Insulating against cyber threats for seniors
In an environment where technology evolves at lightning speed, cybersecurity becomes increasingly more important for seniors. Resources at the local level and beyond can help protect a vulnerable population from threats that are becoming more and more sophisticated.
Recognizing the growing digital threats facing older adults, the Fulton County Department of Senior Services launched a free online course called Avoid Cyber Threats (ACT) Cybersecurity Program.
“The purpose of the Avoid Cyber Threats online training is to teach seniors how to avoid some cyber threats that are targeting older adults every single day,” Ladisa Onilagu, director for the Fulton County Department of Senior Services, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The program, she explained, is set up to serve those living in the 10 counties of the Atlanta Regional Commission service area, but individuals living beyond those borders can also participate.
After sharing basic demographic information, participants watch videos on topics like device security and common online threats. At the end of each module, participants answer a few questions to test their knowledge and receive a certificate. Those who want to boost their scores can take the training again immediately or come back and do it again later, Onilagu said.
“I’ve tested it, and it could take as little as 35 minutes if the training is done in a group setting,” she said. “I’m recommending 45 to 50 minutes to allow for discussion and just thinking about each module, but the training really can be completed in under an hour.”
Cyber threats and offsets
Threats that are especially dangerous to seniors are varied, according to Ebony White, director of Economic Security & Social Safety Net Initiatives with the National Council on Aging.
They may include government impersonation scams in which seniors receive a call from someone who says they are calling from Social Security or Medicare and that benefits will cease if the senior doesn’t make a payment.
Romance scams through relationships built online and culminating with financial requests and fake advertisements in social media feeds are other ways seniors can get pulled into scam situations, White said.
Artificial intelligence used to manipulate voices and impersonate acquaintances on phone calls is also becoming an issue, Onilagu explained. Seniors may be induced to pay money to pull a “grandchild” out of a situation they’ve been told is harmful. And with the prevalence of smartphone usage, she said, text scams have also taken off.
Open dialogue
Falling victim to a cyber scammer can induce humiliation in victims, but Onilagu said it’s important to keep the dialogue open.
“Everyone has a story. It’s not just an older adult; it could be an adult child of a senior,” she said. “But everyone has a story about cyber threats, and the conversation just needs to continue. My goal is for the ACT program to become a kitchen table topic where seniors are not embarrassed, because that’s what’s happening.”
