Protect yourself and your property
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 128 , 21 July 2023, page no.28
Are you safe at all times at home, in your car or using the computer? Every day we hear of unscrupulous individuals targeting people and property for their own greedy benefit.
You may have heard the story of a lady who had the contents of her house stolen while she was living with sick relatives. The neighbours did not become suspicious because they were given a plausible reason for the removal. This suggests that we need to be in regular contact with our neighbours and notify the police if our house is going to be empty for any period of time.
Then there are the door-to-door salesmen who try to sell us anything from solar panels and electricity accounts to paintings. Seniors, like everyone else, have the right to feel safe in their homes and not be preyed upon. Research has shown that those who appear confident and take precautions are less likely to become the victims of crime.
The following links provide good suggestions for keeping ourselves and our property safe:
- suggestions for home, shopping, phone and personal alarms – http://www.police.qld.gov.au/services/personal/seniors
- publications available to download or to have sent to your home – www.emergency.qld.gov.au
Another area of concern for trusting seniors is the internet. Many of us have learned to use computers for all of our daily activities, including banking and online shopping. This means that we must keep a vigilant look out for hackers and those who would steal our identity. How many of us have had the phone call telling us that our computer is faulty and Microsoft needs to repair it, or emails alerting us to problems with bank accounts and asking us to visit a particular web address? We need to keep our wits about us and, just like children, if we are not sure, ask the relevant authorities.
Recently, Brisbane Seniors Online detailed some of the ways in which hackers are trying to use your computer for their own benefit. Here are a few tips.
- Never click on a link in an email or message unless it is from a trusted source. Pfishing is the number one method of attack. Banks and government institutions never ask for your details online.
- Ensure all websites you type information into are secure. Look for a padlock in the browser’s address bar and “https” at the start of the website’s address.
- Don’t use public wi-fi. It is not generally secure and you don’t know who is snooping.
- Keep your personal information private on social media. Never provide personal information or money to someone you meet online.
Further reading:
- https://www.cyber.gov.au/acsc/individuals-and-families
- https://www.wikihow.com/Be-Safe-on-the-Internet
Members, please watch for the next newsletter for details of forthcoming events.