With the holiday season here, that means scammer are increasing their efforts to separate you from your personal information, your identity, your money and much more.  AARP’s Sean Voskuhl said scammers are not only targeting the elderly, but they now have children in their focus.  He said now is a good time to talk with each generation of your family about the importance of spotting a scam.  He said it’s also important to monitor the online activity of young children to protect them.

 

“The growth in social media and time spent online, plus the increasing reliance on digital transactions, has added to the risks for kids. Losses tied to child ID fraud reached $680 million last year. Monitoring kids’ online behavior is extremely important, particularly when they are very young.”

 

However, Voskuhl added, it’s important to know that no one, rural or urban, young or old, is immune to scams.

 

Criminals are constantly refining their tactics to capitalize on exploiting as many consumers as they can, leaving no one behind. Factors such as age, income, and education level do not concern a cybercriminal who is selecting the next target for identity fraud," Voskuhl said.  "No one is off-limits.”

 

If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-9791, or e-mail glenn.vaagen@townsquaremedia.com 

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