Senior Safety: How to Prevent Fraud & Scams Effectively

Have you ever received a call from an unknown number, and no one is on the other end when you pick up? Chances are you were on the wrong end of a phishing scam.

You’ve heard of fraud and scams. Some of us have been victims, and most of us have been targets. Today, there are countless ways to have your identity, private information, or personal belongings stolen. It can become overwhelming not knowing who or what to trust. The most common scams include emergency/loved one scams, identity theft, investment scams, romance scams, and phishing. While attempting to dodge various scams, there are still the threats of car and wallet theft. 

Scam vs. Fraud

Scam: the act of attempting to deceive or trick someone, often with the intent to gain something of value, but it doesn’t necessarily mean the scam was successful (i.e. a phishing email that asks for your bank account information is a scam, but it’s not fraud until someone uses the information to steal money).

Fraud: the act of deceiving someone for personal or financial gain, and it is a crime. It involves the illegal or dishonest acquisition of something of value, and it is only fraud when the scam is successful (i.e., if someone uses your stolen credit card information to make unauthorized purchases, that is fraud).

It’s important to note that scams can lead to fraud, but not all scams end in fraud. 

All Canadians are at risk of scams; in 2023, over 60,000 Canadians reported being targeted by a scam, resulting in over $578 million in losses to fraud and cybercrime, according to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC). Unfortunately, approximately 67 percent of those were victims of fraud. Seniors are disproportionately more likely to be victims due to lack of knowledge, especially online.

According to a study done by Pew Research Center, 67 percent of seniors surf the internet regularly, but only 26 percent feel very confident using computers and smartphones. This lack of confidence makes seniors the perfect target for even easy-to-spot scams.

At Royal Heights, it’s important to us for our residents to be safe and informed. That’s why Royal Heights Inc. hosts a Senior Fraud Prevention Awareness Seminar to help protect against scams, fraud, and identity theft. This year, Martin Franssen from the Older Adults Support & Investigate Service Unit with Durham Regional Police came to speak to us.

Here are some takeaways from the event:

Spotting Scams

These days, the increasing number of scams can make you want to sell your belongings and live off the grid. According to Franssen, there are easy ways to keep a peace of mind, like not answering unknown phone calls.

Phishing is the act of sending fraudulent communications (emails, Short Message Service (SMS), phone calls) that appear to come from a legitimate or reputable source with the intention of stealing personal information and/or money.

Messages can appear like real communications from your bank, government, police, streaming service, or even gym membership. They can look like this:

The messages will often include language that threatens to terminate your membership, pursue you for illegal activities, or bill you. It will ask for credit card numbers, passwords and contact information so it can assign your information for other scams.

Some simple ways to spot phishing scams are:

1. The legitimate source that the message is from isn’t from the region or even a service you use. (i.e,. Netflix sends you an email saying your payment is overdue, but you don’t have an account with them. Or you receive a call from Las Vegas, Nevada when you live in Oshawa, Ontario and don’t know anyone there.)
2. The message seems pixelated or blurry. Often, scammers will copy and paste or send screenshots of messages but the quality will become distorted.
3. Upon receiving a message that seems suspicious, you call the source directly and confirm they’ve sent the message. (i.e. TD Bank sends you an email with information in regards to your account. Search for the number of your local branch and have them confirm the information in the message. If they cannot, then it’s a scam.)

In the instance that you’ve been called, do not pick up if you do not recognize the number. Another tip from Franssen is to not have an outgoing message on your cell phone. Some automated phishing scams done by machines can use your outgoing message to determine:

1. The number is active and in use.
2. Your gender.
3. Your age (roughly).
4. Your location (regionally).

It opens you up to other potential scams, all because you were trying to be polite and professional with a voicemail.

Bluetooth

Have you ever turned your Bluetooth off? Did you know turning it off doesn’t remove your device from the items previously connected?

You use Bluetooth for our headphones, car radios, computers, and TVs. Just because you choose to disconnect or go out of range, doesn’t mean you’re safe. 

Bluetooth works by sending signals out to connect to whatever devices it can find within range. By connecting, you permit another device to use your information and data stored. That’s how you’re able to take hands-free calls.

Unfortunately, it’s common practice not to turn off our Bluetooth when you stop using it. Your device will continue to send a signal, and a potential scammer could use that to steal your personal information. Turning your Bluetooth off stops potential hacks; another leak of information can come from your information lingering on secondary devices.

For example, when you rent a car on vacation, you most likely connect to the CarPlay system via Bluetooth. You use the GPS because you aren’t sure of where you’re going and having some of your tunes playing helps fill the space. A text message from home sends you into a panic, but the screen displays a message saying, “Your Amazon package has been successfully delivered.” Whew! The trip comes to a close, and you’re back at the rental place, returning the keys and double-checking that you didn’t miss your flight. The flight lands safely, and you’re nestled at home, sharing all the moments of your wonderful trip. All of a sudden, you get an email from your bank saying you have a negative balance and have drifted into overdraft for which you have no way of paying back. And now you’re a victim of fraud.

Leaving your device’s data in the vehicle and not deleting it was how the hackers were able to use your data to steal from you. Just because you leave the car, it doesn’t mean there isn’t a retrievable saved record of your device and personal data. Every time you disconnect from a device that isn’t yours, always go into the menu and delete the record of your device. This can protect you from easy con jobs that steal your data in the blink of an eye.

Storing Personal Documents & Items

Another element of Franssen’s seminar was the possibility of having your personal belongings, like your card’s PIN or car, stolen without you knowing until it’s too late. Items like Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) wallets or cards and Faraday bags are great prevention tools for stopping fraud.

If you own a card with a chip, most likely, it uses an RFID tag, a small chip inside the card that stores data. When it comes in contact with an RFID reader that emits radio waves, it sends the stored data to the reader. RFID wallets or cards are lined with materials such as metal-infused fabrics or layers of conductive fabric that block or absorb the radio waves emitted by RFID chips in your cards, preventing unauthorized scanners from reading and potentially stealing your data.

Faraday bags, also known as Faraday cages, act as shields for the contents they hold from electromagnetic fields (EMFs) using a conductive material, like metallic fabric, that diverts and blocks signals. This process prevents signals like Wi-Fi, cell, Bluetooth, GPS, and RFID from reaching or emitting from devices inside the bag. You can use a Faraday bag to protect your cell phones, car keys, and credit cards from tracking.

You can grab reasonably priced RFID wallets or Faraday bags at your local Walmart or online at Amazon. Franssen notes that you can repurpose tinfoil or tin-like bags as a Faraday bag.

Keeping important documents can be a hassle, but Franssen’s method of putting all your documents in an envelope and taping it shut (almost like DIY lamination) is foolproof. Any tampering will be immediately identifiable and it’s small enough to store anywhere (your safe, your desk, or at work).

Fraudsters are using sophisticated technology to create scams that feel more real than ever. It’s important for Canadians to trust their instincts and question unexpected calls or messages. The more we learn about their tactics, the less chance criminals have to defraud us.

– Matthew Boswell, Commissioner of Competition

See Something, Say Something

Fraud and scams run rampant throughout our lives today, but you don’t have to remain an easy target. More and more Canadians are choosing to arm themselves with the knowledge to prevent fraud. Losses reported to the CAFC since 2021 have now exceeded $2 billion; however, reported instances of fraud remain low, according to a news release from Competition Bureau Canada. The most important thing is if you see something, say something. Cases of scams and fraud often go unreported and the authorities never get to investigate or stop the potential threat. Always question, verify, and confirm things that feel or look like a scam. There’s no better way to protect yourself than by educating yourself and asking for help.

From Competition Bureau Canada:

If you or someone you know is a victim of a fraud, contact your local police service to report the crime. Also, report it to the CAFC online or toll-free at 1-888-495-8501. If a financial loss did not occur, still report it to the CAFC. If you have information about deceptive marketing practices, report it to the Competition Bureau. Your reports are essential to identify links, catch criminals, and prevent further fraud.