I was very amused when my mother recently told me that she had signed up for a cyber security class. She is someone who still calls going online “going on the Net”.
But as I listened, I realised she was taking a step that many of her peers should. More seniors are learning to protect themselves online, and that is something worth encouraging.
It also made me think about how cyber security is very personal and not just the concern of companies and governments.
In Singapore, scams and cybercrime rose by 18 per cent in the first half of 2024, with more than 28,000 reported cases, according to the mid-year scam and cyber crime brief by the Singapore Police Force. Losses from investment scams reached about $133 million in just six months. Behind each number is a person who may have lost their savings and their confidence in the digital world.
Fraudsters target emotions and use fear, urgency and trust to trick people. A text about an immigration issue, a call from a bank officer, or an online ad for a health product can be enough to deceive anyone.
The irony is that while our parents taught us how to stay safe in the real world, we are now the ones helping them stay safe in the online world. For many families, explaining two-factor authentication, checking suspicious messages and helping parents install scam filters have become routine.
This has become a new kind of caregiving, and one that I find myself navigating more often.
A widening digital gap
We live in an increasingly digital world, where almost everything is now done online – from paying bills to booking medical appointments. Seniors have little choice but to keep up and go along as well.
This means that older Singaporeans are using technology more often. However, their confidence does not always keep up with usage. The Singapore Digital Society Report by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) found that 78 per cent of seniors aged 60 and above used e-payments in 2022, up from 33 per cent in 2020. Many, however, still lack confidence in identifying scams or protecting their accounts. This could mean they are deterred from going online and, as a result, miss out on the benefits of digital technology, the report added.
In this day and age, technology moves quickly and, for those who did not grow up with it, keeping up can be tiring.
My mother, for instance, is so cautious that she sometimes refuses to update her iOS because she thinks it might be a scam that would corrupt her phone or computer. It usually takes a few text messages in the family group chat for us to let her know that it is safe to do so.
When she has other tech issues, I rope in my teenage daughter and nephew to help troubleshoot and show her how to keep things updated. It is a small but telling moment. I understand that she’s afraid of letting the wrong things happen, but keeping her device updated is one of the right things to do.
That incident reminded me that seniors often hesitate because they care about staying safe, not because they are careless. At other times, they may be too embarrassed to admit they don’t understand. But the number and scale of scam cases luring seniors through technology over the years is concerning.
Veteran actor Laurence Pang’s unfortunate experience is a cautionary tale. The 78-year-old was duped by an online romance scam and lost about $35,000. He was initially embarrassed to tell his family about it, and only opened up after his friends encouraged him to share the story so that others might learn from it.
A 74-year-old man lost most of his life savings to scammers after he downloaded a third-party app into his mobile phone which infected it with malware. It was a Facebook deal for a Peking duck that led him on.
A 79-year-old woman responded to a money-lending advertisement on WhatsApp and ended up using her bank accounts to transfer up to $27,000 to scammers without receiving any money in return. This despite repeated warnings from authorities.
Age may not determine who gets scammed. But these stories show how hard it can be for some seniors to sift truth from trickery – to know which messages to ignore, which alerts to trust, and what actions to take. Being more financially vulnerable than most, they are often hit the hardest.
Making conversations easier
Singapore has made progress in tightening digital security. Banks have improved verification systems, telcos block malicious links and agencies have created dedicated anti-scam taskforces. Still, scams continue because criminals exploit human trust.
The Cyber Security Agency of Singapore recognised this early. Its SG Cyber Safe Seniors programme, launched with IMDA and community partners, aims to reach 50,000 seniors through workshops and guides that teach basic cyber hygiene and scam awareness. These efforts are important because they build confidence.
Digital safety should become part of lifelong learning for everyone. More seniors should be encouraged to attend financial health and literacy talks. Learning how to protect themselves online is critical to staying independent and secure – especially in an age where most transactions are digital. Going online also allows them to stay in touch with friends, follow news and manage their own affairs.
The conversations I’ve had with my mother remind me that cyber safety begins with relationships. Evidence indicates that seniors who are able to talk about what they encounter online, and receive guidance, tend to show greater awareness and confidence, which helps reduce their vulnerability. In many ways, conversations at home are as important as technology.
This is not about making seniors afraid of technology. It is to help them use it with confidence. Losing confidence would mean losing that connection to the world.
The new wave of cyber security classes for seniors signals progress. It shows that older Singaporeans are willing to keep learning, and that younger family members are starting to treat online safety as part of caring for their parents, whether by signing them up for classes, attending workshops together or helping them practice what they’ve learnt.
When our parents ask us for help with their phones or unfamiliar messages, we might be too preoccupied to answer. Yet, those small moments matter. Each question builds awareness and trust. Each shared tip helps protect a loved one from harm.
Cyber security is not just about an app on the mobile phone or attending a class. It begins in our own homes, where we afford the time for the people we care about most.
- Deborah Giam is a communications strategist
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