Resources aim to protect seniors from online fraud

14 Jun Resources aim to protect seniors from online fraud

June 15^th marks World Elder Abuse Awareness Day to acknowledge the significance of elder abuse as a public health and human rights issue.

In Canada, about 10 percent of Canadian seniors are victims of crime every year, according to the Department of Justice, with fraud being the number one crime against older Canadians. The most common types of fraud are identify theft, credit and debit card fraud, online scams, and phone and door-to-door scams.

With more seniors going online each year, it’s important that they understand the threat of fraud so that they can better identify scams when they see one and ultimately protect themselves.

ABC Internet Matters, supported by the Canadian Bankers Association, is a program that aims to help Canadian seniors not only get online, but also stay safe online. The program consists of a free workbook and downloadable resources to help new internet users learn how to use the internet. With ABC Internet Matters, adult and senior Canadians will develop a basic understanding of what the internet is, how to access it, and how to stay safe online.

In honour of Elder Abuse Awareness Day, ABC offers the following helpful resources to help Canadians stay safe online.

ABC Internet Matters workbook: This bilingual workbook answers questions like: What can I do online? How can I get online? How can I stay safe online?
Creating strong passwords: This resource teaches you how to create a strong password to keep your personal information safe online.
Staying safe online with secure websites: This resource teaches you how to tell if a website is secure and will keep your personal information safe.
Money Safety workbook: This workbook from the Money Matters for People with Diverse Abilities program has in-depth lessons to help you protect your money and personal information online
What is e-banking? This Money Matters resource teaches you how to get started with online banking and create a strong password to keep your money safe.
Identifying Spam Email This lesson plan from the Youth Teaching Adults program shows seniors how to identify email that might be malicious or fraudulent.
Canadian Bankers Association: Cyber Security Toolkit: With a cyber hygiene checklist and tips on how to spot common scams, this toolkit helps you protect against online financial fraud.