With all of the ways that we can communicate with each other come new ways that people can attempt to scam and take advantage of the elderly. One way that this is done is through phishing. What is phishing and how can you avoid it?

What is Phishing?

Phishing is a way that scammers and hackers can take advantage of people through email. An official looking email is sent to an unsuspecting senior that appears to come from a bank, investing firm or federal agency that they do business with.

The scammer then asks for personal information such as social security numbers or bank account numbers in order to “verify” some sort of information. When that data is provided, the victim has money or their identity stolen by the hackers.

How to Avoid Phishing

The worst part of a phishing scam is that the emails look official and seem to be coming from a trusted source. The first thing to remember is that no legitimate business is going to ask for this kind of information over email.

If there is some reason for concern then the first thing that you or your elderly loved one should do is pick up the phone and give a call to the “sender” of the email. They will easily be able to confirm if they sent the email or needed the info.

If you need legal assistance because of an elderly loved one being taken advantage of, contact the experts at Stano Law group.