The column below appears in this week's INM Irish regional newspapers.
Michael Commane
A friend of mine had new blinds fitted to the windows of her house in the last few weeks. They look good. She may well have nicked the idea from me as I have similar ones in my house.
She told me that the man who fitted them was a nice chap and the price for the job was reasonable. But he told her that some days earlier he had fixed a blind for an elderly lady.
When the job was done he told her it cost €250. The woman went for her purse to pay the money and just then the man told her that he had been joking and that the job would only cost €50.00. Joke or no joke, it was not a nice thing to do but it did set me thinking how vulnerable we all are, especially older people.
In the last few days I heard about a man, who was on the verge of giving all his banking details to a fraudster who telephoned him. He was about to give the last digit of his PIN when he suddenly felt uncomfortable and hung up. Electronic banking works but always be careful and never give your PIN to anyone. Be smart.
We are forever and always susceptible to all kinds of fraud and theft. Modern technology has changed the landscape of scams and fiddles. It’s no longer a question of making sure that just your wallet is well hidden and the doors and windows are all secured and locked.
Every day there is a story about electronic fraud. The big story last week was how 1.5 million people had personal details compromised. The number might turn out to be much higher.
Okay, I’m no longer the youngest kid on the block but I think I can still manage electronic commerce. These days most of us pay our bills electronically and do much of our business on the internet. I have to admit that I still prefer to study a facility bill on hard copy.
How at all are older people coping with what is taking place in the electronic world?
I’m thinking of a friend of mine who can’t read. What happens to him when he will no longer be able to go to the Post Office to collect his pension?
November is the traditional month when we remember the dead.
My father died in 2004. He was 95. Up to 93 he was as sharp as a razor yet he never used a mobile phone nor did he manage to get his head around the euro currency.
I remember on one occasion, on my advice, he had his pension paid electronically into his account. He changed it back to the old system within weeks. He wanted to be able to go to the Post Office and collect his own pension.
Maybe it is that I am simply reaching an age where change is not as easy as it was when I was younger. But I don’t think it’s as simple as that. Right now change seems to jump at some sort of exponential speed that has never happened before.
Are we taking enough care to protect people who are not so computer literate?
Did you know that more people in the world have access to a mobile telephone than to a toilet?
I’m just reminded. I better check my IBAN and BIC numbers.
In the meantime wouldn’t it be a good idea if our primary schools taught children how to type. Then again, come another few years maybe keyboards will be a thing of the past.
Who knows?
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