(button clicking) - Being connected to the internet saved my life.

It really did.

It kept me from becoming depressed.

It kept me connected to people.

And as an older person, I need to have people around me.

- [Narrator] For many older adults, access to the internet has been a lifeline to the outside world, especially during the pandemic.

And while it may help prevent loneliness and isolation, it also creates opportunities for would-be scammers.

- Scammers are really nothing more than incredible opportunists.

What really became apparent since COVID was that we as consumers are much easier targets because we are all on our smart devices more than we've ever been.

- [Narrator] According to the FBI, adults over 60 reported losing $1.7 billion to fraud in 2021, a 74% increase over 2020.

And much of this is taking place online.

- So older adults are often a tempting target for a couple of reasons.

They're the ones who are most vulnerable.

They're the ones who are very grateful that someone's willing to take the time to help them.

Not realizing, of course, that it's actually a scam.

- A lot of older adults are afraid to go on the internet because they're afraid that they are gonna be taken advantage of.

And so armed with some knowledge, it makes them feel more confident that they can use the internet without becoming a victim.

- [Narrator] "Exposing Cyber Threats" is made possible by a grant from the West End Home Foundation, senior trust reducing social isolation and increasing access to essential services through digital literacy and inclusion for older Tennesseans initiative.

(Jane typing) - Loneliness can bring you into a point of desperation, depression.

I felt lonely after years of waiting in between relationships, trying to try again.

Find a partner or a companion.

I felt like I need to do something.

- [Narrator] The woman we'll call Jane prefers to keep her identity private.

No, she didn't commit a crime and she's not in witness protection, but her story does involve the FBI and a global cast of criminals who would very much like to steal your heart and then your pocketbook.

- It was a very short period of time about eight years ago.

My friends are dating online and they encouraged me to start doing it.

(Jane typing) When I first met the person online, I thought there was like a breath of fresh air and everything that I asked for.

It was European.

Looked like a gentleman.

It made me feel trust.

He was very approachable.

He shared with me a lot about his family and trips.

And he travels a lot.

And I love to travel.

It just looked very good.

- [Narrator] Unfortunately, things only looked good from a distance and never on video.

- [Jane] I always requested to do a video chat and it was always a reason why we can't.

We can't connect.

He has to go on a meeting.

We'll do it later.

Or I'll come and see you in person.

I'm gonna be there in a week.

- [Narrator] But one false promise followed another.

A trend that would only intensify.

- [Jane] It was always a reason why he couldn't come to Nashville.

His mother died.

Second time, he had a car accident, and he broke his arm.

- [Narrator] While the excuses piled up, so did the promises, including a lucrative business proposition.

- When we talked about the business proposition, he didn't ask for any money first.

He sent me actually legally looking papers and associate certificate.

He convinced me to invest that money after creating this relationship and communicating online and on the phone and never in person.

And I got caught in the story, ignoring the voice inside of me that always pulled me about.

- The very first thing a scammer will do on a romance scam is try to get you off the site to communicate.

Because they know companies, they're monitoring those communications.

So once they get you to start communicating via text or email, that's the first red flag.

The second big flag is they start to separate you from your trusted advisors, your family, your friends, your neighbor.

- [Narrator] Not only had Jane been conducting all of her correspondence via phone and email, she'd kept her online relationship largely private, a decision she now regrets.

- [Jane] After I transferred the money, I just felt like something broke in me and I said, "What am I doing?"

Too late now.

And I asked the banker, "Can I retrieve this?"

And she said, "It's wired.

It's gone."

And I woke up in that moment that this is wrong.

I lost altogether $40,000.

And if I didn't stop there, I could have lost more.

I don't come for any money and to give it away...

I just felt so, so betrayed.

- [Narrator] Every day we're watching different commercials about all these dating websites and all these people who are finding their perfect match for love or romance or communication.

But what we discovered that day is the cyber criminals are lurking in these romance sites and they play upon the victims because the victims are just looking for human connection, nothing else.

And these cyber criminals are able to find these victims, build rapport, build a relationship, groom them.

And I've seen this hundreds of times after this case.

- [Narrator] Scott Augenbaum is a retired FBI special agent where he spent the majority of his 30-year career investigating cyber crimes.

He worked on Jane's case nearly a decade ago.

- That was very, very challenging for me because I'd have to look these people in the eye and say, "I'm sorry.

I know you just lost $40,000, but I can't get it back."

And to make things worse, putting these bad guys in jail is even harder than getting your money back because they're located overseas.

But the thing that really drives me is the fact that almost all of it could have been prevented.

- [Narrator] While romance scams are just one of many fraud categories, they've been the most financially destructive in recent years.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, people lost $1.3 billion to romance scams between 2017 and 2021.

And while reported crimes were highest for those in the 18 to 29 age group, people 70 and over had the biggest median losses at $9,000.

Knowing this, the FTC has some tips for those seeking companionship online.

Anyone who asks you to help by sending cryptocurrency, giving the numbers on a gift card, or by wiring money is most likely a scammer.

Never send or forward money for someone you haven't met in person and don't act on their investment advice.

Talk to friends or family about a new love interest and pay attention if they're concerned.

Try a reverse image search of profile pictures.

If the details don't match up, it's a scam.

(upbeat music) - [MC] Please give a warm welcome to Scott.

(crowd clapping) - [Narrator] These days, Augenbaum is still fighting cyber crime.

Only this time, his goal is to arm people with enough knowledge to prevent cyber crimes from happening in the first place.

- None of my victims ever expected to be a victim.

I wrote a book called "The Secret to Cyber Security: A Simple Plan to Protect You and Your Family".

And what is the secret to cyber security?

That a majority of victimizations easily could have been prevented.

- [Narrator] While Augenbaum's book highlights dozens of ways people could protect against cyber crimes, some of his advice is so practical that anyone could put it to use immediately.

Things like having strong and unique passwords.

- We have to realize that there are billions of usernames and passwords on the dark web and we cannot use the same password for multiple sites because if there is a big data breach at your email provider and you're using the same password for email as you are for your bank account, the cyber criminal's going to get into your information.

- [Narrator] While advice varies on the ideal password length, it's generally agreed that all passwords should be at least 12 to 15 characters long and include a mix of upper and lowercase letters as well as numbers and symbols.

Many search engines will even generate and store strong passwords free of charge.

But it doesn't end there.

- The biggest control that you can use to prevent the majority of cyber crime is two-factor authentication.

Having a strong and separate password is not enough.

Individuals need to embrace a control called two-factor authentication, which is a very simple control, but it is very platform specific.

And you need to set it up on all of your accounts, your Gmail account, your Facebook account, your LinkedIn, your bank account.

And it's really nothing more than a second form of authentication.

If you do not put two-factor authentication on your bank account or your financial information, these cyber criminals will get access to that information and will steal your information.

- [Narrator] For older adults living off their retirement savings, a serious financial blow could be devastating.

Pramart and Gita Wasudev were both doctors in Nashville for the better part of 50 years.

And when they weren't helping patients, they were giving back to their community through various charities, a shared passion that continues today.

- It's a lot of satisfaction.

Right now, what we are doing is helping out the seniors that are there in community.

- We were aware of a lot of cyber crimes going on in the community, so we decided to get an expert to talk and train some of our seniors.

- [Narrator] Recently, Gita became aware of tech support scams.

By learning what to watch out for, she's avoided any attacks.

But the wolves are at the door.

- I'm getting it right now on my computer from malware that your computer is not secure.

You're going to lose it within a few days.

- [Narrator] According to the FBI's Internet Crimes Complaint Center, tech support scams are the most reported fraud among victims over the age of 60.

In fact, older adults lost $238 million in 2021, more than double the reported losses in 2020.

- A good example is if you visit certain websites, you click on certain attachments in emails that are sent to you by scammers, they will end up installing viruses or various kinds of malware on your computer.

And then what happens is you get a message that pops up and says, "You've got a problem with your computer.

Please call this number and we'll help you fix it."

And inevitably when you call that number, it's somebody who's not actually legitimate tech support who is getting you to give them your credit card information.

Anytime something pops up on your computer and asks you to call a tech support number, it's most likely a scam.

And if you have problems, the best course of action is to physically take your computer to a reputable location.

- [Narrator] For the Wasudevs, getting serious about cyber crime is personal.

Some years ago, Primart's email was hacked and criminals were able to steal his banking and brokerage information.

Using that knowledge, a scammer contacted their brokerage firms and attempted to transfer a sizable portion of their investments.

- No money was transferred, but the first broker came very close to transferring the money.

- [Narrator] While the Wasudevs are used to helping others, having a knowledgeable family member help them with their cyber security proved critical.

- One of my nephews emphasized that we should have proper security and two-step verifications on our emails as well as our brokerage accounts and bank accounts.

So promptly, we acted on that.

- [Narrator] In addition to having a knowledgeable and trustworthy person they can call in for advice, The Wasudevs also stay informed through community organizations like AgeWell Middle Tennessee.

It's a nonprofit group that Betsy Chernau is very familiar with.

Her mother founded the organization in 1985.

Today, her mom's legacy lives on through programs like AgeWell Middle Tennessee's Scam Prevention Initiative.

- I wanna talk to you a little bit about scams cuz I bet while we're sitting here, you guys are getting spam calls on your phone, aren't you?

- My involvement with AgeWell has kept me aware of what scams can do to really botch up your life.

- [Narrator] It wasn't too long ago when Betsy came across a random email, which could have done just that.

- Using my computer, I saw something from PayPal that said something is off on your PayPal account.

If you would like to know more about this, call this number.

And I did.

And they said, "We made a mistake of 900 and some odd dollars."

Usually when they make a mistake and they charge your account, it's under a thousand dollars.

I found that out later.

But anyway, I did not know that.

And they said, "We would like your bank account number so we can put that back in your account."

And so I gave it to them.

Then they said, "Oops, we made a mistake.

We gave you a thousand dollars more than we should have.

You need to send us a thousand dollars."

Well, fortunately, when we got into it, I realized, oh my goodness, I've given them my bank account number.

This is a scam.

I hung up and said, "Do not call me again."

It took me almost an entire day.

I had to change all my bank accounts and my credit card numbers.

- [Narrator] This is a perfect example of what's known as a phishing scam.

According to the FTC, that's where scammers will use email or text messages to trick you into giving them your personal or financial information.

With the increase in online shopping, trying to exploit the familiarity of certain brands or companies is one way scammers lure in their victims.

- Scammers are notorious for being imposters.

You're gonna get an ad that looks like it's from Amazon.

You're gonna get an ad that looks like it's from Walmart.

Or you're gonna get a website that looks like it's from Macy's.

The consumer has to take responsibility for paying really close attention to the details because the easiest way to lure you in is with the familiarity of a brand name that you trust and that you've done business with in the past.

So that's the first thing you've gotta be careful of.

Is this the real McCoy?

One of the things we tell consumers is instead of responding to that ad, you go directly to the website yourself.

And then that way you know that you are at Amazon or you are at Macy's or you are at Walmart instead of potentially being taken someplace that you don't belong.

- [Narrator] With the sheer volume and variety of scams, staying knowledgeable can be challenging.

But there are organizations at both the national and the local levels committed to keeping older adults informed.

Taking the time to attend a scam prevention workshop and staying up to date with emerging threats are critical to staying safe online.

- Not only can scammers target you via email, but they can also send you text messages and send you links.

And that link could send you to an unsecure website.

So if it looks slick, don't click.

- I felt that I was really savvy and think, oh, I know that.

I know that.

I know that.

Well, guess what?

I didn't, and I was taken.

- Human beings are almost always the weak link.

And that's just because again, our good nature makes us trusting.

It makes us generous.

It makes us want to help people, and the bad people are taking advantage of those human traits.

One common scam that we see a lot these days is someone will call some grandparents and pretend to be a grandchild and say, "I'm in trouble."

Maybe they'll text them and they'll say, "I'm in trouble.

I need some money.

Don't tell my parents please.

I'll get in all kinds of trouble at home."

- [Ben] So how is grandma and grandpa?

- [Ben's dad] Everything's good.

Doing all right.

- [Ben] Good, good, good.

It's crazy when it happens to you and someone you love.

You hear about these kind of stories and you think, you know, what are the odds this would ever happen to someone you know and love?

And then when it happened, I just couldn't believe it.

Like, wow, it really hit close to home.

See the pumpkins?

- [Narrator] On a recent trip home to visit his parents, Ben Smith took a moment to reflect on the time his own family got scammed.

- So I was calling my grandparents for something.

I can't remember exactly what it was.

And finally my grandpa was like, "So you feeling better?"

And I was like, "Yeah, what do you mean?"

And he was like, "Well, from your accident."

And I'm like, "What accident?"

He said that I had blown, I forget what the number was, but definitely something illegal.

And I got arrested and taken to jail, and he was like, yeah, you needed money to post bail to get outta jail and you didn't want your dad to know who's, my dad is their son.

And I was like, "What, no."

Like I know this isn't, this isn't true.

I didn't go to jail or anything.

Like what?

How much did you send?

And he was like, "I forget.

It was several hundred."

And he was like, "Yeah.

You told us to go buy Google Play gift cards and to mail them to this address."

And I was like, "Grandpa, you can't bail people outta jail with Google Play gift cards."

And he was like, "Well, you know, I don't know what they are.

It was just the instructions you told us."

And I was like, "I never told you this.

I never called you to tell you any of this stuff."

And I, as he's like saying, "Well, it sure sounded like you.

", I could hear my grandma in the background going, "Oh, I know that was Ben.

I know my grandson's voice."

And it was at that moment, my heart just sank cuz I was like, "Oh God."

Now like, not only were they scammed, they sincerely think that I got into this trouble and like were calling them for help and they fell for it.

And I didn't even know what to do.

- [Narrator] Unfortunately, Ben's story is all too common.

A 2021 elder fraud report compiled by the FBI's Internet Crimes Complaint Center found that more than 450 over-60 victims reported grandparent scams with approximate losses of $6.5 million.

For Ben, the outcome is a sad reality.

- They may still think that I got drunk and got into a car wreck.

- There you go, bud.

- Tomato.

- Tomato.

- The relationship between a grandparent and a grandson is extremely precious.

If something like this happened with my son and my parents would see him in a different light, that would devastate me.

- [Narrator] Like romance scams, grandparent scams fall into a category called confidence fraud.

The goal is to gain your confidence by appealing to your love and trust.

If you wanna avoid a grandparent scam, the FTC has some basic advice.

Resist the urge to act immediately no matter how dramatic the story is.

Verify the caller's identity.

Ask questions that a stranger couldn't possibly answer.

Check the story out with someone else in your family or circle of friends even if you've been told to keep it a secret.

Don't send cash, gift cards, or money transfers.

Once the scammer gets the money, it's gone.

- They know who their targets are.

They're going to target minority areas that potentially don't speak the language.

Again, they're gonna talk to elderly folks that may not have a family support system in place.

They're very savvy when they know how to make it a good day for them and a bad day for you.

- [Narrator] Fortunately, there are ways to stay informed.

- [BBB Employee] There is a news center at the BBB website that talks about what's prevalent, what's happening now.

And so if you wanna keep up to date, especially if you're considering a large and unexpected transaction, definitely come to us first.

Take a look at the news centers.

See if those scams are happening in this area.

- [Narrator] That's one of the first things Dolly Collins learned how to do after attending the Senior Tech Academy with Nashville Public Library.

It's part of their digital inclusion lab, which is pioneering efforts to educate older adults in digital literacy.

- A lot of people used to say that they didn't need the internet because they had gotten along perfectly fine without it, but we're not hearing a lot of that anymore.

Everybody is aware of the internet.

- [Narrator] According to Pew Research Center, the number of adults 65 and older who use digital technology has grown exponentially since 2010.

And while a quarter of those in this age group still don't use the internet, it doesn't mean they don't want to.

- For older adults, the greatest need is access and opportunity and confidence.

- [Narrator] That's the goal of the Digital Inclusion Program at Nashville Public Library.

- [Instructor] Two-factor authentication, this is one that I actually really love.

- [Narrator] It's their aim to ensure older adults aren't being left behind.

- They don't always have the opportunity to learn when we provide free digital literacy training.

They don't have access to devices that suit their needs.

And mostly they also don't have access to internet at home, which has been extremely expensive until now.

- [Narrator] For individuals like Dolly Collins, taking part in the library's Senior Tech Academy was a personal test of sorts.

- I wanted to know that I was capable at this point in my life of learning something new.

I wanted to know that I could be taught, and I was excited to be taught and to learn these things.

- [Narrator] Thanks to Senior Tech Academy, Dolly now has a tablet, an internet connection, and the knowledge to operate safely online.

- I have twin granddaughters who are in college and I have used it to connect with them to see what they're doing.

I go to TeleHealth to find out what meds I'm on, what my doctors had to say about my visit, and I learned some of the ins and outs of scamming.

What to look for, what to avoid, and the class taught me that strong passwords, what was a good password.

Things that are really necessary.

And without a good teacher, you wouldn't know it.

- The internet has a lot to offer to all of us, to each one of us.

And just because you're an older adult, you shouldn't be afraid to take advantage of all that the internet has to offer you.

Things that can improve the quality of your life.

And what we wanna do is equip you with what you need to enjoy the internet, learn from the internet.

But you can do it in a safe way.

- [Narrator] You can watch the entire "Aging Matter" series at our website, wnpt.org/agingmatters.

(upbeat music) - [Narrator] "Exposing Cyber Threats" is made possible by a grant from the West End Home Foundation, senior trust reducing social isolation and increasing access to essential services through digital literacy and inclusion for older Tennesseeans initiative.

(upbeat music)