What is financial abuse?

Financial abuse is about a partner, a friend or family controlling your money against your will. A person may give you small amounts of money, take charge of spending, scare you. You will then need the other person to do anything linked to money.

It is financial abuse if a person takes control of your money and you have to ask them for it.

Financial abuse is not being allowed to make financial decisions, to work, have a car, or have control of benefits or pensions.

Financial abuse is someone who:

- Takes your money or belongings.

- Makes you buy something that you do not want.

- Uses your money to pay for their own things.

- Will not let you choose how to spend your own money.

- Says that you have to give them your money, belongings or home.

Warning signs are someone borrowing a lot of money from you.

If a person always asks how much you paid for things with your own money, or makes you feel bad for spending money, this is abuse.

Financial abusers are clever and not easy to spot. They trick people and are good at getting your money. You have the power to stop abuse starting and to stop being abused.

Financial abusers may not know you are protecting yourself. If they find out, they may pressure you or their personality may change for the worse.

How to protect yourself?

- Have lots of friends. People who care about you can spot abuse. You can ask friends that you trust for help if you are being abused.

- Volunteer - it will help you feel better about yourself and you help other people.

- Be careful if a person you know uses drugs or drinks a lot of alcohol. Protect yourself.

- If you feel bad about yourself, get help from your doctor or a counselor. A new relationship will not make it better.

- Do not let people use your phone.

- Do not let people open your letters.

- Never share the PIN of your credit or debit cards.

- Keep bank cards and documents safe in the same place. Tell the bank if any go missing.

- Check your bank statements. Tell the bank if there are things you did not buy.

- Do not leave money or valuable things in view

- Never sign a blank cheque. If writing cheques is hard, ask someone you trust for help.

- Never lend people money.

- Never sign your name to someone else’s loan.

- Never open a joint bank account, joint savings account, or joint credit account with a new partner.

- Take a new relationship slowly, the new person must know you keep your money safe.