Man oh man is the world of technology evolving rapidly. Hackers and scammers are becoming more clever and it is important to always be 10 steps ahead of them. DID YOU KNOW older adults are likely to be more vulnerable to being scammed. There are many reasons that can be. In 2021 almost 100,000 victims of the scam were older senior adults. This resulted in 1.7 billion dollars in losses…. Look out!!! While this is happening there are many things we can do in an effort to prevent this.
- Look out for suspicious activity on your accounts or logins
- NEVER click a link from a random number that you do not recognize
- Always be sure the link matches a valid site
- Keep an eye that your money is accurately being taken out after purchases and that there are no suspicious amounts being removed
- Create a strong password
What is a strong password??
- Sequences of letters and words that do not make sense and do not use any common words, names, or any dates
- A common technique is to pick letters from a sentence to make your password
- Incorporate numbers and symbols to make it less obvious
- EX: I LOVE TO SKI IN COLORADO
- ILTSIC?4871
- EX: MY CHILD WAS BORN IN 1986
- M1C9W8B6I$
- EX: I LOVE TO SKI IN COLORADO
Okay, but now you are wondering: “What do I do if I get hacked?”
- Change your password immediately
- Log out of all devices
- Contact the application’s Help Center
- Set up-two factor authentication (when there is an option)
- Monitor online accounts closely for a while for suspicious activity
- Set up biometrics: fingerprint or facial recognition
- Create security questions, but avoid very personal information
Now you are one step closer to becoming a security genius!!
Technology can be intimidating, and so can day-to-day care needs. If you or a senior loved one could use some help finding the resources you need for care, our team is here for you. Contact us online or reach out to us at (949) 566-1871 to learn more about Superior Aging Care and how we can help.
