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A non-profit in Newfoundland and Labrador is helping seniors navigate possible financial scams with a new focus on digital guidance and online safety.
Digital Seniors N.L. has partnered with Senior’s N.L. with a new toll-free number for seniors to call for support and guidance on anything they suspect to be suspicious, like texts, emails and phone calls.
“A lot of the seniors don’t have family members that they can look towards,” Digital Seniors N.L. founder Sarah Naz told CBC News. “This is where we come in.”
Scams that target seniors are just one of the issues facing older adults in an increasingly online world. In N.L., a new support line with a 1-800 telephone number promises to help seniors bridge the digital gap. The CBC’s Zach Goudie has more.
The organization also aims to deliver learning opportunities for seniors from online banking to how to use Facebook through in-person workshops.
Naz said she has heard a lot of seniors say they are concerned about financial fraud.
Workshop participant Jennifer Whitfield said she has faced her fair share of attempted scams.
“Phone calls started coming in, people telling me I owe them money,” she said. “Or people suggesting that I press a button and give them information about my Visa card.”
Fraud is the number one crime against older Canadians, according to federal government data. That includes identity theft, credit and debit card fraud, and online scams. Statistics Canada reports Canadians lost over $638 million to fraud in 2024.
To help prevent that, Naz said it’s important that there are learning resources available for seniors.
“Our focus is … making people understand how not to be scammed, how can you prevent it, and what you need to do after you have been a victim,” she said.
Whitfield said she has reported attempted scams to the police before, but the situation was, and can be, “very scary.”
As for the new, local toll-free number, Whitfield said she will definitely be using it.
“They’re assisting seniors like me to be aware and to ask questions and to not give any information out,” she said.
The toll-free number on Feb. 16, and will be available on the Digital Seniors N.L. website and on its social media pages.
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