The Most Important Online Safety Rules
You don't need to memorize dozens of rules to stay safe online. These core principles cover the vast majority of situations you'll encounter.
- Never share your Social Security number, bank account number, or passwords online or over the phone — no legitimate organization will ever ask for these by email or in a pop-up message
- Legitimate companies never ask you to pay with gift cards — if someone asks you to buy iTunes, Google Play, or Amazon gift cards to pay a bill or fine, it is always a scam
- The IRS, Medicare, and Social Security Administration do not call you out of the blue to demand immediate payment — hang up
- If something feels wrong or makes you uncomfortable, stop and call a family member or trusted friend before clicking anything or providing any information
- You are never obligated to act immediately — scammers create urgency on purpose to prevent you from thinking clearly or asking for help
Warning: Scammers specifically target seniors because they are perceived as more trusting, more likely to have savings, and less likely to report fraud out of embarrassment. Being targeted is not a sign of weakness — these scams are professionally designed to fool anyone.
How to Recognize Online Scams
Scams come in many forms, but they all share common warning signs. Here are the most common types targeting seniors today:
- Phishing emails — fake emails that look like they're from your bank, the IRS, Medicare, or Amazon, asking you to click a link and "verify your account." Real banks and government agencies never ask for this by email.
- Tech support scams — a pop-up appears on your screen saying "Your computer is infected — call Microsoft at 1-800-XXX-XXXX immediately." Microsoft, Apple, and Google never contact you this way. Close the browser and do not call the number.
- Romance scams — a stranger contacts you on Facebook or a dating site, quickly becomes very friendly, and eventually asks for money for an emergency. They are always overseas and can never meet in person.
- Lottery and prize scams — "Congratulations! You've won $50,000. Just pay a small processing fee to claim your prize." There is no prize. No legitimate lottery requires you to pay to collect winnings.
- Grandparent scams — someone calls pretending to be your grandchild in trouble ("Grandma, I'm in jail — please don't tell Mom and Dad, just send money"). Always hang up and call your grandchild directly.
How to Protect Your Accounts
A few simple habits make your accounts much harder for criminals to access.
- Use a different password for each important account — especially your email, bank, and Medicare accounts. If one password is stolen, the others stay safe.
- Enable two-factor authentication (also called 2FA or two-step verification) on your email and banking accounts. This sends a code to your phone when someone tries to log in, so even if a thief has your password, they can't get in.
- Never click "Remember me" or "Keep me signed in" on a shared or public computer — such as at a library or senior center.
- Sign out of your accounts when you are done, especially on shared computers.
- If you receive an unexpected email asking you to reset a password you didn't request, do not click the link — go directly to the website instead.
Tip: Writing your passwords in a small notebook kept at home in a safe place is far better than reusing the same password everywhere. Just keep the notebook private and don't label it "Passwords."
Safe Browsing Habits
These habits will protect you during everyday web browsing and online shopping.
- 1Look for the padlock icon and "https://" at the beginning of the web address before entering any personal information, credit card numbers, or passwords
- 2Don't click links in emails — instead, open your browser and type the website address directly (for example, type "amazon.com" rather than clicking a link in an email claiming to be from Amazon)
- 3Keep your browser and computer updated — updates fix security holes that criminals exploit
- 4Don't download programs from pop-up ads or from websites you don't recognize
- 5If a website asks you to install something unexpected, close the window and don't proceed
- 6Use a reputable antivirus program and keep it updated — Windows Defender (built into Windows 10 and 11) is free and effective
What to Do If You Think You've Been Scammed
If you think you've fallen for a scam, act quickly. The sooner you respond, the better your chances of limiting the damage.
- 1Stop all contact with the scammer immediately — do not respond to further calls, emails, or messages
- 2Call your bank or credit card company right away if you shared any financial information or made a payment. Ask them to reverse the transaction if possible.
- 3Change the passwords on any accounts that may have been compromised
- 4Report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov — your report helps protect others
- 5Tell a family member or trusted friend — there is no shame in being targeted, and they can help you take next steps
- 6Call My Neighbor Tech at (410) 870-9233 if you think your computer may have been accessed or infected — we can check it and remove any malware