By Pam Wright
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
As fraud against seniors continue to rise, local residents must remain vigilant.
A wary approach is especially important when it comes to online con artists and telephone voice scams, according to Aaron Watson, Community Living Chatham-Kent’s manager of information systems.
Watson, one of the keynote speakers at a Senior Fraud Prevention and Safety Event at the Bradley Centre July 29, said seniors need to use critical thinking when faced with encounters that could lead to fraud.
“Stop before you act,” Watson cautioned. “We need to be our own firewall. You can block everything that comes to you up front and then decide whether or not it should get through.”
When it comes to seniors and fraud, Watson said the elderly are particularly vulnerable to voice scams as Artificial Intelligence (AI) gets better and better at reproducing the human voice.
Online “phishing” is another common cybercrime seniors face, Watson said, where attackers trick people into sharing personal information like passwords, bank numbers, or credit card data.
Spear-fishing is another common tactic, he added, as tricksters will glean information about you from social media and use that information to draw you in.
“For example, if they approach you and they have the last four digits of your credit card number and your name, how likely are you going to interact with them?” Watson questioned, adding criminals gain access to personal information on social media or when large databases get hacked.
Sadly, he said, scammers will often try again.
“Unfortunately, once you are comprised, odds are they are going to target you again,” Watson, explained, especially if they have access to your contact information.
According to Watson, seniors are a vulnerable segment of the population because they’ve been taught to trust authority.
“It’s not just seniors that have been taught that, but they come from a generation that trusts,” he added. “So, when they’re approached by people that present themselves in positions of authority, it makes it a harder for seniors to distinguish.”
However, Watson said there are many ways for seniors to fight back. Using different “strong and unique” online passwords for different sites, is a good start and people are advised not to use the same password repeatedly.
Adding multi-factor authentication wherever possible is another smart move, said Watson, as agencies will send a code over the phone to use alongside a password.
Ensuring software and hardware are up to date can also combat cybercrime, he advised, as the average cellphone only provides five years’ worth of security updates.
Reaching out to others for help is also recommended, Watson explained.
“If in doubt, ask somebody,” he added, noting it’s wise to consult with someone familiar with technology.
“I think one of the biggest things is that people feel they are going through this in isolation, ” Watson said. “A lot of scams and cybercrimes go unreported.”
Chatham-Kent–Leamington MPP Dave Epp, who spearheaded the fraud and safety symposium, said he was prompted to set it up due to the volume of questions from constituents.
“We’ve seen the number of inquiries about fraud rise at our offices, as well as anecdotally,” Epp said, adding the event was well attended by the public.
Epp said a similar event will be held in 2027.
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