It doesn’t matter your age, scammers target everyone. Although the younger generation (ages 20-29) is the most victimized age group, it is the older generation that suffers the most monetary loss. Since our older generation may not have as much familiarity with technology and cybersecurity concerns, they become a prime target for scammers.
Here are common scams to look out for:
- Romance Scams: Many seniors who are looking for companionship turn to dating websites. There is the possibility of cat fishing, which can be used to try to swindle money or confidential information.
What to Do? Make sure they are using safe platforms for online dating.
- Phone Scams: Phone scams are a very common way that seniors are targeted. Technology support scams, lottery scams, or someone pretending to be a grandchild in need of money due to an emergency are all examples of these scams.
What to Do? Tell them to be on the lookout for impersonations or offers that seem too good to be true.
- Poor Passwords: It doesn’t matter how many accounts seniors may have (they typically don’t have very many), but having a strong password in place is a must.
What to Do? A password manager tool is always beneficial, so they only need to remember one master password. If not, then encouraging creating a strong password and not reusing the same password is highly recommended.
- Online Shopping: Anytime anyone purchases something online it can be risky, but especially for someone who doesn’t have as much knowledge about the risks.
What to Do? Make sure they are aware of the risky websites out there, and they know how to identify if a website is not secure.
Although it may be difficult to stop these scams, or even educate the older generation on them, it’s important that they are aware of what is out there and that they know they have you as a resource. As always, CATS Technology Solutions Group is available as an additional resource for cybersecurity support and tips!
