The effectiveness of tech support fraud in damaging older individual’s financial security

Abstract

This study discovers the tactics employed to create detrimental effects upon older people impacted from fraudulent tech-support incidents. It examines social engineering, and financial confusion of older people. This is significant considering adaptations towards digital banking and payment management. This research looked at online and active over 65s. Using largely qualitative approaches over 65s were interviewed and responses validated against cyber-professionals’ responses. This identified three key findings: older adults feel confused and misunderstand tech support scams; threat actors build trust by pretending to offer technical help but use this to deceive their victims; and older adults face serious social and financial challenges because of poor advice and misinformation. This research prompts urgent training, socialisation, and recognition of tech-support deceptiveness