A poll of 1,000 Brits revealed of the 81% who have an older loved one, 41% believe they’d fall for a scam if targeted, with 30% admitting their elder relatives engage in risky online habits.
Clicking suspicious links (68%), answering calls from unknown numbers (60%), oversharing personal information (55%), using weak passwords (51%) and replying to mystery texts (47%) were the top ways they put themselves in the firing line.
The research was commissioned by Avast. Global head of scam research, Leyla Bilge said: “Technology evolves so quickly that we often focus on its impact on younger generations, but we can’t ignore how it affects everyone. Supporting our parents and grandparents with online safety can be challenging, but it’s incredibly important.”
It also emerged 26% of older Brits experienced a scam while 21% fell victim to financial fraud, among other serious threats such as data breaches and identity theft.
This left 75% of Brits with older loved ones worried about them falling victim to a scam. Other common risks elderly people have fallen foul of include dodgy emails, phone calls and test messages. With 24% being caught out by a fraudulent website.
But when it comes to storing passwords, 46% are doing so by writing them down on paper, according to their relatives. And 24% reuse the same ones across all accounts – and 17% save them as a note on a device.
Leyla Bilge from Avast added: “Think of the safety guidance you would get on a flight – put on your own oxygen mask before helping others. The same applies to Cyber Safety: learn the tips yourself first and then you can use that knowledge to help guide and inspire others. Even a single conversation could make a big difference in ensuring our older loved ones stay safe and connected in the digital world.”
Jorij Abraham, managing director of the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) added: “As online threats become more sophisticated, it’s vital that we treat cyber safety as a shared responsibility across generations. A simple conversation can help prevent a devastating scam and empower families to navigate the digital world more confidently together.”
