Fiona Phillips scammed out of thousands just after Alzheimer's diagnosis
Fiona Phillips was scammed out of thousands of pounds shortly after her Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
The TV journalist has recently revealed that she was diagnosed with the disease aged 61.
The Mirror columnist was told she had the illness a year ago after suffering months of brain fog and anxiety and while this was happening she was scammed on the telephone by a fraudster.
Recently, Fiona was scammed on the telephone by a fraudster who called on the phone and managed to siphon thousands out of her bank account.
The bank refunded the money but it was another poignant alert of Fiona’s increased vulnerability.
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Fiona was diagnosed at 61 (Getty Images Europe)
Fiona is undergoing clinical trials (Dave Benett/Getty Images for The)Speaking to the Mirror's Alison Phillips, hope for the outcome of the clinical trials shines throughout the conversation.
Fiona previously spoke about her scamming ordeal, writing last year: "Unfortunately, I recently became part of that cost following a phone call from a charming lady (see what they did there?), who was, apparently, 'just checking up' that I was still happy with their service, and was there anything else they could do to make it even better?
"Turns out they had raided my account which has made everyday life pretty hellish and hugely inconvenient, not to mention making me feel like a prize idiot for believing their grasping, horrible lies.
"I’m still feeling gut-churningly jittery and invaded, and more than a little bit stupid, but then I trust people and wouldn’t dream of robbing a stranger, making their lives an inconvenient misery like the low-life no-hopers who make our hard-working lives hell.
"Get a job like the rest of us, you absolute losers..."
Fiona is now undergoing trials for a revolutionary new drug which scientists hope could slow or even reverse the illness for millions of sufferers in the years to come.
The mum-of-two said she is positive about the trials.
Fiona said the scam 'made everyday life pretty hellish' (S Meddle/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Fiona is hopeful about the clinical trial (WireImage)She said: "I am very positive about the trials - but I have to be. I want to try to make things better for people in the future who have this disease. And also I think now I have to talk about it openly. I have been reluctant to do it because I think people look at you in a different way if they think you have Alzheimer’s.
"But attitudes change.. People used to only refer to ‘Cancer’ as the ‘Big C’ in hushed tones but that has all gone now - maybe it can be the same for Alzheimer’s.
"But most of all we have to find a cure or way of managing this terrible disease because it is crippling people - and crippling the health service. Care homes are full of people with it."
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Fiona discussed her diagnosis in an interview with the MirrorFiona is hoping that playing her part in the clinical trials will be a step towards defeating the illness.
She has detailed that her family has been affected by the illness in the past, with multiple of her family members being diagnosed.
Fiona said: "This disease has ravaged my family and now it has come for me."
She went on: "I felt more angry than anything else because this disease has already impacted my life in so many ways; my poor mum was crippled with it, then my dad, my grandparents, my uncle. It just keeps coming back for us."
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