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Fraud and identity theft are sadly common among vulnerable groups, and none more so than senior citizens. Many seniors are not aware of the threats now present with the Internet. What’s more, anyone with a cognitive disease, like dementia, might get easily confused and therefore present an easy target.
However, there are some ways that you can help protect seniors in your care. Here are a few ideas from the team at Best Care.
When thinking about how to prevent cyber security attacks, the first step is to make sure the senior in your care or your elderly loved one is surrounded by trustworthy people. You should conduct background searches on anyone who has regular contact with the senior, especially if they are allowed access into the home.
It’s unfortunately very easy for people to gain elderly people’s trust and then get hold of sensitive information while in the home.
The next step for how to prevent cyber security attacks on seniors is to educate them so they can protect themselves. Discuss common scams with them openly, focusing especially on what to look out for.
These include:
Some seniors might be reluctant to think of themselves as targets, but let them know that these scams can happen to anyone. It’s not about intelligence or experience! Today’s scammers can be very sophisticated, so empower your loved one to always be wary.
Any official bank representative, for example, would understand someone needing to check details. Tell the recipient of care or loved one that if they’re feeling pressured to make a decision—either on the phone or through online communication—that something might be wrong.
Finally, try to be as transparent about finances as possible. Encourage your elderly loved one to share mail, email, and financial statements with you or someone they trust, so you can make sure everything’s okay. Once again, some seniors can feel like they’re being patronized or checked up on, so broach the topic delicately.
Emphasize that it’s all in aid of protecting them, rather than belittling them.
You can also take out identity theft protection for seniors, in case anything should go wrong. This is a special form of insurance that will also monitor for anyone’s personal or financial information for sale on the black market. This should alert you and your loved ones sooner, should the worst happen.
If you have any questions about how else to protect seniors in your care, don’t hesitate to contact Best Care. We’re here to help!
