42 | August• 2017
INSIDE THE SCAMMERS’ NET
We’ve identified five of the most
common scams that target the elderly.
TELEPHONE SCAMS
Older people are often approached by
phone as they are more likely to use a
landline. A popular scam to emerge
recently starts with a phone call to
your landline purporting to be from
the bank. When you call your bank
to check, the scammers are still on
the line ready to take your personal
details and then clear your account.
“We’ve seen literally over $100,000
taken out of people’s accounts this
way,” Rickard says.
Or, as in Roy’s case, telephone
scammers call offering to fix your com-
puter so you give them remote access.
Another ploy is to convince you that
they need your banking password and
login to help catch a scammer, and
empty your account in
the process.
What to look out
for: Telephone
scams are auto-
mated calls, sent
at random until
someone picks up.
Generally there is
silence at the start of the
call, then the scammer starts talking
when they know you are on the line.
Always ask for the name and em-
ployee ID of the person you are speak-
ing to, and never share your personal,
credit card or online account details
over the phone unless you made the
call. Microsoft and Telstra do not
monitor your computer. If in doubt,
just hang up.EMAIL SCAMS
You’ll receive an email thinking it’s
from your bank, a utility company or
another reputable
source. You click
through to the
link provided
or open an
attachment,
which allows
the scammer
to download
software so they
can access your com-
puter and trace everything
you do. Sometimes the email asks you
for personal information such as your
username, passwords or credit card
number, which the scammer then uses
to access your account and take out
money. It’s known as ‘phishing’.
“A bank would never ask you for
your password,” stresses van Horen. “A
real warning sign is if they ask you to
click a link and enter your password.”
According to Craig McDonald, CEO
of Mailguard, a web and email securityNever share your personal,
credit card or bank account
details over the phone
unless you made the call