Staying safe online
The online world puts so much at our fingertips – it’s a truly incredible tool. But as with exploring any new place, it pays to know what’s safe and where you need to be careful.
Email scams
It’s become more common to receive information from companies via email these days, instead of in the post. Things like rates bills, electricity bills and even credit card statements can all turn up in your email inbox, so it’s important to be able to tell these genuine emails from ones that are fake.
The term ‘Phishing’ describes bogus emails that are sent to people in an attempt to trick them into supplying personal information or money. These emails can vary a lot in content and appearance, making them hard to spot as fakes. They might look like they’re from your bank, or a company or supplier you use, and could ask you to confirm a password or update your account.
Phishing emails might tell you that you’ve won a lottery or competition and contain links or have documents attached that you are asked to open. Sometimes, they can even be emails claiming to be from someone you know asking for money because they are in trouble or stranded.
If you’re worried or suspicious about any email, don’t click any of the links within it, or open any attachments, or call any numbers contained in the email.
How to spot an email scam:
Firstly – banks and financial institutions will never ask you for personal information via email. If an email claims to be from your bank, then look up your bank’s contact details yourself and call them directly to check.
If an email doesn’t use your actual name and is addressed to ‘Dear Customer’, this could be a red flag.
The sender’s email address may look strange, with odd numbers and words that give it away as a fake.
The sender’s email address may look official but it might be different to your bank or credit card company’s real email address.
The email asks you to click a link to confirm your account details or update your password.
You get a delivery email saying a package is being held for you until you pay a fee.
A common tactic of scammers is to make everything sound urgent. The email might contain scary messages like, “Act now or your account will be closed permanently.”
You might get emails that include links or documents, with a short message or text saying, ‘Check this out!’ or words like that.
Most email providers have spam filters that block unwanted emails but some will always get through. Be alert to them.
What to do:
Don’t respond to any email that requests your personal information, such as username, passwords, bank details, credit card number or date of birth. Call the company involved to verify the email’s authenticity.
Never click on any links if you aren’t certain that they are legitimate.
Never open any attachments if you aren’t certain that they are legitimate.
Computer security scams
Computer scams happen when fraudsters contact you by phone, claiming to be from well-known companies (like Microsoft). They might say that you need to let them access your computer, or they might try to get you to upload some computer software, which is really spyware or viruses. If you let them do any of this then they could gain access to any personal information you have stored on your computer.
What to do
Don’t engage with calls like these as reputable computer or IT companies never contact customers this way. If you get a suspicious call like this, hang up. If you’re unsure, look up the company that the caller claims to be from, as you may well find online records of other people being scammed in a similar way.
Passwords
Whether you’re shopping online, doing internet banking or simply reserving library books, many websites will ask you to create an account and set a password. This is a common way of proving your identity online.
Tips for passwords:
It’s important to have strong passwords that are hard for anyone to guess. Many websites will assess your password as you enter it and let you know if it’s strong enough. As a general rule of thumb you should aim for 10 characters, and include a combination of upper and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols, not proper words. Never use personal details (name, pets’ names, date of birth).
Passwords like ‘12345678’, ‘Password123’, ‘[yourname]1956’ or your birthday will make your accounts incredibly easy to hack. If you have any like these, change them!
Try to use a different password for each website in order to minimise risk. This way, even if somebody guesses one of your passwords, your other accounts stay secure.
A useful way to create passwords that you’ll remember is to use a short sentence that means something to you and then transpose some of the letters with numbers and add uppercase letters. For example, a supermarket shopping password could be “RememberThe50Teab@g$!”
It’s best not to write your passwords down anywhere. If you struggle with memory, there are free and simple password manager apps you can use to keep your passwords safe. If you do feel the need to write passwords down, make sure you keep them safe and well away from your computer, ideally in an unmarked notebook. For useful tips on how to create a strong password, check out our password article.
Online shopping
The internet has changed the way we shop. You can sit at home with a cup of tea and in just a few clicks order your groceries for the week, or buy clothes, new gadgets, even pet toys – almost anything can be delivered right to your door.
Shopping online usually requires credit card details for payment, although some sites will also offer bank transfer or PayPal. It’s a good idea to use a credit card for online transactions as the card comes with purchase protection from the credit card company. This means they are equally responsible if anything goes wrong with your purchase and can help you get your money back.
Tips for secure online shopping:
Use a strong password for every online shopping account.
Only shop with online retailers that have good reputations. If you haven’t heard of a particular brand or product, do a quick Google search for some reviews.
Check where the seller is located; don’t assume they’re based in your country. If you do buy from a seller outside of your country it will be harder to enforce your rights or laws if something goes wrong.
While entering your card details, make sure no one else can see your screen.
You will never be asked to enter your card PIN online. If any websites request it, you will know that they are not secure. (Note – your card PIN is different from the CVC number on the back of your card. The CVC is generally a required step in an online credit card transaction.)
Once you have finished your online shopping, always log out. Otherwise, anyone using the computer after you can access your information.
Social media security
The over-65s are one of the fastest growing groups on social media. Sites like Facebook have become a great way to stay in touch with friends and family, keep up-to-date with the local community, or just check out what people have been up to. But like any online space, you need to keep safe while using it.
Tips for safe social media:
Use secure and different passwords for each of your social media accounts.
Review your privacy settings and update them regularly – you can decide who gets to see your posts and information. If you’re not sure how to do this, Google “How do I change my privacy settings on [social media site here]….” and it will link you to a step-by-step guide.
Don’t post information on public pages that could identify your address or other personal details.
Be on the lookout for scams.
This is just a basic introduction to online safety – if you want to know more then check out our other articles. You could also look into joining a group like Seniornet, which specialises in helping older people learn how to use technology. The best way to approach online safety is be informed and take charge of doing your part to stay safe.
