Technology runs almost everything now. With a few taps on the screen, we all use it to manage our lives and connect with each other. For many seniors, it’s basically a true lifeline. But, it comes with a downside with scammers looking to exploit any moment of uncertainty.
Recently, I discovered that one of my clients started receiving alarming text messages warning her that her iPhone storage was almost full. Without any family nearby to turn to – and given her general lack of tech skills – she innocently clicked on the links in the texts. One tap led to another and another, and she was soon subscribed to dozens of nefarious apps. Each of these apps promised to “clean” her phone or “protect” her treasured photos and contacts. Sickeningly, each app came with a big weekly-recurring charge.
Appallingly, these apps were available on Apple’s App Store with the weekly financial transactions facilitated by Apple itself. This scam turned into a quiet siphon, draining her bank account week after week and month after month. The work to help her recover her money is ongoing, but not guaranteed.
It’s becoming nearly impossible for me not to blame both Apple and the bank for refusing to build some safeguards for situations like this. A flurry of new, recurring charges from the same device should trigger a warning and an offer of support, if not a freeze on the charges. I understand it’s hard for them to manage, but I’m quite confident they’ve got the financial resources and the tech prowess to better protect their most vulnerable customers. As we all know, technology is becoming incredibly difficult for our seniors to navigate on their own.
My earlier advice from past columns on cybersecurity still stands. You simply must create a layer of defense. The most basic layers are to use unique and hard-to-guess passwords, set up two-factor authentication for all of your financial accounts, freeze your credit files and identify a trusted contact to call whenever things get confusing. I cannot recommend strongly enough that you need someone to call when you have even an ounce of concern.
I am now adding another layer to the mix. Make it a habit to review your iPhone or iPad’s app subscriptions. Yes, that means you’ll need to dig into your phone’s settings. And, yes, you also need to closely review your bank and credit card statements for odd-looking, recurring charges.
The reality is clear. The scams are evolving fast. The coming wave of AI-enabled fraud will make today’s tricks look downright quaint. Without any help from Congress to mandate accountability from our tech companies and banks – in fact, the exact opposite is happening – more sad stories are on the horizon. I encourage you to at least take the most basic steps to not become one of them.
