Quick Guide: Cybersecurity For Seniors

Cybersecurity matters at every age. Older generations are currently facing a multitude of challenges in this new age of technology. The adjustments that they need to make to participate in an online world are difficult and may even feel impossible. Unfortunately, this puts them at a greater risk for online threats that they might not even realize are out there.   

Why do these threats exist for seniors? 

There is no doubt that generational differences impact how we use technology. So, why has it become unfortunate common knowledge that seniors are far more likely to fall prey to online scams?  

Technology Comfort Level 

One obvious reason for this disconnect is that older generations have a different level of comfort with technology. They aren’t necessarily used to the devices around today because they didn’t get the privilege of growing up with them. Working with technology is a hard skill to develop, especially as an adult, so it makes sense that someone with a lower comfort level would be uninformed about potential risks. 

Trust in Others 

Someone who is new to using technology isn’t going into it with the mindset that anything could be a threat. Older generations grew up in times where trusting your neighbor was just how you lived. This can make them less skeptical when they receive texts or emails from their “bank” or “the IRS.” If you aren’t looking for threats, emails with logos, urgent notices, or personal information can seem really convincing, especially if you are used to blindly trusting these institutions.  

Familiarity 

Older adults who aren’t familiar with technology definitely aren’t as familiar with services like email, online messaging, social media, and online banking. They aren’t familiar with what the processes should look like, so it is way harder to recognize digital red flags like misspellings, strange looking URLs, or pop-ups. 

Finances 

Retired adults have to pay more attention to their financial state especially if they are collecting social security or pensions. However, if they aren’t used to online banking, they are less likely to monitor their accounts daily. This makes them bigger targets for financial fraud and exploitation.  

Outdated Devices & Software 

Older adults don’t typically view device and software updates as necessary which puts them at greater risk while using devices and software that may not have bug fixes or security updates.  

What are the most common threats? 

Certain threats have certain demographics. Seniors often fall prey to scams because their age group is the specific target. Scammers do their best to find the most vulnerable people and then cast a wide net to get as many people to fall victim as possible. Here’s a list of some of the most common threats that older adults may come across online. 

• Phishing emails & texts: fake texts or emails claiming to be from a credible source that ultimately request information about you or your online accounts. 

• Phone scams: Phone calls in which a scammer impersonates a person of authority, i.e. an IRS agent, and then extracts information from the person on the other line. 

• Romance scams: These are particularly common on dating apps and social media where anyone can impersonate a potential romantic interest to receive money, information, or sometimes just to deceive people. 

• Financial scams: These could be “get rich quick” schemes or people posing as charities or people in need. 

What can you do? 

Now that you know what kind of threats are out there and why, here are some actions you can take to prevent yourself or a loved one from falling prey to these threats.  

Device & Account Security  

• Make sure you have strong passwords in place and are using different passwords for every account you use. 

• Consider using two-factor authentication for most important accounts like online banking, email, or shopping sites that are linked to your credit cards. 

• Try and do weekly or even daily check-ins, especially if you know your information has been leaked. Check your bank accounts or set up a notification system to see each time a purchase is made. 

• Install anti-virus software that works in the background without you even noticing. 

• Use secure Wi-Fi and avoid using public Wi-Fi in places like Starbucks or the airport 

•  Limit the amount of personal information you share on public accounts like Facebook. If you want to share lots of personal information, make sure you use private accounts so you are in control of who sees what. 

Know What to Look For 

• Take a look at examples of scam messages so you know what you’re dealing with. This will help you recognize common mistakes that scammers make like misspellings, strange email addresses, odd links, blurry images, and poor grammar. Take a look at some example scams that the FTC has outlined as the most common this past year, Top text scams of 2024  

• If you are ever unsure about a message, have a way to verify the information. Give your bank a call directly or check the mail for physical copies of notifications from government agencies. A good rule of thumb is that the IRS isn’t going to text you, if government agencies need to get in touch with you, you’ll know, and it won’t be through a suspicious looking email. 

• Be hesitant to accept friend requests or messages from people you don’t know in real life. If you can’t put a face to the name, then reconsider accepting anything from them. 

Safety Nets 

• Find a person in your family or be the person in your family that people can come to with questions when these issues arise. What may seem like an obvious scam to you might be harder for others to spot so make it clear that they can give you a call when they are unsure. 

• Keep logins and passwords in a safe place. Writing them down is okay if that's your style but make sure they are kept in a safe or other locked space. An even better option is to use a digital password manager that is protected by only one master password that you’ll have to remember. Here are some password manager recommendations from Forbes, Best Password Manager Software of October 2025 

• Talk to the people around you. If you recognized a scam and caught it, share it with others so they are on the lookout.