Support for Seniors

A person with control of your bank card numbers can withdraw money or make fraudulent charges.

• Never share your PIN or passwords, and make sure they are complex, unique, and hard to guess

• Report lost or stolen cards or ID immediately

• Check your financial statements every month for any transactions you don’t recall making

Help protect your personal information from criminals who could use it to gain access to your bank accounts and government benefits:

• Don't ever respond to requests for personal or financial information unless you initiated the contact

• Shred or tear financial documents before putting them in the garbage

Known as 'Phishing' and 'Vishing', scammers can pretend to represent a legitimate company or service by calling you (vishing) or emailing you (phishing) and asking for personal information.

Give yourself time to think before you act.

• Emails and calls are likely a scam when they create a sense of urgency or pressure you.

• Keep virus protection on your devices up to date, don't click on links in unsolicited emails and never give personal information over the phone unless you initiated the call.

Be aware of fraudsters who use online social networking or dating sites to build a relationship over time. Typically, they will earn your trust and then ask for money, often for an emergency or for travel to meet up in person. A good rule of thumb is to never send any money to a person you haven't met. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Criminals may call claiming to be your grandchild and ask for money in an 'emergency', like a car accident or a problem in a foreign country. They typically ask you to send money through a transfer service, with little time to think twice and will probably tell you not to tell their parents. If in doubt, ask validating questions or call back to a number you recognize.