Technology helps us stay connected and manage daily life. There is a huge range of devices, platforms, apps and software that can make life easier, especially for people with sight loss. But the online world can also create a lot of opportunities for fraud and identity theft, so online safety is now more important than ever.
We’ve put together the following advice to help keep you safe online. You may need some assistance with some of these options if you have a vision impairment.
Online scams and fraud are on the rise. In fact, around £670 million is lost every year to those that fall victim to scams.
These scams are not specific to anyone but, unfortunately, people with sight loss can be more susceptible to fraudulent activity as the online content can appear very similar to a brand you would normally trust.
Here are some tips to help minimise online risks:
If you are concerned you’ve fallen victim to a scam or fraud, immediately contact Action Fraud for help.
Age UK - Staying safe online
The rise in social media sites such as Facebook and online communication such as WhatsApp or FaceTime, connect the world in ways we never imagined possible before. This type of technology helps us connect with family and friends across the world through our computers and mobile devices. However, social networking sites also come with their own risks.
Online shopping and digital money management are a way of life, getting your groceries to your door, or one day delivery from department stores are an ever-growing occurrence and with the ability to manage your money online, it has become easier to get hold of your essentials and deal with your direct debits. This can also be overwhelming but it doesn’t need to be.
Technology is increasingly being found in our homes, with lots of devices being able to use the internet. As of January 2020, there were approximately 20.4 billion devices connected to the internet globally.
Keeping your home network safe is just as important as keeping your wallet safe.
Your ISP (Internet Service Provider) supplies you with a router that is responsible for connecting the devices in your home to the internet.
Here are a few tips on securing your router:
Smart home devices are popping up everywhere, with one in every five homes having a smart speaker such as Amazon Alexa or Google Home, which roughly equates to 20% of all homes, and even more are appearing.
The potential for these devices is incredible, for people with sight loss you can access the news, shopping lists and calendars just to name a few by voice. But there is a potential for them to be used for malicious intent. Here are a few ideas on keeping your smart devices and associated accounts safe.