EastEnders confirms "ruthless" financial scam ordeal in Jean Slater pension plot

Telling Kathy Cotton (Gillian Taylforth) about her 'advisors', Jean gushed about her retirement home in Greece. Kathy echoed the concerns of Jean's partner Harvey Monroe (Ross Boatman), but Jean didn't want to hear it.

But when Jean tried to call one of her contacts from the company, it dawned on her that she had been tricked.

Daughter Stacey (Lacey Turner) found Jean frantically going through her paperwork, and in heartbreaking scenes, Jean began to hyperventilate as the reality of the situation hit home – all her savings were gone.

Jean will now have to cope with the emotional and practical fallout of what's happened, as she learns more about the criminal scammers.

As part of the BBC's Scam Safe initiative, the long-running soap has worked with experts for this hard-hitting storyline, including independent scams expert Nick Stapleton, The Pensions Regulator and Stop Scams UK.

Speaking about the storyline, EastEnders' Executive Producer Chris Clenshaw said: "Jean’s story will highlight the extreme strategies scammers use to gain a victim’s trust to convince them into parting with serious sums of money.

"Not only will Jean have to cope with losing her pension money, but she’ll also have to deal with a range of difficult emotions as she tells her family and friends what’s happened."

Nick Stapleton, scams expert and BBC Scam Safe spokesperson, added: "I am incredibly happy to see the issue of scams and fraud getting the attention it deserves with a storyline on one of the nation's favourite soaps.

"Scams are one of the greatest challenges of modern times; not just the money we lose to scammers as a country, but the emotional and psychological impact for those who go through one. It's high time we brought that fully into the mainstream and EastEnders is leading the way."

Director of Regulatory Compliance at The Pensions Regulator, Gaucho Rasmussen, has warned viewers to be aware of just how prevalent these types of scams are. "Jean’s story highlights how ruthlessly scammers exploit the vulnerable. Sadly, this storyline is not just fiction," he said.

"Action Fraud research shows that more than £17 million was reported lost to pension fraud in 2023, with the average victim losing more than £47,000. We are urging people to be on their guard against scammers by knowing the warning signs.

"Be aware of high-pressure tactics, offers of free pension reviews or promises that seem too good to be true. If you suspect a scam, report it to Action Fraud – it’s a vital step in stopping these criminals."

James Masters, Head of Communications at Stop Scams UK, said: "At Stop Scams UK, we’re proud to have worked with EastEnders to highlight the devastating impact scams can have on people’s lives. Storylines like Jean’s are powerful tools for raising awareness and empowering the public to spot and avoid scams.

"By bringing these issues to life during BBC Scam Safe Week, EastEnders is playing a crucial role in helping to educate viewers and highlighting the importance of staying vigilant against scams."

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EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7:30pm on BBC One and from 6am on BBC iPlayer.

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