Because they are more susceptible, elderly people are frequently the victims of crime. With the internet’s widespread use, criminals can now prey on innocent people from as far away as other countries or continents.
Seniors are frequently the subject of frauds that empty their financial accounts. Additionally, it can be difficult to substantiate these frauds. The greatest course of action is prevention, and the best approach to start a conversation with your loved one is to emphasize the value of senior online safety.
Here are some of the most typical senior scams, along with tips on how to avoid them.
Computer Virus Scams:
This is a con that is easy to miss. Your computer screen shows an allegedly useful note. It can alert you to an infection on your machine. Scammers are trying to sell you software that would purportedly clean your computer or infect it with a virus that could cause further damage. It’s possible that the software they’re trying to sell you has a virus that will record more keystrokes on your machine.
Messages indicating that your machine is infected are almost always attempts, assuming that they are not originating from your standard protection.
Fraudulent Goods, Non-Delivery, or Non-Payment:
Due to the 2020 pandemic, many elderly people have just started shopping online. Unfortunately, this creates more opportunity for elderly fraud frauds.
Not just shopping websites defraud elderly. Social media platforms are attracting more senior users, which gives con artists the chance to submit fake adverts. Seniors claim that after ordering stuff using social media links, they either received completely random items or nothing at all.
In 2020, senior victims reported more than 14,000 non-payment/non-delivery complaints to the FBI, with losses totaling more than $40 million.
Preventative Measures:
You may take a few easy measures to safeguard yourself or those who could be more susceptible to scams and provide them with the tools they need to defend themselves.
- Creating a safe digital environment. Apps, add-ons, and password managers can remedy the issue in less than a day if memory is the cause. Simply having memory aids won’t cut it if cognitive impairment is to blame. But there is evidence that people with dementia may use their devices to relax and enjoy themselves, so it makes sense to improve their computer literacy. No computer course can take the place of a straightforward gadget like a refurbished tablet. Tablets that are portable and simple to use typically work well for seniors. Try to consolidate all your senior patient’s digital usage into one device if they have a serious cognitive loss.
- Watch out for downloads. Remind your parents to be cautious when opening attachments that have been forwarded to them and to never open email attachments from senders they do not know.
- Never divulge information. Inform people not to divulge their private information if they are unfamiliar with the company or the reason for the request and that this applies to all online, email, phone, and mail-in situations.
- Protect the computer. Make sure the antivirus, security, and malware programs on your parent’s computer are up to date and from reliable vendors.
- Create bank safety measures.
Author Bio: This is an article by Milica Vojnic. She is a Digital Marketing Executive at Wisetek & Wisetek Store
