Adelaide Senior Lifestyle Villages & Digital Theft Education
Settling into a retirement village means enjoying your golden years with a community of like-minded folk, a variety of activities and access to all the amenities you need. The internet is one of those important amenities that residents rely on for keeping in touch, getting entertainment and managing our affairs.
At Karidis, we believe it’s important for everyone to be aware of cybersecurity risks to prevent digital theft in our Adelaide retirement communities. Below we look at what digital theft is and how to reduce the risks.
How Digital Theft Happens
Protecting our lifestyle villages from digital theft starts with educating everyone about the dangers. Digital thieves often target older people as they are less likely to be aware of cybersecurity threats like phishing, hacking, malware and other online scams that aim to steal your personal information or access your finances.
Digital theft can happen over email, texts, phone calls and social media. Scammers try to trick seniors into providing personal information often by posing as legitimate organisations, authorities or individuals. One example is acting as a bank representative and telling you there’s a problem with your account and you need to provide them with some information about your account.
Cybersecurity Tips for Seniors
In addition to building greater awareness at how cybercriminals can target seniors, we should also encourage using various security measures, such as:
- Using strong passwords with letters in different cases, numbers and symbols
- Avoiding clicking on any suspicious links and attachments
- Regularly updating apps and software
- Using two-factor authentication, such as a password and code sent to your phone or email.
Seniors should be encouraged to be especially vigilant when it comes to banking and investment accounts. Retirement villages can help educate residents and provide resources on preventing digital theft through newsletters, information sessions, meetings and one-on-one conversations. At Karidis Villages, we work with SAPOL who run sessions on cyber security and scams, ensuring residents are up to date on the latest scamming methods and how to avoid them. Staff can also help residents set up things like two-factor authentication.
Discover Quality Living at Our Retirement Villages in Adelaide
At Karidis, we focus on providing holistic, social, active and independent retirement living for over 55’s. We’re always here to help with things like cybersecurity along with a range of great amenities like swimming pools, gyms and community centres. Contact us today to learn more.
