As our loved ones age, we want to ensure they’re safe and secure in every aspect of their lives. One area that may not receive as much attention as it should is protecting the elderly from identity theft. Unfortunately, older adults are a prime target for identity theft, with scammers often preying on their trusting nature and potentially vulnerable financial situations. To help protect elderly people from identity theft, we’ve compiled a list of eight ways to prevent elderly’s identity theft.
Educate Older Adults on Common Scams
One of the best ways to prevent identity theft is to educate older adults on common scams. Scammers often pose as representatives from legitimate companies, claiming that there’s an issue with the older person’s account and requesting personal information. Encourage older adults to be wary of unsolicited phone calls, emails, and letters requesting personal information. Teach them to verify the legitimacy of the request by contacting the company directly through a verified phone number or website.
Secure Important Documents
Aging folks should keep important documents such as Social Security cards, passports, and bank statements in a secure living location, preferably a locked safe. Encourage aging folks to shred any documents that contain personal information before disposing of them. This will help prevent dumpster divers from accessing sensitive information.
Monitor Financial Accounts Regularly
Aging people should monitor their financial accounts regularly, either online or through monthly statements. This will help them detect any unauthorized transactions or suspicious activity. Encourage older adults to report any unauthorized transactions or suspicious activity immediately to their bank or credit card company.
Use Strong Passwords
Aging people should use strong passwords for all their online accounts, including email and banking. A strong password should be at least 8 characters long and include a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. Avoid using easily guessable passwords such as birthdates, phone numbers, or pet names.
Beware Of Phishing Scams
Elderly phishing scams are a common tactic used by scammers to obtain personal information. Elderly people should be wary of unsolicited emails or messages requesting personal information. Teach aging folks to look for red flags such as misspellings, poor grammar, and suspicious links. Encourage aging folks to never click on links in unsolicited emails or messages.
Don’t Give Out Personal Information Over the Phone
Older adults should be cautious when giving out personal information over the phone. Encourage them to verify the identity of the caller and the legitimacy of the request before providing any personal information. Teach older adults to never give out their Social Security number or banking information over the phone unless they initiated the call and are confident in the legitimacy of the request.
Keep Software Up to Date
Elderly people should keep their computer software up to date, including their operating system, antivirus software, and web browser. This will help prevent hackers from exploiting known vulnerabilities in older software versions.
Use a Credit Monitoring Service
Consider signing up for a credit monitoring service for elderly people. These services will alert older adults to any suspicious activity on their credit report, giving them an early warning of potential identity theft.
Learn to Curb Elderly’s Identity Theft
Older adults are at a higher risk for identity theft, and it’s important to take steps to protect them. Educate aging people on common scams, secure important documents, monitor financial accounts regularly, use strong passwords, beware of phishing scams, don’t give out personal information over the phone, keep software up to date, and use a credit monitoring service. By taking these steps, we can help protect seniors from the devastating effects of identity theft.
