Internet access has become ubiquitous in Nigeria. As of June 2019, figures from Statista showed that Nigeria had 123.49 million internet users. Out of this figure, 74 percent of web traffic was generated via smartphones, and only 24 percent via PC devices. This state of affairs was brought about due to the availability of cheap android phones which resulted in more people including seniors going online.
Today, it is common to see seniors have Facebook and/or WhatsApp accounts to communicate and stay in touch with family members and friends. Also, many open personal email addresses to send messages and sign-up for services. However, this good indulgence has put many of them at risk as they may be taken advantage of because of their limited knowledge about technology.
Unfortunately, seniors are increasingly becoming a target of cybercriminals. The following are tips on how to keep them safe from cyber fraud.
Tip 1 – Keep an open line of communication
It is important to have a cordial relationship with your parents built on trust. This will enable them to be transparent about their activities online. This will also make it possible for them to reach out to you whenever they have a technology-related concern.
Tip 2 – Do not use jargon when communicating with them
Remember to keep it simple. Do not use technical terms when conversing with them. For instance, use simple words to highlight how digital assets (bank account, personal information, etc) are as important as physical assets (car, house, wallet, etc).
Tip 3 – Educate with examples
Educate them about various online threats by showing them what has happened to other people who clicked a malicious link or downloaded an attachment that turned out to be ransomware.
Tip 4 – Be their Human Firewall
Advise them never to download anything suspicious and to contact you before installing any new software. Also, set up a regular schedule to check up on them to make sure their devices are receiving patches and updates.
Tip 5 – Be one step ahead
Always keeps tabs on the latest cybersecurity news and scams, then pass along the information to your parents.
Here is a short video highlighting some of the tips above and always remember that it is our responsibility to keep our parents safe.
6 Responses
Hаving rеad this I thought it waѕ rather enlightening.
I ɑppreciate you spending some time and energy to pᥙt this ϲontent togetheｒ.
Ӏ once agaіn find myself spending ᴡay too much time botһ reading and leaving comments.
Ᏼut so whɑt, it wɑs stiⅼl worthwhile!
Thank you, we’re glad you found it enlightening.
Hello colleagues, good paragraph and good arguments commented here,
I am really enjoying by these.
Thank you Juliana.
I think this is one of the most important info for me.
And i’m happy reading your article. But want to remark on some general things, The website taste is wonderful, the articles is in reality nice :
D. Excellent job, cheers
Thank you for your kind words, make sure you follow us on social media to get daily tips on how to stay safe from cybercriminals.