Retired teachers: How secure are you?
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 128 No 3, 5 May 2023, page no. 30
Are you safe at all times – at home, in your car or using the computer? Every day we hear of unscrupulous persons 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, including pets, stolen by thieves while she was away looking after sick relatives. This suggests that you need to be in regular contact with neighbours and to notify police if your house is going to be empty for any period.
Another annoyance is the door-to-door salespeople who come trying to sell us solar panels, electricity accounts, and even 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.
A search of the internet gives the following links to good suggestions for keeping ourselves and our property safe.
- http://www.police.qld.gov.au/services/personal/seniors has suggestions for at home, shopping, phones, and personal alarms.
- http://www.emergency.qld.gov.au provides links to numerous publications you can download or have sent to your home.
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. We must keep a vigilant lookout 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 what might happen if we do not contact this address? We need to keep our wits about us and if we are not sure, ask the relevant authorities.
Recently Brisbane Seniors Online detailed some the ways in which hackers are trying to target us. Here are a few tips that are important to seniors.
Never click on a link in an email or message unless it is from a trusted source. Phishing 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.
Do not use public wi-fi. It is generally not secure, and you do not know who is snooping.
Keep your personal information private on social media. Never provide personal information or money to someone you meet online.
QRTA members, please watch for the next newsletter for details of forthcoming events.
Further reading:
https://www.cyber.gov.au/acsc/individuals-and-families
https://www.wikihow.com/Be-Safe-on-the-Internet