Scammers target millions of people a year in an attempt to defraud them, however, many scammers specifically target seniors.
With generally larger savings accounts, valuable assets, and the perception of being less up to date with technology, scammers typically think targeting seniors is their easiest route. In order to protect yourself and the things you value, here is a list of some ways to keep yourself safe from scams.
The first step in protecting yourself is knowing the signs, there are 3 U’s for identifying money scams. The 3 U’s are Unexpected, Urgent, and Unsecure.
Unexpected: If someone comes to you asking for money unexpectedly it is certainly a reason for concern. If the email is coming from someone you know or trust, still approach the situation with caution, give the person a call to confirm that the request was really from them.
Urgent: Often times scammers will send threatening or aggressive messages to make you feel forced to respond. Take time to think over the situation or talk to a family member or friend about it, you can also search for the scam on google to see if other’s have been caught in the same incident.
Unsecure: This tip requires a bit more attention, but when you are being told to enter your information online, look at the address bar and make sure it reads https:// if it does not have the s, it means the site is not secure and your information could easily be stolen.
Another way to protect yourself from scams is to know where to look for them. These are the 10 most common online scams that target seniors:
- Medicare Scams
- Health Insurance Scams
- Phishing
- Dating Scams
- Investment Scams
- Homeowner Scams
- Sweepstakes/Lottery Scams
- Fake Charities
- Malware Scams
- Threats and Extortion
Other ways you can protect yourself include turning on your firewall, keeping your computer’s system up to date, installing antivirus software, and making all of your passwords different and complex to protect your information.
For more information on Cyber Security for Seniors: Click Here
