How to Protect Seniors Online
Senior citizens are especially vulnerable to online scams and hoaxes. Scammers take advantage of seniors because many seniors have a lifetime’s worth of savings, home equity and other valuable assets. Studies have shown that older Americans are less likely to report fraud because they may not know how to report a scam or they may be ashamed about being the victim of a scam. In order to prevent scams against the elderly, we want to make sure seniors — and their loved ones and caregivers — are aware of common cybersecurity best practices and tips for staying safe online.
Some seniors become victims of elder financial abuse, which occurs when an individual misuses their privileged access to an older person’s financial information. Instead of helping them manage their money and make wise decisions, the financial abuser will perhaps steal money and use it for their own gain.
Some scammers also manipulate seniors with family emergency scams. In a family emergency scam, an imposter chooses a victim and contacts them, claiming to be their grandchild or other loved one. These scammers usually say they’re in trouble — in jail, in the hospital, in a foreign country — and they need money right away. These imposters may be very convincing, using personal family information to fool their victims.
If you’re interested in learning more about online scams, jump down to the scams section of this article.
Cybersecurity 101: 7 Basic Internet Safety Tips
When it comes to internet safety, it’s best to start with the basics. We have come up with 7 tips to guide you as you evaluate your online habits and make small changes to ensure your privacy and security on the internet.
1. Protect Your Personal Information With Strong Passwords
- When creating a new password, pay attention to strong password requirements.
- Change your passwords often.
- Don’t share your passwords with other people.
- Don’t use common, easily guessable passwords.
- Make sure passwords and password hints are stored securely. Record passwords in an encrypted file on your computer, or select another secure password storage method.
2. Keep Personal Information Private
- When you sign up for something online, read the terms and conditions.
- Never enter your financial information on a website that isn’t secure (look for the padlock or “https://” prefix in the browser address bar).
- If you suspect your credit card information is being misused online, turn off your card using the SNB SD mobile banking app.
It’s important to protect your personal information offline, too, because once sensitive information is stolen it can be proliferated online. Remember tips like shielding the PIN pad when you make purchases and learning how to spot a credit card skimmer at gas pumps. Using a chip debit card is another way to protect your financial information. The more sophisticated chip technology is just one reason why the chip card is more secure than the traditional magnetic strip debit card.
3. Make Sure Your Devices Are Secure
- Utilize passwords and other security options like fingerprint readers and face scanning technology. One report stated that 30% of smartphone users didn’t use passwords, screen locks or other security features to lock their phones.
- Secure all devices, including computers, phones, tablets and devices like smartwatches and smart TVs.
4. Pay Attention to Software Updates
- Promptly install software updates, especially when they include important security upgrades.
- Set up automatic updates on your devices so you never miss one!
5. Be Careful About Wifi
- Do not trust public wifi security. Avoid connecting to unsecured public wifi networks.
- Make sure your own wifi networks are protected with strong passwords.
- Remember tip #1 and change your wifi password frequently.
6. Set Up Two-Factor Authentication
- Enable two-factor authentication in order to prevent hackers from accessing your personal accounts and information.
- Add this extra layer of security to keep your accounts safe even if someone knows your password.
7. Back Up Your Personal Data
- Back up important personal information on external hard drives.
- Create new back-ups regularly.
