Every year, cybercriminals steal approximately $40 billion from older adults (senior citizens aged 60 and over) in the United States. Cybercrime can be defined as “any criminal activity in which a computer (or networked device) is targeted and/or used.” Cybercriminals with access to an older adult person’s information via a computer, smartphone, or other networked device, can easily exploit it for nefarious intent, defined as “an act of forcing, compelling, or exerting undue influence over a vulnerable adult causing the vulnerable adult to act in a way that is inconsistent with relevant past behavior or causing the vulnerable adult to perform services for the benefit of another”.
The scope of bad actors targeting senior citizens can be explained by the lack of experience and skills in using computers/technology among the elderly, against the growing popularity of computer systems held by people of the same age, and the fact that most of them have credit cards.
In the past, people in their 70s and 80s hardly ever used computers. Nowadays, people of the same age have social media accounts, surf the Internet, and of course use smartphones.
Unlike their younger counterparts, seniors are less aware of cyber threats and, in many cases, lack the tools and experience to identify attacks and fraudulent attempts. Even elderly people with no access to computers or smartphones can fall vi ..
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