DENVER — Today's digital landscape demands that everyone, including older adults, acquire the skills to protect themselves from online fraud.
Although internet crime impacts everyone, older adults are the most frequent victims. According to AARP, Americans lost $4.9 billion to fraud in 2024, a staggering 43% increase over the previous year.
Older adults filed more internet crime complaints than any other group, logging 142,000 complaints in just 12 months.
“I didn’t want to be left behind,” said 86-year-old Carolyn White, reflecting on her decision to enroll in free tech classes at AARP’s Senior Planet in Denver. “Everything now involves your new devices. Everything is amazing when it comes to new technology, so I wanted to be part of this.”
Inside Senior Planet’s classroom, White and her classmates are learning how to use smartphone features, apps, and especially password managers — tools that play a crucial role in keeping online accounts safe. The need is clear: AARP reports that 64% of adults do not use different passwords for each account, putting them at a higher risk of cybercrime.
For many attendees, these lessons are not just about preventing scams but also about gaining independence, confidence, and a sense of community.
“You know, I sleep with my phone. I have my watch for falls. I’m equipping myself with all this stuff, but I don’t really know how to use it to the fullest,” said 80-year-old Esther O’Sullivan, who lives alone. “We know that the elderly are easily taken advantage of, and including me, even though I think my brain is still pretty functional, but we are vulnerable. I feel that, and being as educated as we can and knowledgeable as we can gives us an advantage.”
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Program lead Aaron Santis explained that the classes are designed to break down fears and empower older adults to thrive online.
“We like to think of ourselves as a social impact organization where we’re using technology as a tool, versus just teaching technology for the sake of it,” Santis said. “We’re using technology to enhance people’s lives in health and wellness, civic engagement, financial security, creative expression.”
For Santis, the win is not just digital literacy, but a positive change in attitude.
“Those fears and those hesitations start to sit in the back burner and don’t really limit people from learning," Santis said. "And then you can start to realize, wow, I can do this. I can be a part of this conversation. I can change the narrative on how I’m using technology.”
Safety is woven throughout every class.
“Fraud and keeping yourself safe online is something that’s really important to us, so it’s actually in green throughout all of our classes,” Santis said. “We teach helpful tips on how to stay safe, things you can do to prevent being scammed.”
Participants say these lessons have changed their daily lives. Lynn Arnot, 78, described going from intimidated to empowered.
“I’ve learned not to be intimidated by my phone," Arnot told Denver7. "I think my generation tends to be more trusting, and so that’s something that they’ve taught me to be a little skeptical.”
“Getting courage to kind of dig further into an application or a process or a product and everything, and that’s what I found. The class members kind of learning to explore and ask questions, and teamwork," Richard Tunnell, 72, added.
For resources on staying safe online and tips tailored for older adults, visit AARP's Fraud Watch Network. If you'd like to sign up for classes at Senior Planet, just visit their website.
