The internet is one of the most important tools in today’s world, from communication to online shopping and entertainment. But for seniors, it has become a dangerous gateway for scammers to deceive and exploit them.
Recently, Pamela Nutter, 75, posted an ad on Facebook Marketplace in Calgary to sell a vintage dish. She got a response from someone asking if he could e-transfer her money so she would hold the item for him.
It turns out it was a scam.
A healthy dose of distrust
Nutter agreed to hold the dish after receiving an email with the e-transfer, assuming it had been deposited automatically. But when she inspected the email further, she realized that it asked her to click on a link to fill in her banking information.
When Nutter questioned the email, the man explained that the e-transfer looked different because it was sent through a company and not a personal account.
Nutter said she man tried to persuade her to fill out her information. She refused. His last comment to her was, “Well, I can’t reverse it and now I’m out $20.”
“That’s when I said, ‘That’s your problem. I’m definitely not providing my account number,” Nutter said.
Nutter recalls thinking the man’s online profile looked strange, but didn’t think anything of it until after she knew she was almost scammed.
“There are lots of people now that are setting up profiles just to go on Marketplace, so you can’t really do any research,” She said. “They add some friends, they add some photos, but they have no profile, no anything.”
Scams across Canada
Nutter’s story is just one example of the hundreds of scams seniors across the world experience every day. In 2024, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre reported that $638 million was lost to fraud, with about 10 per cent of these losses being reported by seniors.
Whether posing as a grandchild or sending fake links to gain access to bank accounts, these scammers prey on the vulnerability of older adults, who may be less familiar with technology or simply not used to gauging how to trust online interactions.
Dr. Rose Joudi, psychology professor at Mount Royal University and expert in elder abuse, explains that there is a combination of factors that lead scammers to target older adults
“We find that loneliness and isolation of older people is usually one of the reasons, or one of the main risk factors of having older adults potentially be exploited and taken advantage of,” Joudi said.
Joudi emphasized the importance of education to help older adults protect themselves. She recommends that seniors, particularly those living alone, attend information sessions and webinars on online safety, ideally accompanied by family members, counsellors or community workers.
She also suggested that older adults exercise caution when receiving unsolicited calls or text messages.
“If it’s a phone call for example, let the phone ring, have that voice message be left on their phone and maybe have a family member, or a counsellor, or an outreach community worker who might be working with the older adult, especially if their alone or isolated, to listen to it and give them feedback about weather or not this is a true genuine call,” Joudi said.
Nutter’s story thankfully didn’t end badly. But it is a reminder that everyone, particularly vulnerable populations like older adults, should be alert and take the right steps to ensure they remain safe.