In Japan, consumer inquiries about problems with social networks reached a historic record by surpassing 100,000 in one year. More than half of those affected are people aged 50 or older, revealing an alarming growth in digital scams and fraud. For citizens, this is a clear sign that they need to review account security and be wary of suspicious offers online.
How to protect your data on digital platforms 🔒
The wave of fraud is based on increasingly sophisticated social engineering techniques. Scammers create fake profiles and deceptive ads that imitate legitimate services. To avoid this, enable two-step authentication, review app permissions, and do not share verification codes. In Japan, authorities recommend using password managers and verifying any link before clicking. Technical prevention is the most effective barrier against these threats.
The digital grandparent: new risk profile 👴
It seems scammers also read the marketing manual: if they used to sell scams over the phone, now they have moved to TikTok and Facebook. And of course, the older audience, who learned to use the internet by watching their grandchild's tutorials, falls for it completely. Japan's data is just the tip of the iceberg: over 50,000 grandparents scammed per year. The moral is simple: if your uncle sends you a link to make easy money, it's probably not a business, but a practical class in economics for scammers.