Meta, as part of its ongoing global anti-scam awareness campaign, has shared the latest trends in scams targeting older adults, new safety tools, and tips for how to spot and avoid scammers online.

Since the start of the year, Meta has detected and disrupted close to eight million accounts on Facebook and Instagram associated with criminal scam centres targeting people, including older adults, globally through messaging, dating apps, social media, crypto, and other apps.

“The fight against scams and fraud is a relentless one, and we are continually evolving our defenses to stay ahead of bad actors,” Vice President of Public Policy, Africa, Middle East and Türkiye at Meta, Kojo Boakye said.

“This is part of our unwavering commitment to protect our users, not just by banning malicious accounts, but by empowering individuals with the tools and knowledge they need to recognise and avoid these sophisticated threats.”

In a statement, Meta urged its subscribers to, “Be cautious with unsolicited messages or calls. Never share personal or financial information in response to unexpected calls, emails, or texts.

“Pause and check in with people you trust.  Scammers often create a false sense of urgency or panic. Take a moment, and talk to someone you trust before responding. Use official customer service channels. If you need help, always call the company’s official hotline or go to their website to find their contact info. Don’t click on links in emails or texts.”

For tips for families to help older adults in their lives stay safe online, it stated: “Proactively discuss how they can be on the look out for scams. Talk openly with your loved ones about common scams. Let them know that scams can happen to anyone, and it’s important to double-check with you or someone they trust before acting on a suspicious request.

“Share scam prevention basics and resources. You can visit Meta’s Scam Prevention Hub for more info on common scams and how to avoid or report them. You can also remind them to report scams to local police.

“Set up security alerts together. Help older adults enable security alerts on their accounts that can notify them of unusual logins or large transactions. Become a “trusted contact” at their financial institution, so you’ll be notified of any suspicious activity.”

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