Cybercrime awareness and victimisation in individuals over 60 years: A Portsmouth case study

Abstract

Currently cybercrime awareness education tends to be generic, which is not useful for certain demographics, such as older adults, who are at a higher risk of victimisation due to their potential unfamiliarity with cyberspace norms and practices. The Cybercrime Awareness Clinic team carried out focus groups and interviews with older adults with the aim of gaining a better understanding of their cybercrime perceptions and experiences. Fifteen older adults over 60 years participated in focus groups or semi-structured interviews and discussed their experiences of using the internet and dealing with cybercrime. The study concluded that older adults have specific cyberawareness resource requirements, which reinforces the need for more tailored prevention and reporting mechanisms. Education in relation to cyber-risks and prevention is crucial, but can only be effective when co-designed with those that are supposed to receive this training in a grassroots way.