According to a 2024 Pew survey, 90% of older adults 65 and over report using the internet. Like their younger counterparts, seniors go online to socialize, communicate, play games, and stay updated on the latest events.
Unfortunately, the World Wide Web has safety and security threats. Older adults are especially at risk, as they may be more vulnerable to cybercrime. For this reason, senior social media security must always be a top priority.
Join us here at Morada Midwest City, our senior living community in Midwest City, OK, as we share social media privacy measures and elderly online safety tips.
Understand Senior Social Media Security Risks
The first step to protecting senior data online is understanding their cybersecurity risks, such as fraud.
In a December 2023 post, the National Council on Aging (NCOA) reported that, in 2022, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received over 88,000 fraud complaints from people 60 and older. Such crimes resulted in about $3.1 billion in losses.
The NCOA also noted how fraudsters believe seniors have a lot of money. But they don’t only victimize the rich; they also target elderly individuals with lower incomes. They may also victimize vulnerable older adults, like those living alone and experiencing anxiety or depression, who turn to social media for socialization.
Common Online Scams Targeting Seniors
Learning more about how fraudsters commit crimes online is an effective strategy for improving digital safety for seniors. Some of the most common ways they victimize targets include the following:
Imposter Fraud
Imposter fraud occurs when a criminal pretends to be someone else to get their target to share personal information or send money. For instance, they might:
- Create a fake social media account under the name of a victim’s family member or friend
- Send an online chat message claiming they’re in a financial pinch
- Ask their target to send money immediately
In other cases, fraudsters may hack the social media accounts of their victims’ family members or friends. They then use the compromised account to send messages to the hacked individual’s contacts, asking for financial aid.
Romance Scams
Romance scams are also prevalent crimes often perpetrated via social media platforms. They typically target older adults; according to a 2024 post by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), seniors lost almost $240 million due to romance scams in 2022.
With romance scams, fraudsters devote months to capturing their targets’ “hearts.” During this time, they constantly send chat and email messages and, soon after, profess their love to their victims. However, they’ll still avoid video calls to prevent their targets from knowing their faces.
Once the criminals think their victim has fallen in love with them, they’ll ask for large sums of money. In some cases, they may direct their targets to send them cryptocurrencies.
What to Do With a Possible Social Media Scam
If you or an older loved one receives a message from someone you think is claiming to be a family member or friend in financial need, don’t give in immediately. Instead, video call the person you believe they are impersonating. Tell them you received a message and confirm if they sent it.
If not, report the impersonator to Reportfraud.ftc.gov, a U.S. federal government site where consumers can report fraud and scams. The site will then share the information you’ve provided with law enforcement authorities. Do the same if you think you’ve been communicating with a romance scammer.
Once you’ve reported the case, block the impersonator’s or scammer’s account. Don’t reply to their messages.
Set Privacy Filters
Many bad actors use social media profiles to get personal information from their victims. For this reason, it’s crucial to use filters to limit what other people can see. Social media platforms often allow you to:
- Control your email and phone number discoverability
- Block views from people who aren’t your friends or friends of your friends
- Limit who can see your profile, account information, and posts
To enhance the privacy and security of your social media accounts, set them to only be viewable by “friends.”
Use Strong Passwords
Another of the most critical cybersecurity tips for secure social media use is to create a strong password for each online account, which:
- Has at least 12 characters
- Combines uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters
- Looks like gibberish to anyone else
Excellent passwords don’t contain personal information, such as birth dates, phone numbers, or SS numbers. Also, please don’t use common dictionary words mixed with number patterns. For example, refrain from setting passwords like “passwordAugust191955” or “081955password.”
Don’t Be Afraid to Seek Help
If you or your older loved one isn’t super techy, please don’t hesitate to ask someone who is to help make your social media accounts more secure.
For example, Morada Midwest City, our senior living community in Midwest City, OK, has 24-hour staffing. If you or your older loved one joins our warm and welcoming community, you can rely on our compassionate care staff for help with daily living activities. You can also ask them for tips on boosting privacy and security on online social networks.
Our community can also help you or your elderly family member have a more enriching, fulfilling life through our many physical, recreational, and social activities. Participating in these daily events can make you feel less lonely and isolated and, in a way, “less attractive” to online scammers and fraudsters. You’ll also have more people to lean on if you need help with techy stuff, like making your online activities more secure and private.
Boost Social Media Privacy and Security
With scam artists and fraudsters targeting elderly adults, senior social media security should be a top priority. By implementing the strategies in this guide, you or your older loved ones can safely enjoy socializing online.
At Morada Midwest City, we encourage our older residents to stay connected online (all our apartment homes have Wi-Fi) and offline (with our many daily activities and events). Our compassionate, full-time personal care staff is always ready to help with their needs and questions.
Call us today to learn more about how we can help you or your older loved one stay social and engaged and live your golden years to the fullest!
