Senior Guard Cyber Security

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What you post will last forever: Be aware that when you post a picture or message online, you may also be inadvertently sharing personal details with strangers about yourself and family members – like where you live.

Post only about others as you would like to have them post about you: The golden rule applies online as well.

Own your online presence: It’s OK to limit who can see your information and what you share. Learn about and use privacy and security settings on your favorite websites.

Change your password - Has a hacker gotten hold of your passwords? Change them! Check out our secure password creation guide on our YouTube channel to learn about the art of creating a new password

Contact banks and credit card bureau - Don’t let a bad actor abuse your credit cards. If you notice transactions that you don’t remember or those that take place in states you haven’t recently visited, call your bank to cancel the card and request a new one.
You may also want to get in touch with your credit bureau to inform them of the breach and contest any outstanding charges or collections that were put on your record without your consent.

Contact friends and family – Often times, hackers who have gained access to social media, or bank accounts, may post obscene content, or make fraudulent transactions. If you are the victim of an attack on your social media account, try your best to let those who follow you know that your account has been compromised.

Scan your device for malware – Malware, or a virus, is often the cause of breaches in your account security. A scan with a good anti-virus program is always a good idea if you suspect anything. For a detailed guide on anti-virus software, visit our youtube channel.

All scammers make their money by preying on our fear, insecurities and emotions, but sweetheart scammers are perhaps among the worst.

In 2019, researchers for the Aspen Tech Policy Hub found that scams conducted on dating platforms resulted in $473 million in losses for older adults over the preceding five years, more than any other type of fraud targeting seniors. These fraudsters prey on lonely seniors, gaining their trust and affection before wheedling them out of their life savings.

This threat is particularly pressing now, as the pandemic has forced seniors to stay isolated from their friends and families.

Be careful about who you trust online. If you connect with someone on an online dating app and they ask for money, break off the relationship! You don’t want to find out down the road that someone you cared for took advantage of your trust.

When creating a Facebook profile, minimize the amount of detailed information you provide. Remember that specifics about hobbies, work history and finances could end up in the wrong hands. Be wary of what you make public, such as your photos and status updates. Keep in mind that your profile picture and cover photo are typically public. Personal and sensitive information should be private, including your friends’ list. You can adjust who sees what by reviewing your privacy settings.

Don’t share personal financial information with anyone including a potential online date. In fact, you should be very suspicious if someone starts quizzing you about your financial situation.

Be selective when accepting friend requests of someone who doesn’t sound familiar to you or you don’t know. Don’t worry about hurting someone’s feelings – it’s better to be safe!

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The internet has made shopping easier than ever before with so many online stores to buy things on. Follow these tips to stay safe when making online purchases!

1. Look for signs of a secure online store - Look at the top of your web browser and search for a padlock icon. If the padlock icon is green and in the locked position, the website is secure for purchases, if it is red or unlocked, stay away from purchases on that site.

2. Use a credit card - Using a credit card rather than a debit card is important because if the website you purchased from is compromised by a hacker, you won't be liable for fraudulent charges on your card the way you would be with a debit card. Credit cards are easier to cancel and to dispute charges with banks.

3. Keep your passwords protected - Especially when purchasing items online, make sure you are using secure passwords to sign into websites, and to access banking information, as it is some of the most personal and sensitive information that is accessible via the internet.

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Cyber Attacks can happen to anyone; however, older adults are often much more vulnerable and more often targeted by hackers and scammers. Here are some reasons why you might be vulnerable to cyber-attacks.

1. Complexity of computers and devices – With an ever-evolving world of technology, it can be hard to keep up with, and stay informed about all the tools and practices needed to stay safe online. At a minimum, keep your devices and applications up to date. If there is an update, download it as soon as you can. Chances are the update contains more security that will protect you in the long run!
2. Oversharing – Although it might be tempting to post on Facebook about your granddaughter’s acceptance into university, it is a much better security practice to keep personal details to a minimum online. Scammers and hackers often will try and link people together, and build a map of families that they can use to extort information, or even money. Make sure that your social media privacy settings are set up properly, and that personal information is kept to a minimum online. For information about how to secure your accounts, visit our YouTube channel!
3. Weak Passwords – Passwords are the gateway into nearly every piece of private information you have. Be sure to choose your password wisely, and write it down on a piece of paper in a safe place if you really have to!
4. A trusting nature – Scammers will no doubt try to hug at your heart strings in order to get you to give them money, or your personal information. Do not fall for this. They might also insight urgency, which is also a lie, make sure to read everything clearly and don’t make any immediate moves when receiving a scam email or phone call.

One of the most dangerous things for seniors online are internet scams. This guide will explain the top 3 most common types of scams, what they are, and how to protect yourself from them

1. Tech Support Scams – These scams can manifest themselves as “pop-ups” that appear on your computer screen. These could look just as legitimate as offers for real support services. Scammers utilizing this technique could be trying to get your personal information to sell, or trying to sell malicious software. Either case would result in a loss of your personal information. The best way to avoid tech support scams are to only seek tech support from the company you bought your device from. For example, Best Buy, Dell, or Walmart. Rather than a 3rd party company. If you are in a tech support call, and the representative seems to be asking too many personal questions, end the call, and contact the seller of your device to see if the interaction was legitimate.
2. Tax Scams – Tax scams are common, and often done for financial gain by the scammer. IRS scams are often found in emails, as a scammer creates a convincing email to make you think it is from the IRS. However, it is important to know that the IRS will NEVER contact you by email, or phone call demanding payment. For more information on avoiding scams in your email, visit our YouTube channel for a video on the dangers of phishing scams.
3. Ransomware – One of the most frightening and damaging scams, ransomware toes the line between a “virus”, also known as malware, and a traditional scam. Ransomware, is a damaging app that can get put on your device that will hold your personal data for ransom, not allowing you to access it unless you pay the scammer their desired amount of money. Ways that you can avoid ransomware is being careful about what you download from the internet, and what types of attachments you open from your emails. It’s always best to err on the side of caution!
We hope that this information was helpful and will be useful in keeping you safe online!
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Staying safe on, and navigating the internet can be a daunting task, but with this short list of tips, you’ll stay safe on the web!

Create passwords and make them strong – many seniors do not use the password feature on many of their devices, leaving them vulnerable to attacks, especially in public places. Lock all of your devices with secure passwords or passcodes. This will protect them in case your device is lost or stolen. Strong password tips include the use of both upper and lowercase letters, numbers, as well as a special character such as the exclamation point or “@” symbol.

Think before you click – Many of the links and images you see on the internet can lead to scams, or malware being installed on your device. Always make sure you observe carefully what it is you are clicking and always have an antivirus program installed in case anything was to go wrong.

Log out – This is especially important if you are using public computers such as in a library. Always remember to log out of your accounts, delete any saved data on the public computer, and sign off in the proper manner. Not paying attention to detail in this area could allow the next person to use that computer to see all of your personal information.

Education is the best form of protection against online scams and malware. Learn more on our website or follow us on YouTube for instructional videos.