THE LATEST SCAM

Q My grandmother is 87 and lives alone. She uses her phone and ipad, primarily to keep in touch with friends and family via Facebook and to do her online shopping. But since the pandemic, she has been using it for online banking, too. Could she be targeted by online fraudsters?

JAMES SAYS

A As your grandma’s digital footprint has grown, so has the likelihood that her details have been given to data brokers, meaning her risk of falling victim to a scam has increased. Unfortunately, older people who are isolated are often deliberately targeted by scammers, and they often suffer greatly. Those like your grandma, who are living alone, will find it hard to access support, advice and help from others. If you live nearby, make sure you’re watching out for telltale signs of scams, such as lots of mail, phone calls and text messages, and make sure you’re talking to her about it. Also, minimising digital footprints using sites like Rightly can help reduce risks, too.