Grandma got scammed! Seniors becoming rich prey for swindlers

Scan newspaper headlines closely, and it becomes evident that scammers have set their sights on elderly Indians who have more savings in the bank than younger folks and lack the digital smarts to see through the cons. Things became so bad that an elderly couple in Karnataka’s Belagavi district died by suicide earlier this week. All because of a digital arrest scam that cost them Rs 50 lakh. Scammers had been targeting the couple, 83-year-old Diego and 80-year-old Flaviana, since January, claiming a SIM card purchased in their name was being used for illegal activities. They kept demanding more money, even after the couple paid them by taking loans from friends and selling the little gold they had. Finally, the harassment became too much.While not everyone takes such an extreme step, the cases are piling up. A report by Safer Internet India shows that cybercrimes targeting senior citizens have gone up 86% between 2020 and 2022. Forty-five percent of the seniors they surveyed struggled to identify scams. But now, some non-profits are trying to ensure that seniors don’t become easy prey. medium nocaptionhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWJMQGviSJ8Rajneil Kamath, founder of Saksham Senior, says their initiative aims to impart digital literacy to senior citizens so that they learn about scams. “We have a YouTube channel where we upload content about technology, scams and misinformation aimed at seniors. We did a 12-part series with yesteryear Doordarshan personalities. The idea was that they hear from people they know and, most importantly, trust.” Additionally, they have held sessions at about 15 senior living homes across the country, where they’re trained on digital skills and the techniques used by scammers such as asking for OTPs. They conduct these workshops virtually too.Aseem Juneja, who focuses on creating scam awareness through his YouTube channel with 1.2m subscribers, says that of the people that reach out to him for help or to share their stories, 40% are seniors. One case involved a father and son falling for an investment scam. They had recently sold a house for Rs 80 lakh and ended up losing all that money. In another, an elderly couple lost their life’s savings. Two people who came to him have died by suicide, following financial devastation. The stakes, he argues, are high and it’s important that families talk to older people about scams and limit their access to netbanking. medium nocaption120014401The reasons seniors are susceptible to cyber scams are varied, says NS Nappinai, founder of Cyber Saathi. “For one, they’re not that comfortable with the digital domain. As you get older, anxiety over everything does hit you. On the one hand, you’re extra cautious, but sometimes, you’re also more trusting,” she says. Plus, seniors frequently fall victim to romance scams too, owing to loneliness. “They meet someone on social media. It starts with very small amounts, but slowly increases,” she adds. Seniors are reluctant to tell their families about such mistakes because they are too embarrassed.It is also harder for them to get justice. For one, getting details about transaction IDs and reference numbers related to the scam — something the cyber police needs — can be complicated for older people. medium nocaptionhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gb0njTCcJ-EShe says, “Acting quickly is key because once the money leaves the banking channel, the chance of recovery is low to negligible. Seniors delay because they have been patriarchs or matriarchs of the family and find it difficult to admit they have been taken for a ride. In digital arrest scams, they are so worried they’re being accused of a crime that they don’t come forward, fearing consequences.”Some victims deny what happened to them altogether, says cyber investigator Ritesh Bhatia. “In one case, this uncle lost a lot of savings. His daughter says that her father still does not believe he was scammed. He fears the police will come anytime to arrest him because the scammers told him that,” he says. Older adults also fear a lack of independence if they admit to being scammed. “They think, what if they take the phone away from me?” Bhatia adds. medium nocaptionhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyN7kNGK4coGetSetUp is a platform for seniors and by seniors which encourages peer-to-peer learning. While their groups usually focus on cooking, music or travel, they have recently started engaging seniors about cybersecurity too. “From health records to banking apps, so much is now reliant on technology. Seniors need to be made aware of safety,” says managing director Ashwini Kapila. They’ve created an online cybersecurity hub with helpful information and guides for their member base of over two million seniors, as well as talking about cybersecurity at gatherings like yoga classes.Experts point out that the onus must not solely be on victims but intermediaries like banks too. Banks, Bhatia argues, should have dedicated relationship managers working on scams, and have monitoring systems when large sums of money are transferred into new accounts. Nappinai agrees. “If a lot of money is going from an account in Bank A to one in Bank B with no earlier transactions, why is there no red flag? RBI has been talking about measures, but nothing has been implemented. It’s time for the banking system to figure out how they’re going to protect people’s money.”