While we're all worried about the elderly during times like these, there are other things outside of the virus to be concerned about. It seems as if scams are on the rise, and it makes sense as to why. People are at home, and their brains are all a little foggy.
Even smart people fall for scams. It's why scams are still around. With just a little bit of information, a scammer might threaten you into thinking they know more than they do. They're often quite skilled at their deceptions. They know exactly what to do and say to get you to believe them.
If it happens to you, you might think to Google ahead of time and confirm it's a scam. But this is something that the elderly may not think to do. Many older people haven't grown up with computer classes and skills like their children have. They also may be just a little bit more tempted to believe that people wouldn't have the gall to scam. Especially during a global event.
Yet, alas. Scammers are using this time to their benefit. Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum talked to Today Parents about what's happening. She also has some great ways to figure out whether or not it's a scam before calling authorities. It's something that all of us should discuss with our parents. Even though it may be an awkward topic to come up, especially if it's a "sextortion scam," it can help them save money and their pride.
A "sextortion scam" is a scam that's meant to embarrass an older person. Since people are home all day, scammers assume they may have more time to check out adult websites — even just by curiosity. While this type of behavior seems to be a bit more acceptable to a younger crowd, it's something that's embarrassing — or straight-up wrong — for some older people.
A lot of it is just based on the changing world. While everyone is free to have their individual beliefs, most people in their 20s and 30s wouldn't be shocked to learn that their partner has watched pornography. That said, it's still not something most people would openly advertise.
"Sextortion" scams prey on the people who feel as if they'd lose their reputation, or threaten their marriage, if information about their pornographic habits came out. "Scammers are playing on our fears and on our needs," said Lorrie Faith Cranor, director of the CyLab at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, while chatting with Today Parents. "All of these are things that the scammers are trying to take advantage of."
Even older adults who've never even visited a pornographic site might be terrified, just because the scammer is openly threatening to discredit their character. "In almost all cases they don't actually have any information," Lorrie Faith Cranor continued. "This is just to try to hope you fall for it. The way some of these scams work, they convince you they are really watching you."
So how are the scammers getting this personal information? A lot of that can come from a company's data breach. There's a strong chance that you and your loved ones have been the victims of a breach before. Sometimes, they're harmless to the individual. Other times, scammers can use the information as a way to find their next victim.
Even though it may be tough for the elderly to keep track of so many passwords, rotating new ones is always a safe way to make sure the scammers don't have access to all of your information. If they figure out one, they'll likely try it on all major accounts. "The most important passwords to change are going to be the ones that would be of the accounts that use that exact password or variations of it," says Lorrie.
Even if the scammer sounds threatening, nobody should ever be exchanging money. So you might be able to approach the topic with your parents or grandparents as such. Something like, "If anyone ever says they have your information and they're holding it ransom, don't go through with it," will avoid any sort of mention of pornographic sites while getting the point across.
Still, a scam can be tough to identify while it's happening. So you'll want to make sure you consistently bring it up. It can also happen over the phone. While most people are now aware of spoofed numbers, others may wonder why their number is dialing others about offers they aren't providing.
In short, you'll want to remind them to trust no one. If they shop online, help them identify good websites from scams. And think about setting up a password system for them so that their information is well protected. There's no guarantee, but it's something that'll at least give you a little bit of peace of mind.
The moment that money is involved, it's a scam. Older women may also fall for romance scammers, who pretend to be interested in them and strike up a relationship online just to beg for money. This is an even tougher situation to navigate a loved one out of, as they'll think they were forming a legitimate connection.
Romance scammers can often find their victims on social media. They usually seem too good to be true. NBC News did a report and said that there were over 25,000 complaints made about romance scams in 2019 alone. In total, $201 million was lost.
Romance scammers usually start out with a fake profile. Then they target multiple women to see who'll take the bait. Online, they might offer to be your friend on Facebook after seeing a comment you've made on a public site. Or perhaps they try to direct message you on Instagram. It's hard for people not to fall for their charms.
But they're not there for your heart — they're there for your money. NBC News met up with a woman named Joyce who declined to give her last name. Thanks to a scammer, she's lost everything. "They talk to you so lovingly that you can’t believe they'd scam you," she said. "It's like you are walking around with blinders on."
All in all, we need to remind our loved ones to avoid some of the big red flags of a scam. Spelling and grammar mistakes are a big one. If emails happen to come from a big company, you'll want to make sure the email is from a legitimate email address. More often than not, it's not. Also, you'll want to remind the elderly to avoid all links if they look suspicious.
Scammers are also all about a short deadline. They'll try to get your money now, and not later. Plus, if something seems too good to be true? It probably is. If someone online asks for money, or threatens you for money, shut it down then and there. You're just one victim of many.
