As more and more older adults turn to their smartphones, laptops or other devices for holiday shopping, scammers are coming up with new tricks to ruin Christmas.
Online scams against older adults are expected to increase this month, including offers from fake look-alike “stores” or missed delivery notifications, the US Attorney’s Office has warned.
“December is the month of giving, but it’s also the time of year when cybercriminals try to take advantage of consumers, quickly turning a joyous season into a living nightmare,” US Attorney Dena J. King said in a statement.
Although the most likely targets for such scams are older adults living at home, long-term care facilities and communities also should be making sure their residents and their families understand the current risks around online fraud.
Fraud aimed at older adults, even online, is nothing new, and many older adults are becoming more savvy about being targeted.
But the combination of increased online shopping and new digital tools that use artificial intelligence has created new potential threats.
One concern is that many people, including older adults, more often are using payment apps such as Venmo or Zelle; they can make it easier to send money to more vendors than ever but also provide less consumer protection if payment is sent to the wrong person, or a scammer, the AARP warns.
AARP’s Fraud Network is a free resource that anyone can access, and the organization sends out a “fraud knowledge” survey every year. This year, less than 30% of survey respondents were able to score a 7 out of 10 or better when quizzed about fraud issues, the AARP reported.
Over the past few months, Congress and the Senate Special Subcommittee on Aging have warned that AI tools have engendered more sophisticated scams, such as creating fake images or conversations that can credibly mimic family members or government agents.
