Online Scams Affecting Seniors: How To Stay Safe Online

Online scams are becoming more elaborate, making it easy for many Americans to fall victim to their cruelty. According to the FBI, more than 100,000 seniors 65 and older are involved in online scams, resulting in more than $3.4 billion in stolen money. That is a devastating number.

In honor of Safer Internet Day in February, we want to share some popular scams that target seniors online. Additionally, it’s crucial to know what you can do to keep yourself or an aging loved one safe from being scammed.

Types Of Scams

There are many approaches scammers take to steal from people online. A few broad categories of scams include government impersonations, giveaways, tech support, and fake friends.

Government Impersonations

A government impersonation scam occurs when someone contacts you (usually via phone or email) pretending to be a government official. This type of scam is common around tax season when individuals pretend to be the IRS and convince others that something is wrong with their taxes. Seniors are also targeted by people who pretend to be Medicare representatives who need their personal information to verify their benefits.

One important thing to remember is that government officials will never send you an email or social media message to verify information. Government agencies will only contact you through traditional mail. If someone sends you an email, text message, or social media message asking for money or personal information, delete the message and do not engage with it.

Lottery Or Giveaway Scams

Another common scam is a lottery or giveaway scam. This scam is when you get an email, or you see a pop-up on a webpage claiming you won a cruise, money, or another luxurious prize. All you have to do is click a link and provide personal or payment information.

As much as everyone loves winning free stuff, people generally don’t win things out of the blue. If you didn’t enter a giveaway, then you didn’t win anything. Even if you see an online giveaway that asks you to enter to win, it’s best not to because you never know which giveaways are real and which are scams.

Tech Support Scams

A growing scam in recent years is tech support scams. These scams involve an email from a tech service you use, such as Netflix or PayPal. The email will say something about your account being down or a recent payment not going through and ask you to click a link to fix the problem.

However, a legitimate service provider will never ask you to click on a link to then enter personal information. If a company you receive services from truly needs your attention, they will request that you log in to their official website, where you address the issue yourself.

The second is that these emails will not come from official email addresses. If you’re ever concerned about an email being real, check the sender's email address. If the email doesn’t end in the official domain of the service, it’s not real. For example, if the sender claims to be from Netflix, the email address will end in @ netflix.com. It won’t be from a Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, or other general account.

Fake Friends On Social

The Fake Friends scam is another common scam seniors face. Like the name suggests, this scam happens when someone poses as your friend on social media. The scammer uses this disguise to ask for money or personal information they can steal, such as bank account credentials. Scams like this are usually not apparent from the beginning, and that’s why they can be so easy to fall for. The scammer sometimes even uses real photos of your friend they are impersonating.

If someone you think you know on social media asks for money, contact the person on the phone and ask if it’s them. If it is a real person in your life, they should feel comfortable talking to you in person or on the phone if they need help. If the person says it’s not them, you can report and block the account on your social media and don’t engage with them.

Is It A Scam? Tips To Stay Safe

Some people think scams are obvious, but unfortunately, many people on the Internet can pull off convincing scams. However, all scams have a few red flags to look out for that should alert you to knowing the person you’re communicating with is up to no good.

They ask for personal information. Scammers will often ask for personal information like your social security number, bank routing number, or driver’s license number. There is no reason for any person to ask for this information. People who do need this information, such as government entities, may ask you to verify the last four numbers of something but will never ask you for your entire number.
They become mean or impatient if you say no. Many scammers will use intimidation tactics and grow impatient or rude if you don’t give them the information they want. No professional individual is going to harass or threaten you for not providing personal information. If they do, they’re likely a scammer.
They ask for money. Money is the primary thing scammers are after in a scam. Often, a scammer will ask you to wire money to an account, or they’ll ask for your credit card information to make a charge. If a valid company or representative needs payment, you can ask them to send you a bill in the mail.
They ask you to click on suspicious links. Many online scams will ask you to click on a link that will bring you to a page where they want you to fill out your personal information. Never click on links from emails, texts, or social media friends if you’re not sure who they are. Scammers use these links to collect your information, which they then use to commit fraud or theft.

If you find yourself the victim of a scam, the first thing to do is stop communication with the individual. Next, you want to report the scam to the FBI and the local Prescott Police Department. Finally, you want to protect your identity with the Federal Trade Commission. These agencies can guide you on the next best steps to protect yourself and your private data that may have been compromised.

Assisting Seniors Online: Visiting Angels Can Help!

Visiting Angels is dedicated to the safety of our clients, including their online safety. Our caregivers keep a friendly eye over their senior clients, ensuring that whatever activities they’re partaking in, they remain safe while doing so. They can assist with safely navigating the internet and social media, as well as reviewing any suspicious messages or requests their clients might be unsure about.

« Articles & Advice

Visiting Angels PRESCOTT, AZ