It’s a running joke with my parents that I have become their IT support. But with scams becoming more and more sophisticated, it can be hard enough for me to spot them sometimes, let alone my parents. This post looks at what you can do to protect your parents from scams as well as yourself and other family members from becoming a victim.
The Research
In 2024, there were 318,848 cases of fraud and a total loss of £2.3 billion. 61% of those aged over 65 have reported being a target of a scam.
The impact of being scammed is far reaching. Not only is there the financial impact which can be life altering, victims experience emotional and psychological effects such as depression, anxiety, loss of confidence and trauma. Not to mention the shame and stigma that goes along with this type of crime.
Awareness
The good news is that as our awareness and understanding of these scams grow, so does the measures that business put in place to protect their customers. Chums have recently published a fantastic guide for their customers with advice on avoiding scams and how to report them.
It is important to know that scams can come from all angles, be it email, social media, text messages and cold calls.
Tips to protect your parents from scams
1 Check the email address
Make sure you know how to check an email address and see if it is authentic. If you are unsure look up the company’s email address and email them directly to find out if it’s a scam. In my experience businesses are very helpful as a scam associated with their name is bad PR for them.
2 How are you addressed?
Dear Sir and Dear Madam are often giveaways. Businesses that need to contact you such as your bank will always address you by your name.
3 Is there a sense of urgency?
Scams often claim something is time critical. If there is an urgency to the request it is worth checking if it is real.
4 What are you being asked to do?
Click a link? Call a number? Transfer money?
All highly suspicious. A genuine communication with a link will tell you that you can log into your account to action the request. Don’t call a number you don’t recognise. For example, if it’s your bank, call on your normal telephone banking number. And if someone is asking you to transfer money it is highly suspicious. Always question what you are being asked to do, and how you are being asked to do it.
5 Keep passwords private
Never give out your passwords. Legitimate companies will never ask for them.
6 Have a safe word
With the advancement of AI, scams are becoming very clever. Your parents could receive a call from someone that sounds like you, claiming to be you and saying you need money. A simple solution is to agree a safe word as a family. That way the person receiving the call can ask for the safe word and a scammer will be unable to give it.
7 Learn how to spot a deepfake
Check the lip movements on videos. In AI it is often slightly off. Question whether a celebrity would really be endorsing a particular product. If they are it is likely to be on their social media channel. If it’s not then it is likely fake.
8 Is it too good to be true?
Fake companies selling your favourite brands at rock bottom prices. I myself have fallen victim to this. Even at the time I knew it was too good to be true, but I parted with my cash anyway and never received the goods, and the company disappeared a week later. I love a bargain as much as the next person, but make sure it is from a verified business. Likewise if you’ve won a competition you didn’t enter, it’s not going to be the great prize it claims to be.
9 Use your credit card
For added buyer protection, use your credit card when making purchases.
10 Set up 2 step verification on everything
I know it’s a pain. But it is so much more painful when someone hacks your account.
Conclusion
Fraud, scams, cyber crime, it’s all really daunting. But the worst thing you can do is bury your head in the sand. Learn all the tips you can to help protect you from being a victim and make sure your family knows them too. Protect your parents from scams, protect your teens on their smart phones.
The more aware we all are, the more protected we all are.
This post is in collaboration with Chums clothing brand.
