Module Goal: What Seniors Should Learn

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• Tell the difference between advertisements and regular online content.

• Recognize common online scams that target older adults.

• Identify clickbait headlines and emotional manipulation.

• Stay safer when using email, websites, and social media.

• Know what to do if you think you've encountered a scam.

1.What is Advertising?

Advertising is any message created to encourage people to buy a product, service, or idea.

Advertisements appear almost everywhere online, including:

• Websites

• Search engines

• Facebook

• YouTube

• Instagram

• News articles

• Mobile apps

• Email

Many advertisements are legitimate businesses trying to sell products. However, some advertisements can also lead to misleading or fraudulent websites.

How to Recognize an Advertisement

Many online advertisements include labels such as:

• Sponsored

• Advertisement

• Ad

• Promoted

These labels tell you that someone paid for the content to appear.

Example

Suppose you search:

"Best vitamins for seniors."

The first few results may say Sponsored.

This means a company paid for those results to appear first. They are not necessarily the best products. They are advertisements.

2.What is a Scam?

A scam is a dishonest attempt to trick someone into giving away:

• Money

• Personal information

• Passwords

• Bank account information

• Credit card numbers

• Social Security numbers

Scammers often pretend to be someone you trust, such as your bank, the government, a delivery company, or even a family member. They frequently create a false sense of urgency to pressure people into acting quickly.

3.Common Scams That Target Older Adults

Phishing Emails and Text Messages

A phishing scam is a fake email or text message that looks like it came from a trusted company.

The message may ask you to:

• Click a link

• Log into an account

• Verify your password

• Confirm banking information

The goal is to steal your personal information.

Example

You receive an email saying:

"Your bank account has been locked. Click here immediately to restore access."

Before clicking:

✔ Visit your bank's official website yourself.

✔ Call the phone number on your bank card.

Never use the phone number or link provided in the suspicious email.

Government Impersonation Scams

Scammers may pretend to work for:

• Medicare

• Social Security

• The IRS

• Local police

• Other government agencies

They may claim:

• You owe money.

• Your Social Security number has been used in a crime.

• Your benefits will stop unless you act immediately.

Government agencies generally do not demand immediate payment through gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfers.

Tech Support Scams

A pop-up message suddenly appears saying:

"WARNING! Your computer has a virus! Call this number immediately!"

The person who answers may ask for:

• Remote access to your computer

• Credit card information

• Payment for fake repairs

Legitimate companies generally do not display pop-up warnings asking you to call them unexpectedly.

Prize and Lottery Scams

You may receive a message saying:

"Congratulations! You won $10,000!"

Then they ask you to pay a fee or taxes before collecting your prize.

Remember:

If you never entered the contest, you didn't win.

Legitimate sweepstakes do not require you to pay money to receive a prize.

Romance Scams

Someone you meet online quickly becomes friendly and eventually asks for money.

They may claim they have:

• A medical emergency

• Travel expenses

• Financial problems

Never send money to someone you've only met online, no matter how convincing their story seems.