going at all over the last year, because my

> father is stressed at being away, missing the so called deadlines and not

> winning the big prize. The amount of mail he receives has increased

> significantly there are carrier bags full over the house. My father no

> longer comes around for tea, as he is busy replying to these letters,

> stuffing the envelopes with his cheques and going to the post office every

> day whereby he sends them all by registered post, thus making the Post

> Office a lot of money. My father also receives phone calls and has

> responded by transferring varying amounts of money overseas in response to

> their demands. A recent call from 'Donald' , whom my father told us was

> fromthe FBI, was answered by my partner, this man phoned back thinking he

> had the wrong number and after the second time realised it was not my

> father and quickly cut the call. My father witnessed this, but once we

> had gone, we feel that he will call him back.

>

> Throughout this time I have tried to reason with him, I have shouted,

> pleaded like others on the web site have, and he has told me it is his

> money and he can do with what he wants. My father also says that he is

> lonely and it fills his time; he firmly believes that one day he will win

> a large sum of money.

>

> This year I contacted his GP, who informed me that because of patient

> confidentiality he could not discuss it with me, suggesting my father

> visited him to talk about it! Which of course he won't.

>

> I sent another letter, three month's later, explaining my serious

> concerns. The GP invited my father to an appointment, and he carried out a

> screening test for evidence of an underlying psychiatric illness or

> dementia (the Folstein Mini Mental State Examination) which he scored

> 30/30 the outcome being that there is no evidence whatsoever of dementing

> illness present. My father agreed his GP could write to me to confirm

> this and, he told me how well he had done by scoring full marks and there

> is nothing wrong with him so I mustn't keep worrying. In his copy letter

> to me the GP states that my father could contact the police, CAB or

> citizens advice, which I feel is pointless, and that my father told him he

> would stop - and he hasn't.

>

> I also referred my father to Social Services for a social worker, who

> visited him and he wouldn't let her in. My father told her he was

> stopping doing it. Again he still hasn't stopped. The social worker told

> me that 'there is nothing she could do other than arrange a family meeting

> to discuss it' adding that 'he is very plausible '. We have also

> contacted Barclays Legal Advice Line who said there is nothing we can do,

> without GP support which we don't have.

>

> My father has spent over £50,000 on this rubbish, and continues to spend

> approximately £3000 a month, now using money from a credit card to

> transfer it into his current account to spend; he is getting into serious

> debt and there is nothing we can do about it. I really believe that he

> will get the equity out of his house when he cannot get any more credit

> and will then have nothing, after saving for his retirement throughout a

> significant part of his working life. My father is now 78 years old. On

> two occasions recently, my father has also asked me for money, which I

> have refused until he agrees to signs over his finances, where I could be

> a joint signatory with him to help him manage, he replied that he did not

> want any help and burst into tears.

>

> I really don't know what else to do.

>

> We must keep spreading the word to others before they end up like this.

> Keep up the good work with your campaign.

>

> Jan Taggart

•  (Midlands)

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