Trudy Technology

Dear Trudy Technology,

It seems like every time I turn on the news, there’s another story about a senior falling victim to a scam. It’s making me scared to even check my email. What can I do to stay safe online and avoid these types of scams?

Sincerely,

Concerned on Camano

Dear Concerned,

AT&T has written an entire guide with excellent advice for seniors (and others!) on avoiding internet scams. It will help you learn about common online scams that target seniors, common signs that something is a fraudulent, and what to do if you encounter something suspicious. The full guide is available here: https://www.attinternetservice.com/resources/senior-citizens-guide/

Here are some of the general rules they provide for avoiding online scams:

  • Don’t send money or give out personal information in response to an unexpected online request
  • Do online searches for potential scams, such as “IRS scam”
  • Don’t pay anything (fees, admin costs) upfront when someone promises something
  • Government offices and trustworthy companies don’t ask you to pay with a reloadable card
  • Be skeptical about free trials
  • When possible, purchase through a HTTPS site, as opposed to HTTP. The “S” stands for “secure”

Hope this helps!

Sincerely,

Trudy

If you have questions for Trudy Technology, send them to feedback@islandseniorservices.org.