With the rapid ageing of Australia’s population, seniors are becoming a growing target for online scams and fraud.
Research conducted by the Joint Select Committee on Cyber Safety shows that people 55 and older account for four out of ten victims of cyber fraud in Australia.
As the fastest growing online user group, senior Australians are perceived as attractive targets for online scammers due to their access to superannuation, life savings and their assets.
In an incident early last month, an 81-year-old man was targeted by two scammers claiming to be Microsoft Windows representatives who asked him to transfer $550 to a NAB bank account.
The senior citizen, John Scott, was alerted by a NAB bank teller before transferring the money, who believed that he was falling victim to a scam.Fair Trading Commissioner, Rod Stowe, said victims of incidents such as these need to come forward to prevent further scams from reoccurring.
“Many people don’t report their experience with scammers to authorities but it is important they do because it helps Fair Trading and other consumer protection agencies warn other people to avoid similar experiences,” said Mr Stowe.
It is estimated that Australia loses $1 billion every year to cyber criminals, however Symantec predicts this figure is closer to $2 billion.
According to the Centre for Internet Safety at the University of Canberra, the issues faced by senior Australians online are common to other online demographics.
While the federal government currently has programs in place addressing cyber security such as Cybersmart and CERT Australia, there are no specific programs in place aimed at senior Australians.
A report published by the Australian Federal Police, said the implementation of the NBN would increase the growth of online criminals’ “ability to commit cyber offences…. due to the attractiveness of the increased speed.”
Although Tony Abbott plans to scrap the NBN, he is still promising faster internet speeds.
Keith Harvey, an experienced computer tutor at Muswellbrook Seniors Club and Woodrising Neighbourhood Centre, gives some top tips to help seniors avoid preventable online scams and fraud:
[list style=”square”][list_item]Thoroughly investigate all emails you receive that are supposedly sent on behalf of financial institutions. Banks and other institutions are unlikely to ask you to provide your password over an email.[/list_item][list_item]Scamming websites often rely on minor typing mistakes to claim their victims. Be vigilant when typing in addresses for bank and other such websites – sometimes the only difference between the addresses is a single letter.[/list_item][list_item]Employ common sense. If you receive an email that claims you have won a ‘too good to be true holiday deal’, it’s probably exactly that: too good to be true. If you think that the claim may be genuine, always be sure to discuss it with others first. [/list_item][list_item]Never give out your personal passwords to others or divulge them over insecure online mediums.[/list_item][list_item]Don’t pay companies using money wiring services like Western Union. Always book or pay for things on a secure system using a credit card – that way, if things go awry, you may be able to apply for a charge back.[/list_item][list_item]The internet is anonymous – anyone can claim to be anyone. Keeping this in mind, it is always essential to verify someone, or something, is who or what they say they are. Always look up companies, charities and the like to ensure they are legitimate.[/list_item][/list]
By Amelia Zhou and Tess Gibney
