As technology advances, people are more inclined to perform online transactions. Credit cards and other payment methods can keep your personal information secure online. Unfortunately, a group of scammers works tirelessly to find new and innovative ways to steal from seniors. These scams include phishing emails that look like they’re from legitimate companies and fraudulent websites that act just like their real ones.

Seniors are prone to fall for these scams, but anyone can be vulnerable. Since many companies have made it easier to pay your bills online, you must be aware of all the ways phishing scams can happen. The following article will help you understand exactly how these scams work and why they’re so problematic.

What Is a Phishing Scam?

The name “phishing” describes the act of an individual posing as a company in order to obtain sensitive information. A phishing scam happens when a fraudster creates a fraudulent website that looks just like the real website of a legit business. These scammers will send you an email to trick you into visiting their fake site, where you’ll have to enter your personal and financial information. When you think you’re just paying your bills, you’re giving out this information to criminals.

How Do Phishing Scams Happen?

Scammers use two different methods to trick people into giving them sensitive information.

1. The use of deception and misinformation

In this method, scammers will send you an email that tells you that your account needs to be updated immediately. These emails often look professional, but they’ll include links to appear more authentic. In order to update your information, you’ll click on the link in the email; however, instead of going to your bank’s website or a third-party site like PayPal, you’ll go to a fake website made by the phishing scammer. The link may also take you to a page that looks just like your bank’s website for it to seem more legitimate.

2. The use of social engineering

This method involves direct contact, either in person or over the phone. You may receive calls from scammers claiming to be from your bank or another business that you do business with. Under the guise of needing your credit card information to verify your identity, they will ask for your personal information, including your credit card number. The scammer’s goal is to get you to reveal personal information that you wouldn’t otherwise give out. Keep in mind that fraudsters may also pose as police officers or FBI employees and get you to share your information similarly.

With all the scams happening, you need to understand precisely how this happens. On the other hand, seniors should be extra careful because they’re the easiest to scam due to their technical limitations.

What Are The Common Types of Phishing Attacks?

These are the most common phishing attacks that you should be aware of.

Normal Phishing:

This is the most basic phishing attack. It requires no special knowledge or technical skill to execute. The scammers will create a fake email and a fake website and send it out to as many people as possible.

Whaling:

In this case, the scammers are specifically targeting businesses rather than individuals. The goal is to get companies’ employees to reveal sensitive information to pass on valuable information to criminals.

Smishing and Vishing:

These are two similar types of advanced phishing attacks that involve text messages and phone calls. In these cases, you’ll receive a text message or phone call that appears to be from your bank, a business you do business with, or the police or FBI. You must contact them using another number for information relevant to your account or identity. The scammers will then ask for sensitive information, like credit card numbers, in order to verify your identity and keep their operation hidden from those who don’t need to know about it.

Clone Phishing:

Phishing clones are different from other types of phishing because they are not sent from a fake website. Instead, the email appears as a text message, SMS, or legitimate message. The scammers will send you an email with a link to a fake site with your name. In this way, the website will appear to be from your bank, so you will be more likely to complete the information on a site that looks just like yours.

What Are Some Common Phishing Attacks That Seniors Are More Susceptible To?

The following list includes the most common phishing attacks that seniors should know about. These types are popular among scammers due to their high success rate and the amount of money they can obtain from older people.

Phishing Schemes that Start with a Phone Call: A criminal will call you and claim a security breach on your account and that your information has been stolen. They’ll tell you that they need to quickly verify your identity and ask for your bank account, credit card, or social security number.
Phishing Schemes that Begin with Social Media: Criminals set up a fake Facebook or Twitter account that looks identical to the real one. They’ll friend you and then try to get you to give them your personal information.
Phishing Schemes that Start with Email: A criminal will send you an email and claim that there is a security breach on your bank account, requiring you to verify your identity.
Phishing Schemes that Start with a Fake Site: They will set up a fake website that looks like the real thing. The fake site requires personal information to sign in and access your account.

Mind that all of these schemes have one thing in common. They all trick you into thinking that you are logging into a legitimate site. This is why it’s essential to make sure you’re logging into the correct site by double-checking the URL you’re visiting.

How Can I Avoid Phishing Scams?

There are many ways you can avoid falling victim to these scams. The following list contains some of the best ways to protect yourself from falling victim to phishing scams.

1. Don’t open email or text messages that ask for personal information: The most important thing to remember with phishing is never to give anyone your personal or financial information unless you have initiated the contact and are 100% sure about who it is. If you receive an email asking for personal or financial details, do not respond and instead report it to your bank.

2. Use 2-step verification: It’s important to ensure that all of your accounts have 2-step verification enabled to protect you from phishing and other security breaches. Google, Microsoft, Apple, and Facebook all offer 2-factor authentication that you can use to protect yourself from phishing scams. A lot of financial institutions also offer the same type of technology.

3. Contact your financial institutions directly: If you receive an email asking you to call a number or visit a website, don’t call the number and visit the site. Instead, contact your bank directly to find out if they’ve sent you something. If they haven’t and it was another scammer using their information, you’ll find out immediately.

4. Check the URL of any website that looks familiar: Before entering any information into a website, make sure it’s a legitimate site.

5. Don’t click on links in emails: People who send phishing emails will often attach a link that takes you to a fake website. You should never click on these links. Instead, visit your bank or business directly to find out if they’ve sent you something.

How Can Seniors Protect Themselves Against Phishing Scams?

The best way to avoid phishing is always to use common sense about your information. If you come across a suspicious website, visit your bank directly to find out if it is real. When using the internet or your phone, pay extra attention to anything that looks suspicious or isn’t supposed to be there. If you see something out of the ordinary, contact a family member or friend for help.

What To Do if You Are Already a Victim of Phishing Scams?

Unfortunately, this happens, but there’s no question: seniors are especially vulnerable to phishing scams, and falling victim can be devastating. If you’ve already found yourself a victim of phishing, there are, unfortunately, limits to what you can do. Here’s what you can do if you’ve already been a victim of phishing:

1. Contact your bank or financial institution: This will help determine if your account has been compromised.

2. Change your passwords: Change all your banking and financial information.

3. Contact the Federal Trade Commission: The FTC provides tips on avoiding phishing scams on their website. They also have a confidential hotline for senior citizens that are victims of phishing scams and other fraudulent activity.

4. Tell your loved ones: Let your friends and family know what’s happened so they can keep an eye out for phishing scams and other fraudulent activity in your name.

5. Install a security app: Many different apps will protect you from phishing scams by alerting you when there is suspicious activity on your phone.

6. Contact the FBI: The FBI also sends out many tips on avoiding phishing scams on their website.

This last point is significant. The FBI has started dedicated investigations into senior abuse scams, so if you’ve been a victim of a specific type of scam, you can help them find the criminals behind it.

You will receive assistance from them in filing your report if you have any additional information about the case and assistance in recovering any financial losses.

Final Thought

Phishing scams will only become more and more common as time goes on, so it’s important that every senior citizen is aware of them and knows how to avoid them. By following the steps listed above, you can protect yourself from phishing scams. However, it’s important to know that there’s no way to prevent these scams completely. So, you’ll need to work together with your family to ensure your security and protect your identity.

We at Serenity Senior Care are glad to be a resource for you and your family in this matter. We can help you find the best home care services for your loved ones – including care provided by Senior Care Experts. Contact us today to get started!

Easy Guide to Avoid Phishing Scams for Seniors