The COVID pandemic has and continues to take both a physical and mental toll on senior citizens. In addition to being the most vulnerable to the virus and having to endure long isolation periods from family and friends, the pandemic has also brought with it a whole new variety of frauds targeting older adults.

As many industries must adapt to new trends to stay ahead of the game, so do scammers become more creative to con unsuspecting people looking for answers to problems online, on the phone or in person. 

“Scammers stay on top of whatever is new such as the popularity of Zoom, COVID-19 vaccines and online shopping, and then move fast to create ploys that best fit the moment”, says Amy Nofziger, AARP’s Director of Fraud Victim Support.

Below are two of the recent trending frauds that are happening more frequently that not just seniors, but all adults should be aware of in 2021. Each fraud features a scenario of how the scam plays out, the scammer’s intentions and how to avoid becoming a victim of the ploy.

1. Zoom Phishing Emails

Scammers registered thousands of fake Zoom-related internet domains in the early stages of the pandemic. This was so that they could send out emails that look like they’re from the popular videoconferencing website, according to the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

The scheme: “You receive an email, text or social media message with the Zoom logo, telling you to click on a link because your account is suspended or you missed a meeting,” says Katherine Hutt, national spokesperson for the BBB. “Clicking can allow criminals to download malicious software onto your computer, access your personal information to use for identity theft search for passwords to hack into your other accounts.”

How to avoid: “Never click on links in unsolicited emails, texts or social media messages”, Hutt says. If you think there is a problem with your account, visit Zoom’s real website at Zoom.

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A Milan-based appeals court on Tuesday ordered Facebook to pay 3.83 million euros ($4.70 million) in damages to an Italian software development company for copying an app, a court document seen by Reuters showed.

Business Competence filed a lawsuit in 2013, accusing Facebook’s ‘Nearby’ feature of having copied its Faround application, which helps users locate Facebook friends in the vicinity, the complaint alleged that the two applications were “extremely similar” in their functions and general set-up.

Kenya Railways has officially introduced the commuter rail buses that will be operating in three routes in Nairobi. The commuter buses will be an alternative to matatu as a way of reducing both human and vehicle traffic congestion in the city. Those who will use the commuter buses will purchase their tickets while on board.

Routes scheduled for the Nairobi railway commuter buses will be Westlands,Upperhill and Yaya. Travellers are supposed to observe and maintain Covid-19 rules to avoid further spread of the virus. Each bus has its own scheduled time and fare price.

The commuter trains have been operating on Nairobi-Imara Daima-syokimau route, Nairobi-Embakasi route, Nairobi-kibera- Kikuyu route and Nairobi-Githurai-Mwiki-Kahawa-Ruiru route. Demand for the commuter Rail service has been on the low due to more matatus in the city and poor standards of the railway station.