How to Protect Older Relatives From Phone and Email Scams

Scammers do not only target people who are bad with technology. They target people who are polite, trusting and willing to help, and that often means older adults. If you have a parent or grandparent who uses a phone, tablet or computer, a little preparation can save them a lot of money and stress.

The scams we hear about most

Fake tech support

A pop-up says the computer is infected and shows a phone number to call. Or someone calls claiming to be from a big tech company. Either way, they ask for remote access and payment. We cover this in detail in our guide to tech-support scam pop-ups.

Fake bank or account alerts

A text or email says there is a problem with a bank account, a delivery or an online order, with a link to "fix it". The link leads to a fake page that collects passwords and card numbers.

The grandchild emergency

A caller says a grandchild is in trouble, in jail or in the hospital, and needs money right away, and to keep it secret. Some scammers now use cloned voices that sound like a real family member.

Gift card payments

Any request to pay with gift cards is a scam. Real companies and government agencies do not ask for gift cards.

Teach a few simple rules

Short rules are easier to remember than long explanations:

1. Never call a number from a pop-up, text or unexpected email. Use the number on the back of the card or from a statement.
2. Never let anyone you did not call into your computer with remote access.
3. Hang up and call back. If a caller says they are the bank, a family member or the police, hang up and call the real number.
4. Urgent and secret means scam. Pressure to act right now and keep it quiet is the biggest warning sign.
5. Call me first. Make it clear they can always check with you, without feeling embarrassed.

Agree on a family code word that a real relative would know in an emergency.

Settings that help

• Turn on spam call filtering on the phone and the carrier's call-blocking options.
• Silence unknown callers if they mostly hear from people in their contacts.
• Turn on automatic updates for the phone, tablet, computer and browser.
• Use a password manager or a written password book kept somewhere safe at home, instead of reusing the same password everywhere.
• Turn on two-factor authentication for email and banking.
• Set up bank alerts for large transactions, so unusual activity is noticed fast.

If they have already been fooled

Act quickly and without blame. Embarrassment is what keeps people from reporting it.

1. Call the bank or card company using the number on the card, and explain what happened.
2. Change passwords, starting with email and banking, from a different, trusted device.
3. If someone had remote access, turn the computer off, disconnect it from the internet and have it checked before using it for anything personal.
4. Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

We can help

If a scammer has been on a computer, our virus and malware removal service checks for and removes anything left behind and sets up protection. Many families in Canton, Woodstock and Holly Springs also bring in a parent's phone or computer just to have updates, backups and security settings set up properly.

Keep your family safer with Alpha Computers

Chuck and our team have more than 26 years of experience and over 20,000 devices repaired. Every repair includes our 1-year warranty and No Fix – No Fee promise. Call 678-899-6800, stop by our shop on Hickory Flat Hwy, or request a free quote.