What You Should Know About AI Scams and Older Adults

Modern technology has many benefits, but it’s also opened the door to new scams that target vulnerable groups of people, and seniors in particular. Unfortunately, the invention of artificial intelligence has made elder scams even more convincing and difficult to detect. 

Essential Advice to Protect Seniors

In order to protect yourself or your senior loved one, it’s important to know how these schemes work. Here are several examples of popular AI scams, along with practical advice to avoid falling for them. 

Deep Fake Audio and Video

You may be familiar with the Grandparent scam, where an older adult receives a desperate phone call from a “family member” who needs immediate financial assistance. In the past, the person would attempt to mimic the family member’s voice. With the advent of deep fake AI audio, the caller can now clone their voice completely by using audio pulled from the person’s social media, making the scam startlingly convincing. 

Email Phishing 

Most people have received a phishing email before, but new AI tools have made this tactic more sophisticated. Seniors receive an email that appears to be from Amazon or another legitimate website claiming there’s an issue with their account. The message asks the person to click on a link and provide sensitive information, such as a password or credit card number, in order to immediately “fix” the problem. From there, the senior’s info is stolen, and there’s also a chance malware has been downloaded onto their computer. 

Government Impersonation 

This is a popular scam tactic since seniors rely so heavily on government agencies. The fraudsters use AI to pretend to be from the IRS, Social Security Administration, or Medicare and can even spoof official-looking phone numbers or documents. Many times, the scam is so threatening and scary, that seniors take them seriously and divulge personal information. 

Strategies for Staying Safe

• Educate your senior loved one about AI scams and how they operate. They may be unaware of just how believable these cons can be. 
• Never click on an emailed link. Instead, go directly to the business’ website through a browser. 
• Consider using a family code word. If someone contacts the senior claiming to be a family member in crisis, they can ask for the secret code. 
• Have seniors use privacy settings on social media and limit the amount of information they share over the phone or via websites. If they want to buy something or check the status of an online account, offer to assist them. 

Visiting Angels Loveland Can Help

Home care is another way to protect seniors from the dangers of scams. At Visiting Angels Loveland, our caregivers will provide tech guidance to seniors so they can avoid falling victim to scams, in addition to helping with everyday tasks. You can rest assured that we prioritize your family member’s safety and security. 

For more information about our flexible in-home care options, please fill out our contact form or give us a call at 970-292-5668.