FOR AFOR A SEARCHINGSEARCHING FOR A LIGHTHOU LIGHTHOUSESE SEARCHING LIGHTHOUSE SAFEGUARDING scams used by cybercriminals and choosing “IN 2021, SENIORS YOUR PERSONAL unique passwords combined with multifactor au- thentication, are the first steps to safeguarding AGE 60 AND OVER ASSETS: your private information from cyber predators. CYBERSECURITY LOST $1.7 BILLION & YOU YES, IT COULD AS VICTIMS OF BE YOU CYBERCRIME.” In 2021, seniors age 60 and over lost $1.7 billion as victims of cybercrime, a 74% increase in losses Anyone can become a victim of cybercrime at 1 any time! Most people, including seniors, under- from the year before. Recognizing that many se- someone to share confidential or private infor- niors own mobile devices, surf the internet, and estimate how vulnerable they are to a cyberat- tack, or the extent of the damage scammers can mation with a cyber thief. Through social media engage on social media platforms but may not be sites and dating apps, cybercriminals can conduct “tech-savvy,” cybercriminals have intensified in- inflict on our personal lives and finances once they have access to our private information. Cy- elaborate “romance scams” designed to capitalize ternet crime and fraud toward seniors by 400% on the desire some seniors have for companion- over the past five years. With so many new smart bercriminals use targeted tactics like social en- gineering and phishing to gain and then exploit ship. Another common tactic called “phishing” technologies, applications, and software designed uses an email or text, from a source that appears to make our lives easier, understanding how your the trust of their victims. It is important to un- derstand that these types of scams exist, and how to be a trusted contact to give a victim a false sense personal information is being used and where it's of security. The email or text typically includes a being stored can be confusing. Precautionary they can be used to steal your personal informa- tion and commit identity theft. link or attachment that, once clicked or opened, measures like becoming familiar with common gives the cybercriminal the ability to infect your “Social engineering” involves telling lies or inten- device with malicious software and steal your 1 FBI: Elder Fraud Report https://www.ic3.gov/Media/PDF/ tionally misrepresenting information to persuade personal information. AnnualReport/2021_IC3ElderFraudReport.pdf. 11