Online Scams Targeting The Elderly

Introduction:

According to Avast, “An online scam is a deception carried out over the internet with the aim of tricking individuals into giving away personal, financial, or other sensitive information, or directly stealing their money.”

Online scams can happen to anyone. New research commissioned by Ofcom reveals that 9 in 10 UK adults have encountered content they suspected to be a scam or fraud.

Unfortunately, online scams are becoming increasingly common, particularly among older adults. The findings of a recent report from Independent Age is shocking. It found that:

• Nearly three in five (61%) people aged over 65 have been the target of fraud or a scam
• On average, older people who have been scammed have lost nearly £4,000 each
• 45% of older adults report that fraud negatively affected their financial health

We can do more to protect older adults from online scams. This blog will look at typical online scams, how to avoid them, and how to stay safe at home.

Let’s get into it.

Typical Online Scams

We have heard of phishing, fake websites and email scams, but what do they look like, and how do you know if you are being scammed?

Online scams can take many forms, and some look incredibly convincing. However, there are a few things you can look at to help you identify if this is a scam or not.

1: Phishing Emails / Email Scams

This is where someone pretends to be a person from a trusted business to get access to your information.

Look out for:

• The email address: Look at the email address from the sender. Does it look strange? Is it the same email address as what is on the business website?
• Personal details: Are they requesting personal information such as bank details or passwords? Businesses will never ask you to share these details by email.
• Time-limited offers: These are often created to cause urgency, so you should click now without considering whether this is fake.

TIP: Do not reply to or click any links in the email. If you are unsure if it is a scam, call the organisation using the official phone number on its website and ask if they have sent you an email requesting information.

2: Fake Websites

Some websites pose as official websites to obtain your bank card details, passwords, and personal information.

Look out for:

• The website URL/domain – Does this look right? Do your research online to see if the domain matches the organisation they claim to be.
• Website security: Does the website’s URL begin with ‘https’? This indicates that the website is secure and your data will be sent securely. If it does not, the website could be a scam.
• Bank transfer: If the website requests a bank transfer rather than secure payment by debit or credit card, this could also be a scam.

TIP: Perform due diligence on the website before sharing personal information or purchasing. Look for key signs that it might be fake, and check company reviews from a verified source such as review.io or Trustpilot.