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A wiser, more experienced generation has a lot of advice for younger generations, from financial best practices to relationship secrets and more. But when I asked my online followers if there was anything younger generations could teach boomers, there was one key piece of advice that came up time and time again. That’s really important. Here’s how to avoid being scammed by technology.
Fraud and cybercrime are on the rise. The FBI announced that cybercrime cost Americans $12.5 billion last year. Perpetrators usually know how to manipulate and prey on people and their humanity, directly forcing them to part with important personal data and even money. There have been a lot of warnings recently, from financial experts to cybercrime experts who have fallen victim to scammers.
With so much data related to services, insurance, pensions, social security, etc., baby boomers are easy targets for scammers. So here’s an overview of best practices to avoid being scammed.
MAC and MACBOOK infected with ‘CUCKOO’ malware that steals sensitive data
1. Don’t interact with people you don’t know
If scammers can’t engage with you, they can’t take advantage of you, so put up a line of defense. Don’t respond to calls or texts from numbers you don’t recognize. Don’t respond to emails or click links in emails from people you don’t know. This is difficult. Human nature is to want to fill in gaps in knowledge, but doing so can open the door to scammers.
Baby boomers need to learn how not to fall for cybercrime. Millennials and Gen Z can teach them. (St. Petersburg)
If someone is trying to contact you about something important, they will find a way to contact you that doesn’t compromise your privacy, security, or financial well-being. Keep in mind that even if a threat is attached, you won’t see it unless you open the email or answer the phone call.
2. Check out people you think you know or who you think are official
Some scams involve “spoofing,” where you receive an email, phone call, or text message that purports to be from a known organization, such as your bank, phone company, or IRS, when it’s actually from a known organization. Not from the organization at all. With the advent of AI, these fraudulent activities are becoming even more difficult to detect.
Here’s how to defeat them. If you receive a scam alert, note from a service provider, or other content directing you to contact an organization or person at a specific phone number or email, do not use that information. Instead, find information yourself from reliable sources and call.
For example, if you receive a text message claiming to be from your credit card company, call the number on the back of your actual credit card, not the number provided. If you receive a message from another service provider, find the customer service number on the bill that you know is legitimate.
If you receive an official-looking document that says it’s from a court or government agency, but you weren’t expecting it, find the agency or organization’s phone number and call to confirm before responding. please.
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You may feel like you’re being paranoid and inconveniencing someone, but these are the kinds of things smart scammers do to dupe well-intentioned people, even people who work in a field they’re supposed to know better. This is the method used for this purpose.
3. Heed the red flags
Anyone who tells you not to call law enforcement, asks you to withdraw cash, purchase gift cards or money orders, or go through other unusual hardships creates huge red flags and alerts. need to do it. We hope you haven’t followed the advice above and connected with someone you don’t know or have verified, but if you find yourself in such a situation, tell them you need a break and contact the police, or a friend or Please contact your family. Clarity. Law enforcement can help you determine if you are being scammed or scammed. Don’t hesitate to call the police, especially if you have been instructed not to.
Sorry to be off topic, but if you meet someone online, chances are they’re not who they say they are. If a new connection asks you for money or help, politely decline. You don’t want to become a victim of romance scams, which cost individuals more than $1 billion annually.
Here’s how to defeat them. If you receive a scam alert, note from a service provider, or other content directing you to contact an organization or person at a specific phone number or email, do not use that information. Instead, find information yourself from reliable sources and call.
4. Don’t share confidential information
If you don’t think someone should ask for personal information, let them know that you don’t feel comfortable sharing it. No one has the right to get your data.
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5. Have a password or phrase for your family
One of the cruelest scams is a scammer who claims to have kidnapped a loved one. Worry can cloud your judgment and make poor decisions under pressure. Create words and phrases that only family members know, and ask for passwords if anyone claims to be speaking on behalf of or have access to your loved one. If you are unable to do so, do not engage further and contact law enforcement.
Technology gives us all greater access to those who seek to take advantage of us. Listen to young people, criticize contacts and do everything you can to protect yourself from scammers.
Click here to read more from Carol Ross