Allstate NI offers cyber safety training for older adults

The interactive sessions, which cover everything from fraud and identity protection to email and telephone scams, will help those over 60 navigate the internet with confidence.

The community initiative comes after it was revealed that over £6 million was lost to scams in Northern Ireland in 2020.

The virtual sessions will cover general cybersecurity awareness, fraud, identity theft, and email and telephone scams and will equip attendees with the tools to protect their passwords and privacy settings.

Technologists at Allstate developed the initiative following the success of its Cyber Safety for Kids scheme, a training programme that has reached over 11,000 children globally since launching in Northern Ireland in 2018.

Like the award-winning kids programme, the training for older adults will be delivered across Northern Ireland, the U.S and India to protect as many people as possible.

Senior Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer at Allstate Jeff Wright, said: “Cybercrime is on the rise and hackers are getting smarter. There is no doubt that all of us are at risk, however older members of society are a growing target for cybercriminals. That’s why we are reaching out to local communities and offering free, online training sessions to ensure more people have the knowledge and awareness to stop cybercrime in its tracks.”

Vice President and Deputy Chief Information Security Officer at Allstate NI Keith Lippert, explained: “Covid-19 forced everyone online and more people are using the internet for tasks that require sharing sensitive information. In these sessions, Allstate cybersecurity professionals will talk about the most common scams and how to avoid falling victim to them. Individuals are encouraged to ask questions and get tips that will best protect them and their assets.”

Superintendent Gerard Pollock, Police Service of Northern Ireland, added: “I welcome any initiatives which advise and educate people on how they can avoid falling victim to scams and encourage anyone who has been a victim to report it to police on the non-emergency telephone number 101.”

Virtual sessions are available throughout the summer:

Tuesday, July 27, 10-11am.

Thursday, August 5, 12-1pm.

Tuesday, August 24, 11am to 12pm.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper whenever you are able to do so.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper when you can safely.

You can also enjoy unlimited access to the best news from across Northern Ireland and the UK by subscribing to newsletter.co.uk

With a digital subscription, you can read more than five articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Thank you