Scam life insurance, called my elderly mum. Knew a lot of her details already, no idea how. Bloody furious.

They've clearly bought your mum's details from a data broker or previous breach — classic vishing setup to build false trust before the hard sell or request for payment. Warn her never to discuss financial products with unsolicited callers, no matter how much personal information they rattle off.

Stop and think before you act. If something feels urgent, threatening, or too good to be true — that urgency is the weapon. Scammers use pressure to override your judgement. Nothing is ever so urgent that you can't take five minutes to check, call back on a number you found yourself, or ask someone you trust.