Our isolated seniors are spending more and more time online as a way to connect with family and friends. While this is helping them through a difficult pandemic, they are opening themselves up to certain risks from being online and communicating on various platforms.
Here are a few tips for online safety for seniors:
Online Communications– People are not always who they say they are online.
· Beware of any emails or online communications that create a sense of urgency. These emails may reference family members in trouble and they often ask for some type of financial assistance. These are scams and must be ignored. Never divulge personal information online to unsolicited communicators.
· Do not click on links in any emails from unknown persons. These links may contain malware designed to infiltrate your computer or smart phone and gain access to personal information.
· Beware of online romance scams. Anyone attempting to build a quick rapport and profess their love should be viewed with caution. Do not give them access to financial information, personal data, photographs or anything of value.
· To verify the validity of anyone you communicate with online, ask a question only the intended communicator could answer properly. If in doubt, ask a trusted friend or family member for assistance.
· If you find yourself scammed by someone online, report it to the website platform where the communications/scam occurred and file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at FTC.gov/complaint.
· Share carefully on social media. Do not provide personal information on any social networking site.
Device Safety
· Set the lock function on all devices so that when you put down your device, it cannot be picked up and used by someone else.
· Use strong passwords. It is recommended that passwords contain at least 12 characters. To make them easier to remember, you can use an entire sentence as your password. Example: MydogElliewasbornin2010! That example contains a mixture of capital and small case letters as well as numbers and a special mark, but it is a complete, easy-to-remember sentence.
· Do not overuse the same password. Create different passwords for access to different online accounts.
· If you keep a written list of your passwords, make sure they are stored safely away from your device.
· Keep all software, especially security programs, up to date on all your online devices.
At Stouffer Legal, we care about our seniors and their online safety. For more resources and tips, check out the FTC’s Pass It On for Seniors program. To schedule a consultation with one of our elder law attorneys, call us at (443) 470-3599 or email us at office@stoufflerlegal.com.
