Dear Savvy Senior, I spend a lot of time online and love the convenience of paying bills, shopping, and following my grandchildren on Facebook and Instagram. But a few months ago, my computer was infected with malware, and I just found out that some online scammers opened a credit card using my ID and went on a shopping spree. Do you have some simple tips to help me stay safe while online? Patty is paranoid
Dear PattyUnfortunately, cybercrime against the elderly remains a major problem in the United States. According to the FBI’s 2022 Senior Fraud Report, cybercrime cost Americans over 60 more than $3 billion last year, a whopping 84 percent increase from 2021.
kAm(9:=6 2?J@?6 42? 36 DF3;64E E@ 4J36C4C:>6D( D6?:@CD 2C6 7C6BF6?E E2C86ED 3642FD6 E96J E6?5 E@ 36 >@C6 ECFDE:?8 2?5 92G6 >@C6 >@?6J E92?E96:CJ@F?86C 4@F?E6CA2CED) qFE E96C6 2C6 2 ?F>36C @7 E9:?8D J@F 42?5@ E@ AC @E64E J@FCD6=7 7C@> @?=:?6 7C2F5( 924<:?8 2?5 D42>D) w6C6 2C6 2 76H E:AD E@ 86E J@F DE2CE65)k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m$EC6?8E96? J@FC A2DDH@C5Dik^DEC@?8m p DEC@?8 A2DDH@C5 D9@F=5 4@?E2:? 2E =62DE `a 492C24E6CD 2?5 :?4=F56 ?F>36CD 2?5 2 DA64:2= 492C24E6C( =:<6 2? 6I4=2>2E:@? A@:?E @C 2DE6C ๐<) q6 DFC6 E@ 492.86 FA J@FC A2DDH@C5 24C@DD 5:776C6?ED:E6D E@ 6?DFC6 2 924<6C H@F=5 ?@E 82:? 2446DD E@ 2== 244@F?ED E9C@F89 @?6 A2DDH@C5) p?5 <66A 2 HC:EE6? =:DE @7 2== J@FC A2DDH@C5D DE@C65 :? 2 D276 D64FC6 A=246)K^am
How much~? J@FC D>2CEA9@?6 @C E23=6E( 36 DFC6 E@ D6E FA 2 7@FC @CD:I\5:8:E !x} E@ AC@E64E J@FC 56G:46) k^am
kAmkDEC@?8m~AE @FE @7 A@A\FADik^DEC@?8m %@ AC@E64E J@FCD6=7 7C@> 4@>AFE6C G:CFD6D 2?5 @E96C 7@C>D @7 >2=H2C6( >2<6 :E 2 923:EE@ 2G@:5 2?JA@A\FA DEJ=6 >6DD286 H96?J@F’C6@?E96 H63) $@>6E :>6D 924<6CD 5:D8F:D6 E96:C >2=H2C6 2D A@A\FA 25G6CE:D6>6?ED @C โDA64:2= @776CDโ H96? J@F’C6 D9@AA:?8 @C C625:?8 @?=:?6) r=:4<:?8 @? E96D6 A@A\FAD 42? =625 E@G:CFD6D @C 52E2 3C62496D)k^Am
kAmx7 J@F 6?4@F?E6C 2 DFDA:4:@FD A@A\FA >6DD286( 5@?’E 4=:4< @? 2?JE9:?8 :? E96 H:? 5@H) $:>A=J =62G6 E96 D:E6 @C 4=@D6 @FE @7 J@FC H63 3C@HD6C)k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m(96? ๐ 5@F3E) E9C@H :E @FEik^DEC@?8m $@>6E:>6D @?=:?6 924<6CD H:== D6?5 J@ F 2? 6>2 := @C E6IE >6DD286 2?5 AC6E6?5 E@ 36 D@>6@?6 E96J’C6 ?@E ๐ @C56C E@ 4@?G:?46 J@ FE@ D92C6 G2=F23=6 :?7@C>2E:@? H:E9 E96>( DF49 2D J@FC $@4:2= $64FC:EJ }F>36C( 255C6DD @C 4C65:E 42C5 :?7@C>2E:@?) %9:D ๐ 42==65 A9:D9:?8)k^Am
kAmx7 J@F C646:G6 2 >6DD286 7C@>2? F?
kAmkDEC@?8m$92C6 H:E9 42C6ik^DEC@?8m %96C6 ๐ DF49 2 E9:?8 2D @G6CD92C:?8( 2?5 :E 567:?:E6=J 2AA=:6D E@ @?=:?6 AC@7:=6D) ~? D@4:2= >65:2 A=2E7@C>D =:<6 u2463@@<( x?DE28C2>(2?5%H:EE6C(@?=:?6 924<6CD 42? 62D:=J 82E96C :?7@C>2E:@?23@FE J@F 7C@> H92E J@FA@DE โ =:<6 H96C6 J@F =:G6)k^Am
kAmt?DFC6 E92E J@FC AC:G24J D6EE:?8D 2C6 FA E@ 52E6 D@ E92E @?=J A6@A=6 H9@ 7@==@HJ@F @C 2C6 J@FC u2463@@ < 7c:6?5 42? D66 J@FC A@DED)k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m’6C:7J H63D:E6Dik^DEC@?8m q67@C6 J@F D9@A @C 2446DD J@FC 32?< @?=:?6( 5@F3=6 4964< E96 G2 =:5:EJ @7 E96 H63D:E6 J@F'C6 FD:?8) #6AFE23=6 D:E6D FD6 E649?@=@8:6D DF49 2D $${ W$64FC6 $@4<6E {2J6CX E92E 6?4CJAE 52E2 5FC:?8 EC2?D>:DD:@?) *@FH:== D66 2 =:EE=6 A25=@4< :4@? :ุ J@FC 3C@HD6C 2?5 FDF2==J "9EEAD" 2E E96 7C@?E @7 J@FC 255C6DD 32C E@ 4@?7:C> :E’D 2 D64FC6 4@??64E: @?) x7 J@F 5@?’E D66 :E ๐ E96 H63 255C6DD E92E J@F’C6 @?( J@F D9@F=5 ?@E ECFDE E92E H63D:E6 H:E9 J@FC A2DDH@C5D( A2J>6?E @C 32?<:? 8 :?7@C>2E:@?)k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mw2G6 D@>6 324<\FAik^DEC@?8m !C24E:4:?8 D276 923:ED H:== AC@E64E J@F 2?5 J@FC :?7@C> 2E:@?(3FE J@F 5@?’E 92G6 E@ C6=J @? ;FDE J@FCD6=7 E@ DE2J D276) p?E:\G:CFD D@7EH2C6 H@C<8C@F?5 E@ AC@E64E J@FC 4@>AFE6C 7C@> 2 G2C:6EJ @7 >2=H2C6 2?5 96=AD E@ >2<6 E :62D:6C 7@CJ@FE@ 2G@:5 E9C62ED H9:=6 DFC7:?8 E96 H63)k^Am
kAmu@C>@C6 :?7@C>2E:@? @? 9@HE@ D2768F2C5 J@FC A6CD@?2= E649?@=@8J 56G:46D 2?5 :?7@C>2E:@?( G:D:E k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^r@?DF> 6C)7E4)8@GQmr@?DF>6C)7E4)8@Gk^2m 2?5 D62C49 U=5BF@j!C@E64E *@FC !6CD@?2= x?7@C>2E: @? 2?5 s2E2)UC5BF@jp?5 E@ C6A@CE 7C2F5 2?5 :56?E:EJ E967E 8@ E@ k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^#6A@CEuC2F5)7E4)8@GQm#6A@CEuC2F5)7E4 8@Gk^2m 2?5 k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^x56?E:EJ%967E)8@GQmx56?E:EJ%967E)8@Gk^2m)k^Am
