Technology helps us stay connected with family, manage finances, schedule appointments, shop, and find information. Unfortunately, the same tools that make life more convenient also give criminals new ways to reach us.
Cybercrime can affect anyone. However, scammers may especially target older adults because they believe older individuals have savings, good credit, or less familiarity with newer technology.
In 2025, more than 201,000 people age 60 and older reported cyber-related losses totaling more than $7.7 billion to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.
The good news is that you do not need to be a technology expert to protect yourself. A few simple habits can make a meaningful difference.
Pause Before You Respond
Scammers often create a sense of urgency. You may receive a call, email, or text claiming that:
- Your bank account has been compromised.
- You owe money to the government.
- A family member is in trouble.
- Your computer has a virus.
- You have won a prize.
- A delivery cannot be completed.
- An account will be closed unless you act immediately.
The message may tell you not to hang up, not to speak with anyone else, or to make a payment right away. These are red flags.
Take a moment to pause. A legitimate organization will allow you time to verify the situation. Do not use the phone number or link provided in the suspicious message. Instead, contact the organization using a number from an official statement, the back of your bank card, or a website you know is legitimate.
Protect Your Passwords
Passwords are the keys to your digital life. Use a different password for important accounts, especially your email, banking, and social media accounts.
Long passwords are generally harder to guess. Consider using a memorable phrase made from several unrelated words rather than a short, complicated word that is difficult to remember.
A password manager can also create and securely store passwords for you. Whichever method you choose, never share your password or a one-time security code with someone who contacts you unexpectedly. Banks, government agencies, and legitimate technology companies will not call and ask you to read them a verification code.
Whenever possible, turn on multifactor authentication. This adds an extra step when signing in, such as entering a code sent to your phone. It can help protect your account even when someone obtains your password.
Be Careful with Links and Attachments
A message can appear to come from a friend, business, government agency, or delivery company when it actually came from a scammer.
Before clicking a link, ask yourself:
- Was I expecting this message?
- Does the sender’s address look correct?
- Is the message unusually urgent or threatening?
- Are there spelling errors or unusual wording?
- Is it asking for money or personal information?
When in doubt, do not click. Contact the sender another way to confirm that the message is real. Be especially cautious with unexpected attachments, which may install harmful software on your device.
Keep Devices Updated
Software updates are not just about adding new features. They often repair security weaknesses that criminals could exploit.
Turn on automatic updates for your phone, tablet, computer, internet browser, and commonly used applications. Keep antivirus or security software updated, too.
Only download apps from official app stores, and review what information an app requests. A simple game, for example, probably does not need access to your contacts, microphone, and location.
Use Wi-Fi Wisely
Your home Wi-Fi network should be protected with a strong password. If your router still uses the password printed on the device or provided when it was installed, consider changing it.
Public Wi-Fi at airports, hotels, restaurants, and stores can be convenient, but may not be secure. Avoid accessing bank accounts or entering sensitive information while connected to an unfamiliar public network. Using your phone’s cellular connection may be safer for important transactions.
Share Personal Information Carefully
Information posted online can help scammers make their stories more convincing. A public birthday message, vacation photo, family name, or job history may provide clues that can be used to impersonate someone or answer account security questions.
Review the privacy settings on social media accounts and limit who can see your posts. Avoid publicly sharing your address, phone number, travel plans, financial information, or photographs of important documents.
Be cautious about accepting friend requests from people you do not know. Scammers sometimes copy a real person’s name and photograph to create a convincing fake account.
Talk About Suspected Scams
Scammers rely on embarrassment and isolation. They may tell victims to keep a transaction secret or warn that involving another person will make the situation worse.
There is no shame in being targeted. Scams are carefully designed to manipulate emotions, and even experienced technology users can be deceived.
Before sending money, purchasing gift cards, transferring cryptocurrency, or giving someone remote access to your computer, talk with a trusted family member, friend, financial institution, or local law enforcement agency.
If money has already been sent, act quickly. Contact the bank, credit card company, gift card issuer, or payment service involved. Change affected passwords and report cyber-enabled fraud to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov. Reports help law enforcement identify patterns and investigate criminal activity.
Cybersecurity is not about avoiding technology. It is about using technology with confidence. By slowing down, verifying unexpected requests, protecting passwords, updating devices, and asking for help when something feels wrong, older adults can continue enjoying the benefits of the digital world more safely.
Learn more at MySourcePoint.org/cybersecurity-training.
