Internet Safety for the Over-60s: Staying Safe and Confident Online

The Internet Belongs to Everyone

Older adults are more online than at any previous point. Video calling family, streaming television, shopping, banking, following the news, and connecting with friends through social media are all part of daily life for millions of people over 60. The internet is not a young person's domain. It belongs to everyone who uses it, which is the vast majority of the UK population regardless of age.

At the same time, older internet users are disproportionately targeted by scammers, fraudsters, and people with harmful intentions. This is not because older people are less intelligent: it is because scammers go where the money and the vulnerability are, and they have developed highly sophisticated tactics specifically designed to exploit the trust and politeness that is more common among older generations. Knowing how those tactics work is the most effective defence against them.

Recognising Online Scams

Online scams come in many forms, but they share a common structure: they create urgency or excitement, they impersonate something or someone trusted, and they ask for money or personal information.

Phishing emails and texts are designed to look exactly like communications from genuine organisations: your bank, HMRC, the NHS, Amazon, Royal Mail, or a utility company. They typically tell you that there is a problem with your account, a parcel awaiting delivery, a tax refund owed, or urgent action needed. They then provide a link to a website that looks identical to the real one but is designed to steal your login details or personal information.

The most reliable protection is to never click a link in an email or text that arrives unexpectedly. If your bank says there is a problem, open a new browser window and go directly to your bank's website by typing the address yourself, or call the number on the back of your card. Do the same for any organisation you want to verify. A genuine organisation will not mind you taking the time to contact them directly.

Telephone scams, where callers impersonate banks, police, or utility companies, remain a significant threat. A common approach is telling you that your bank account is being accessed by criminals and that you need to move your money to a safe account. Your bank will never ask you to do this. No legitimate organisation will ask you to transfer money, buy gift cards, or withdraw cash and hand it to a courier.

Passwords: Your First Line of Defence

Weak or reused passwords are one of the most common routes into people's online accounts. If you use the same password across multiple accounts, a breach at one site means criminals can try that password everywhere you use it.

A strong password is long (at least 12 characters), uses a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols, and is unique to each account. The easiest way to manage this is with a password manager, a piece of software that stores all your passwords securely and can generate strong unique ones for each account. Reputable password managers include Bitwarden (free), 1Password, and Dashlane. Your browser also has a built-in password manager that is reasonably secure for most purposes.

Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds a second layer of security. Even if someone knows your password, they cannot access your account without also entering a code sent to your phone. Enable 2FA on your email and banking accounts at minimum. For email in particular, this is critical: your email account is the master key that unlocks password resets for almost everything else.

Shopping and Banking Online Safely

Online shopping and banking are generally very safe when done through legitimate websites. Before entering payment details on any shopping site, check that the address in your browser starts with https (the s stands for secure) and look for a padlock symbol. This does not guarantee a site is legitimate, but the absence of it on a checkout page is a warning sign.

Stick to well-known retailers for significant purchases. If you encounter a site selling something at a price that seems too good to be true, it usually is. Check reviews independently (not just on the site itself) and search the company name alongside the word scam or reviews before buying.

For banking, use your bank's official app rather than web browsers where possible: apps are harder to spoof and more consistently updated. Never access your banking from a public wifi network without using a VPN. Monitor your accounts regularly and contact your bank immediately if you see a transaction you do not recognise.

Social Media: Connecting Safely

Social media is a genuine source of connection, particularly for older adults who may be more isolated. Using it well and safely involves a few key habits.

Keep your privacy settings on the most restrictive option that still allows you to connect with the people you want to. Most platforms default to more open settings that share more than most people intend. On Facebook, for example, check whether your friend list, posts, and personal information are visible to friends only rather than to the public.

Be very cautious about friend or connection requests from people you do not know in person. A common scam involves creating a fake profile designed to appear trustworthy and then building a relationship over days or weeks before making a request for money. If someone you have connected with online mentions financial difficulties or investment opportunities, treat it as a serious warning sign regardless of how much you trust the connection.

If Something Goes Wrong

If you think you have been scammed or that your accounts have been accessed without permission, act quickly. Contact your bank immediately using the number on the back of your card. Report to Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040. Contact your email provider if you believe your email has been compromised.

Do not feel ashamed. The scams that target older adults are sophisticated and specifically designed by professional criminals. They succeed against intelligent, alert people every day. Reporting is what helps catch these criminals and protect others.