The Essential Guide to Online Safety for Seniors
How to Stay Safe Online: An Essential Internet Safety Guide for Seniors
The internet presents many wonderful opportunities for seniors; they can use it to communicate with long-distance family, stay up to date with the news, and conveniently access information about their interests. Unfortunately, the internet also comes with risks for seniors, who are often the targets of digital scammers. In this guide, we'll discuss how to keep seniors safe online using simple, actionable steps.
Key Takeaways
- To protect your accounts, always use strong, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for important sites like your private email and banking accounts.
- To avoid scams, be suspicious of any email or message that creates urgency or makes promises that sound too good to be true. Never click on suspicious links.
- The most common scams involve impersonating tech support, government agencies such as the IRS and SSA, or a grandchild in trouble. Remember that legitimate organizations will never ask for payment via gift cards.
- If you are ever unsure, stop and ask for a second opinion from a trusted family member or friend before you take any action online.
Secure Your Accounts and Devices
The key to online safety for seniors is to make sure all of your digital devices - computers, cellphones, tablets - and the accounts you use on those devices - email, healthcare, baking - are secure.
The first step toward securing both accounts and devices is to create strong passwords. Think of these passwords as locks that shouldn't be easy for a thief to pick. Every different password for each important site you use needs to be complex and unique. After all, if a thief manages to pick one lock and they realize that every other lock is the same, they can quickly pick all of them. With secure passwords, even if one account is breached, the others should stay safe. To keep track of all these different passwords, you can download password manager software onto your devices.
An additional measure to keep seniors safe online is to set up two-factor authentication (2FA) on your most important accounts, such as banking. Think of 2FA as an additional lock to better protect your information from hackers and scammers. With 2FA set up, a code will be sent to your phone if someone attempts to access a secured account; inputting this code is required for log-in. This serves the dual purpose of protecting your account even when someone has learned the password and alerting you that another party is trying to access your private information.
Common Senior Scams: How to Spot Scams in Your Inbox and on the Phone
All About Phishing Scams
- What They Are: Phishing scams are fake emails, texts, or voice messages designed to trick you into revealing personal information. The goal of phishing is to deceive victims into providing personal information, such as credit card info or account passwords.
- How to Spot Phishing: Phishing is one of the most common senior scams. To avoid it, watch out for these red flags:
- Urgent Threats - Phishing messages will often try to create urgency by insisting you'll be fined or face legal action if you don't do something immediately.
- Poor Grammar - Spelling or grammatical errors in a phishing email are red flags that the message isn't legitimate.
- Generic Greetings - Greetings such as "Hello, user" that don't use your real name are often a sign of a mass-distributed phishing scam.
- Suspicious Links - If an email encourages you to click a link, be sure to double-check that link; you may notice it's trying to take you to a site that doesn't look legitimate.
- The Golden Rule: Never click a link in an email if you're not 100% certain of the email's legitimacy. When in doubt, go directly to the website of whatever company or agency the sender claims to be from. This allows seniors to safely determine if they're being phished.
The Most Common Scams Targeting Seniors
- What They Are: Scammers often prey on emotions like fear or love. An important part of internet safety for seniors is to not panic upon receiving a seemingly urgent email or text message. Knowing how to spot phishing and other common senior scams will help you to protect your assets.
- Examples to Know:
- The Tech Support Scam: A pop-up appears on your screen insisting that your computer has a virus and you need to click a link to get rid of it. Often, clicking this link is what leads to the virus being downloaded. Real companies will never contact you with a pop-up; this is a sure sign of a scam.
- The Grandparent Scam: You receive a panicked call or text, seemingly from your grandchild, needing money urgently. This is a common scam targeted at seniors; with modern AI technology, scammers can accurately fake the sound of your grandchild's voice. Always hang up and call your grandchild directly.
- The Government Impersonator Scam: You receive digital threats of arrest or a hefty fine from someone claiming to be an IRS or Social Security agent. If you're concerned, contact the agency directly via their website, but never click a link in one of these messages. Also, remember that government agencies do not demand payment via gift cards or through third parties.
Other Key Factors in Internet Safety for Seniors
- Using Social Media Safely: Nowadays, many common senior scams are run through social media platforms such as Facebook. One of the most important aspects of social media safety for seniors is adjusting profile settings so that only members of your "friends" list can contact you. It's also best to exercise caution with what personal information you share publicly, as scammers may exploit these facts when targeting you.
- The Importance of Software Updates: Routine updates to your computer and phone often contain critical security fixes to protect you from viruses. Some seniors make the mistake of disregarding these updates because they don't sound important or their frequency is frustrating. The reason updates happen so often is because hackers and scammers are always finding new security vulnerabilities that need to be patched for your protection.
- Trusted Resources to Know: Use the following resources if you'd like to learn more about common senior scams or report online fraud.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do if I think I've been scammed?
First, don't be embarrassed; scamming can happen to anyone. Immediately stop all contact with the scammer and call your bank if you sent money to them. Next, report this cybercrime to the FTC and the National Elder Fraud Hotline - links listed above.
Is it safe to use public Wi-Fi at a coffee shop or library?
It's fine to use public Wi-Fi for general browsing, but you should avoid logging into sensitive accounts like your bank or email on public Wi-Fi. Doing so can leave you vulnerable to scammers and hackers. Only log in to sensitive accounts on your secure home network.
Are password managers really secure?
Yes, when used correctly. A reputable password manager is far more secure than using the same simple password for multiple websites. It's one of the best security tools available to keep seniors safe online.
Helpful Resources & Programs for Seniors at the YMCA
You don't need to be an expert on digital technology to stay safe on the internet. The most important online safety tips for seniors are using appropriate caution, knowing what warning signs of online scams to watch out for, and being ready to ask for help when needed.
Share this guide to internet safety for seniors with a friend or family member, and contact your local branch of the YMCA of the North today to explore more senior programs and resources available to seniors.