What You Need to Know to Stay Safe While Staying Connected

Government Scams

Some fraudsters will pretend to be government officials in order to steal your money or identity.

Watch out for:

• Anyone suggesting that you can pay back taxes or other legal bills with gift cards, money transfers, or
  cryptocurrency.
• Calls or messages stating that someone else has been using your social security number.
• Unsolicited calls encouraging you to switch your healthcare plan or change your Medicare/Medicaid enrollment over the phone.
• Hang up immediately and call the official Customer Service number for the government entity to verify the details you were given.

Report these encounters to the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-FTC-HELP.

Relationship Scams

Many con artists will spend months creating relationships with older adults online. They establish friendships and even romantic relationships—all with the goal of building trust that they can exploit for financial gain.

Watch out for:

• Social media friend requests from people you don’t know.
• New friend requests from people you are ALREADY connected to online. This may be a fraudulent account.
• People who rush an emotional connection, expressing feelings for you that are “bigger” than what makes sense.
• Urgent requests for financial help to deal with an unexpected crisis.

Grandparent Scams

Scammers will use technology to pretend to be someone you care about, like a grandchild, to convince you that they’re in trouble and need money right away.

What to watch out for:

• Callers claiming to be law enforcement, hospital staff, or bill collectors.
• Requests for gift cards, money transfers, or cash that must be paid immediately.
• Insistence on secrecy.
• Intimidating language or threats.

What to do if you think you're being scammed:

• Do not send money or give out any personal information over the phone.
• Hang up and call your grandchild or other family member to verify the request.
• Report this encounter to your local police.

Tech Support Scams

Authentic tech support help will NEVER…

• Contact you first. If you didn’t know your computer was having problems, how would they?
• Ask for personal information such as social security numbers or tell you that your device will be locked or damaged if you don’t pay immediately.
• Use pop-up ads or other unsolicited messages to communicate. If you’re worried about a message you’re getting, take your device to a reputable service provider for assessment.
• Ask you for login information such as passwords, multifactor authentication info, or your account numbers. If asked, hang up immediately.

NEVER SHARE YOUR SCREEN WITH STRANGERS.

Smart Strategies for Online Safety

• Don’t click on links in emails, unless you recognize the sender.
• Don’t click on windows that pop up on your computer screen.
• If you don’t recognize a phone number, don’t answer the call or respond to the text message.