Free webinar: How to stay safer online

In our free webinar, AbilityNet's experts and Alex Somervell, CEO of Ask Silver, shared information about common scams and how to spot them. Find out about the best habits to adopt for your security and ways to stay alert to sophisticated online scams.

In this session you will learn about how to:

• Recognise and avoid common online scams such as phishing emails, fake websites, and fraudulent phone calls
• Create strong passwords and use password managers 
• Understand privacy settings on social media 
• Identify secure websites and best practices for financial information online

Watch the recording below and download the slides and transcript.

Following recent research which shows that nearly half of over 65s struggle to complete digital admin without help, TV broadcasting legend, Johnny Ball (pictured), is encouraging his generation to sign up to attend AbilityNet and BT Group's free digital skills sessions including this online webinar.

Who will benefit from this webinar?

The session will benefit:

• Older people and disabled adults
• Carers of older people or disabled adults
• Health professionals working with older people or disabled adults
• People interested in tech and digital devices
• Web and Accessibility professionals interested in design and digital considerations for older people and disabled adults

If you work for an organisation that helps older people or disabled adults, this webinar recording will be useful to help your clients.

This session is part of AbilityNet's work with telecommunications company BT Group to help older people and disabled adults to build online skills and confidence.

Q&A

This webinar ran for 45 minutes and included an opportunity to pose questions to the speakers. Find out more about our webinars in our FAQs information.

Download presentation slides

You can download the slides used in this webinar [Powerpoint file]

Download the transcript

You can download the webinar transcript [Word document]

Do you know an elderly person or a group of older people or disabled adults who want to know more about using digital devices?

Meet the panellists

Lucy Walsh, BT Digital Skills Trainer, AbilityNet

Lucy joined AbilityNet in 2023 on our BT Digital Skills project, providing digital confidence training to clients in the Cardiff and Bristol area. Her previous roles have included being a trainer and coach in both the Financial and Third Sectors, notably for Lloyds TSB, Save the Children and Royal British Legion.

Alex Somervell, Co-founder and CEO, Ask Silver

In 2019, Alex’s dad was scammed out of almost £150,000, most of his life savings. Alex supported him through it at the time and a few years later decided to try and help more people. With a long-time friend Jonny, they created Ask Silver, a Scam Checker that is completely free for consumers. You simply forward a text message, email, number or website that you’re unsure about and it will use AI to analyse it and respond with a conclusion.

Ask Silver has been featured on the BBC, Times and Which?, and is used by Metro Bank and the City of London Police Victim Care Unit. It also enables consumers to report scams to the authorities with a tap.

Useful links

• Blog: Using technology to help elderly relatives from afar 
• Webinar playback: The 12 Scams of Christmas
• Sign up to the AbilityNet newsletter for more free resources like this webinar!
• Find out about AbilityNet's Digital accessibility services