Multiple reports confirm a significant threat to consumers over age 35, especially given their high engagement with online banking.

According to a new report from the Identity Theft Resource Center, unauthorized access to computers and mobile devices increased by 78% in just 12 months. Particular concern arises from the 26.8% increase in the number of misuse cases detected by financial institutions. According to data from the 11th annual Rural Subscriber Study, 69% to 80% of consumers over 35 use online banking.

Robocall and Telemarketer Scams On the Rise

The latest industry figures indicate that U.S. consumers receive approximately 4.2 billion robocalls each month, averaging about 13 calls per person. Call volumes are increasing, having recently broken a pattern of historically lower levels. The voice scammers are specifically targeting landlines, which are more susceptible to STIR/SHAKEN failing to validate TDM traffic.

Education and Protection is Key

The evidence of millions of dollars lost should serve as a call to action for service providers to educate and protect their customers. There is a wealth of resources available to help inform customers about what they need to be mindful of when using the internet. Education is not a one-time exercise; repetition is key. The phishing scams have not really changed that much, but it is easy to forget over time. When someone receives an email that appears to be from their bank, claiming their account is about to be closed unless they take immediate action, they may have forgotten the bill stuffer they received a year ago about this issue.

When it comes to robocallers and telemarketers, you do have options to protect your landline customers