CYBERSECURITY AND OLDER AMERICANS: We more connected to technology than ever before. We can get our news the moment it happens; we can learn about complex subjects from information sources around the world; we can run errands, do our banking and shopping, without leaving home; and we share ideas and keep in touch with family and friends, no matter their location. All of this is due, in part, to cyber technology. Yet for all of its advantages, increased connectivity brings increased risk of theft, fraud, and abuse. As of April 2012, 53 percent of Americans age 65 and older use the Internet or email – the first time this group has exceeded 50 percent in several years.
CYBERSECURITY AND OLDER AMERICANS: Increasingly older Americans use the Internet to get involved in community groups, shop, plan travel, manage finances, and keep in touch with family and friends. But while the Internet brings many conveniences, it also comes with risks. Cybercriminals use sophisticated techniques to appear legitimate; they pose as friends or family members, banks, charities, mortgage vendors, and even healthcare and low-cost prescription providers to steal information in order to conduct identity theft, phishing schemes, credit card fraud, and more. Learning about ways to protect your identity and personal information online is just as important as understanding how to use the latest technology.
