Written proscriptions against fraud date to the Sumerians, and acts of deception are forbidden in Leviticus, but that hasn’t slowed down criminals who want our money. Indeed, as technology advances and AI seems to be everywhere, the pace and scale of financial crimes is skyrocketing. After reviewing the history of fraud, we will identify current schemes targeting older adults, discuss cognitive risk factors, and work on our individual ‘threat models’ to guard against financial loss. After all, we should be able to cross the information superhighway without fear of getting mowed down.

I will use a combination of lecture/slides, videos, and group discussion with plenty of time for questions. This course is intended as a conceptual overview rather than a safety check of your electronic devices, but we will examine good online hygiene and discuss how critical it is to have unique, complex, and long passwords, a necessity made easier using password managers. Participants should leave with increased confidence that they can protect themselves against multiple threats, as well as help family and friends safely navigate the digital age. We are always stronger if we work together.