Children are often the focus of online safety campaigns, but this Safer Internet Day Tamworth seniors are being warned to look out for scams targeting them.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Trish Balcombe, a volunteer with Tamworth and District Seniors Computer Club, said young people are much more savvy online.
She told the Northern Daily Leader seniors are particularly vulnerable to scammers who ring up posing as large corporations, such as NBN or Microsoft, asking for their details.
"Don't open websites or links unless they have a padlock or at least https in front of them," Ms Balcombe said
"Don't open any mail, text unless you know where it is from, just delete or block."
Safer Internet Day, marked this year on February 8, is coordinated by the national eSafety Commissioner and aims to make the internet a safer place for all.
There's always new ways people try to steal information online, said Jo Alger, chief operating officer of Tamworth's Cloudwize, a cyber security consultancy.
She said some nefarious organisations run sophisticated phishing campaigns - in which messages or emails encourage people to hand over personal information.
These not only have technical staff on their team, but psychologists.
"As always, if it looks too good to be true, then it's usually a scam," Ms Alger said.
Adults aged 65 and over were much more likely to report financial losses from swindles than younger people, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) found in 2021.
But that doesn't stop parents worrying about their children's safety online.
IT manager and Tamworth resident Scott Pepper said his two primary school-aged kids play games online on the weekends.
Mr Pepper's son, Logan, turns nine this year and strangers are often sending him gifts through the game Roblox, such as skins - which change a characters appearance.
"We're constantly vigilant, reminding Logan just because somebody says they're a kid, they're not necessarily a kid."
Eva Baxter
Eva is a Northern Daily Leader journalist based in Tamworth. She covers health, politics, energy, arts & entertainment, business, community, and a bit of everything else.
Eva is a Northern Daily Leader journalist based in Tamworth. She covers health, politics, energy, arts & entertainment, business, community, and a bit of everything else.
