Different Scams Impact Different Audiences, Which Means You Need to Prepare for All of Them

January 25, 2023

Back during the holiday season, the Federal Trade Commission shared some data that showed that members of Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z are all more likely to fall for online shopping scams than those over the age of 60…and not by a little, either. Those under that age are apparently 86 percent more likely to fall for these scams.

Let’s examine some of the findings of this report, and what they tell us about the state of cybersecurity.

Here’s the Hard Truth: Different Types of Scams are More Effective with Different Age Demographics

According to the FTC, scams are universally effective. However, one form of scam may be more effective to one generational subset, while another might impact a different one.

For instance, the FTC’s research saw that younger generations were far more prone to online shopping fraud, investment scams, and job scams. Meanwhile, older generations were more successfully targeted by tech support scams and sweepstakes scams.

It also needs to be said that different scam victims are frequently targeted using different means, as well. Younger Millennials and members of Generation Z are frequently successfully targeted by scams that begin on social media, while Generation X and Baby Boomers are frequently victimized by phone scams.

It Doesn’t Matter What Age Someone Is, They’re Just as Vulnerable to Cyberattacks and Scams

With so many scams out there, utilizing different mediums and platforms to target their intended victims, it’s important that everyone is prepared to spot potential threats and react to them appropriately…and this is all the more important in the business.

Fortunately, businesses in Northern Virginia can turn to the professionals at First Column IT for assistance in preparing their teams to deal with assorted cybersecurity threats. Give us a call at (571) 470-5594 to learn more about our cybersecurity services.

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What is the Apple Mercenary Attack, and Why Should You Care?

Apple rarely sends out alerts about threats, and that is because threats that target Apple devices are somewhat rare in the first place. However, on April 10, 2024, Apple saw fit to send one to certain users in 92 nations by email. These notifications were “designed to inform and assist users who may have been individually targeted by mercenary spyware attacks.” What does this mean, exactly?

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Endpoint Detection is Critical for Your Organization’s Security

In today’s world of perpetual security breaches and cyberattacks, it’s no surprise that the greatest response to such threats is to actively prevent them from harming your organization in the first place. One key tool in this effort is an endpoint detection and response (EDR) solution. With endpoint protection on your business’ side, you can leverage a robust and powerful security solution to handle a significant portion of your network security.

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Tip of the Week: 3 Easy Methods to Police Your IT Infrastructure Policies

How clearly outlined are your IT-related policies and procedures in the workplace? It is difficult at best to manage these expectations alongside your employees, but it’s a necessary task all the same. Today, we want to help your organization walk the fine line between protecting your assets, data, and reputation, and granting your employees permissions to do what they must on your network infrastructure.