In the past 25 years alone, technology has completely changed the way we think about everything. From the Dot-com bubble, to “(there’s) an app for that,” to the current AI trends, each generation has brought its own new opportunities—but also its own security risks. While we all need to be careful of our internet safety and privacy, this is especially true for vulnerable populations like seniors. According to AARP, seniors lost an estimated $4.8 to $4.9 billion to fraud and scams in 2024; Those numbers are staggering as-is, but it’s especially tragic as many who find themselves victims lack recourse to recover the lost funds.
In the New Hampshire Seacoast region, we’re not exempt from proper caution. Many people retire to New England specifically because of our low crime rates, but crimes like fraud, phishing, and cybercrimes transcend state lines. Thankfully, there’s also a wealth of resources to help you not only identify common scams, but to learn what the hallmarks of such scams are. This will help you to recognize when something seems off, whether it’s too good to be true or preying off of your fear.
So with all that said, how can you protect yourself from cybercrime?
One of the best ways is to arm yourself with knowledge before you face a potentially dangerous situation. Scammers often try to create a sense of urgency or danger to get you to act fast. If you start to feel that way, then stop and take a deep breath before doing anything. After that, end the call and contact someone you know and trust in real life about the suspicious call. If needed, call your bank and talk to them; You can tell them about the suspicious call, and they’ll help you to verify if it’s real or a scam.
Another way to protect yourself is to learn what sort of dangers to watch out for in your area. As of writing, some of the common scams and fraudulent messages going around the seacoast region include:
Medical Bill Scams: In this variant, a scammer may send a text message claiming to be from a legitimate medical institution and state that you have an outstanding bill that needs to be paid urgently. They might try to trick you into clicking a fake portal link, or using a fake QR code, or even to send payment through means like gift card, credit card, or bank account transfer. None of these are safe options, and while some medical facilities are starting to use text message alerts, they will never pressure you to make an on-the-spot payment. If you ever have any uncertainty about your medical bills, the best thing to do is call the medical facility and ask to speak to the billing department. The billing specialists there will be able to confirm what, if any, money you owe the medical facility, and help you either pay it securely or set up a payment plan. They can also answer any questions about their billing policies, including whether or not they use text message alerts.
Social Security scams: According to an article on Justice.Gov, scammers contact their prospective victims by calling them on the phone and falsely claiming that something is wrong with the prospective victims Social Security Number—often stating lies like it has been suspended due to involvement in a crime, suspicious activity, or that it has been frozen for similar reasons. They may ask the victim to confirm their social security number and other personal information, or they may advise them to withdraw or otherwise send money to them for “safekeeping.” These calls may use robo-callers or disguise their phone numbers using spoofing to look legitimate, but the Social Security office will never ask you to send them your money for safekeeping. It’s also best not to give out your Social Security number over the phone unless you initiated the call and have confirmed that the other party is who they say they are.
Tech Support Scams: According to an article from NCOA.org, these scams usually begin with an unsolicited message or phone call offering to fix some sort of problem on your computer, phone, or tablet. The scammers often pose as representatives from tech companies you may recognize and trust, like Microsoft. Their goal is to gain remote access to your device; Once inside, they can steal passwords, financial data, and even drain your accounts. It’s important to remember that legitimate tech companies will never reach out this way or ask for access to your device unless you ask them to first. If you receive a message like this, don’t engage. Instead, close the message, run a legitimate antivirus scan. You can also contact the company directly through their official website if you’re still concerned.
If you’re a senior who’s been a victim of fraud or exploitation in New Hampshire, there’s no need to feel ashamed or embarrassed. What happened was not your fault, and there may be options to help you after the fact. A few of those organizations include:
New Hampshire ServiceLink Aging and Disability Resource Center
Hotline: 1-866-634-9412
Phone: 1-888-353-9944
While we’re not able to monitor your credit or internet safety, we at AZTEC Financial Group are happy offer an extra set of eyes on your accounts and to be a sounding board when you have questions regarding your money and transfers. We’re always happy to help you with any questions, or to help you find who can answer your questions if we can’t!