Tangled web: Senior citizens navigate a complex digital world

Bengaluru: Little did Bhuvan (name changed), a 65-year-old retired banker from Bengaluru, know that an innocuous phone call would have devastating economic consequences. Soon after he took out a policy in a reputed insurance company, Bhuvan got a call from an “agent”, who promised big interest rates for senior citizens, from the company. 

Bhuvan was taken in by the man’s apparent expertise. More importantly, he did not suspect the caller, who had access to classified information. He sent Bhuvan a booklet which explained the scheme and even sent a person to his house to answer scheme-related queries. 

Systematically, the retired banker transferred Rs 5 lakh to the agent, partially in cash and the rest digitally. After not receiving updates for more than a month, he realised that the entire interaction was a charade. 

Despite complaints to cyber police, the money could not be traced. In hindsight, the victim concluded that the fraudster must have been an ex-employee or someone who had access to the digital database of the insurance company. 

The challenge for 67-year-old Mariamma Thomas, a homemaker based in Mumbai, comes with regular checkups at a hospital, where the mode of interaction had witnessed a massive transformation. “The hospital I visit has a lot of computer technology involved. From registration to booking appointments, to even paying bills, I either need to access my smartphone, or a kiosk at the hospital,” she says. As a cancer survivor, Mariamma requires checkups every six months. Lacking access to digital services means that she has to either stand in long lines or rely on others to help.   

Mariamma and Bhuvan’s cases symbolise broader issues that countless senior citizens face. Digitisation of essential services like health and banking has posed myriad challenges for senior citizens. Many have remained outsiders to a world which, with the inception of the Aadhaar card in 2009, has changed drastically. Within a decade, nearly every essential service, government or private,  is linked to this unique ID system, including PAN cards, bank accounts, insurance policies and mobile phones. 

However, there has been a noticeable oversight in creating mechanisms and putting systems in place to make these spaces more accessible for people lacking digital literacy — particularly senior citizens. About 86% of senior citizens do not know how to use digital technology or computers. 

The Ayushman Bharat Health Account Digital Mission (ABHA) is one of the latest large-scale programmes by the Union government to set up digital health infrastructure that supports universal health coverage in an inclusive, accessible, affordable, timely and safe manner, by providing a digital health ID to every citizen. It is also the latest in a series of initiatives that aim to create a digital ecosystem, necessitating the use of a smartphone app. 

As per the International Labour Organisation, India boasts the largest youth population in the world. Coupled with the fact that the country has over 600 million smartphone users, according to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, this digitisation appears only logical.

However, amid this digital revolution, the country’s 149 million senior citizens, comprising nearly 10.5% of the population as of 2022, are encountering challenges. The penetration rate for smartphones is about 54% in India, but only around 5% for those 55 years and older.

The concept of digital literacy is defined differently based on region. As per the definition of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, digital literacy is the ability of individuals and communities to understand and use digital technologies for meaningful actions within life situations.

However, there are different levels of such literacy. While knowing how to access e-mail, WhatsApp and executing Google searches can be considered basic digital literacy, higher proficiency would involve identifying spam e-mails, calls and fake websites.

Factors such as fear and a lack of mechanisms that facilitate knowledge transfer contribute to a lack of digital literacy. 

“There is also a major digital divide between the demographics in India. The widespread adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) may leave a massive chunk of India devoid of many such advancements,” adds Vivek Rai, a Mumbai-based computer engineer.

Government statistics reveal that over 65% of India resides in rural areas, where technological penetration remains limited. Despite this, essential services compel rural residents to travel to nearby towns or cities, where technology usage has become imperative, particularly for basics like banking and healthcare.

Impediments in healthcare

Former chief medical officer of Varanasi district, Dr O P Tiwari told DH that the hospital and trauma centre in Banaras Hindu University is one of the biggest in eastern UP. The hospital caters to patients from the surrounding districts of Chandauli, Mirzapur, Jaunpur, and even Bihar. 

There is little to no support system for the elderly available in this region. “The registration here is being done online of late. While there is a manual facility available, many slots are filled by people who can operate smartphones. You will rarely find the elderly with smartphones here,” Tiwari says.

Poor smartphone and internet adoption has also impacted follow-up, explains Dehradun-based Dr Rashmi Singh. “The elderly who come to the hospital alone often come without previous reports or other paperwork. If they are from some village far away, they are not able to share reports over the phone,” she says. 

While the ABHA digital mission is registering people and hosting their medical records, for people who cannot operate smartphones, the initiative may prove redundant.

For instance, the general crowd of patients in Dehradun government hospitals is constituted of people from the Pahari community or from tribal communities of the hills. “Even many doctors in Uttarakhand have not heard of the ABHA Digital Mission,” Dr Rashmi adds.  

Banking

In 2020, a retired professor (now deceased) encountered a scam that led to a significant financial loss in Bengaluru. Though the professor was aware of the risks associated with clicking on unknown links, he was deeply alarmed when a message he had previously ignored, allegedly from BSNL, threatened to disconnect his phone. 

Worried that this may jeopardise his daily routine, the professor relented. He spoke over the phone in Hindi for several minutes and switched over to the landline when the caller, disguised as a BSNL official, asked him to do some transactions.

The scammer sought money through direct bank transactions and also initiated a Flipkart purchase, relates the late professor's wife who is a retired banker herself. 

He asked the professor for the OTP and that is when the latter suspected something fishy and scolded the scammer. Overhearing the conversation, his wife rushed in trying to avert damage. However, the transaction was completed and around Rs 1,00,000 was already lost through bank transfer. Though a cyber crime complaint was lodged and the case diligently followed by the police, the money was not traced.

Ravi Yadav, a bank manager in rural Varanasi, highlights a critical concern in the banking sector related to fraud, particularly among the elderly. He says low levels of tech literacy in the region are making the elderly especially vulnerable to cybercrime.

“Elders sometimes share sensitive information like ATM PINs with strangers, without realising that they can lose money. Rapid digitisation and a lack of training make the elderly particularly susceptible to financial scams,” Yadav says.

He stresses the urgent need for comprehensive digital literacy programmes that can safeguard all citizens, as younger generations can fall prey to such scams too.  

The requirement of technological knowledge to report such incidents further adds to the woes of senior citizens as was the case with Atanu (70), a Gurgaon-based artist.  

He became a victim of an online scam, losing approximately Rs 35,000 while purchasing a DSLR camera. His limited proficiency with smartphones became an impediment in lodging a complaint in the cyber cell online.

Atanu's condition of kyphosis (a condition in which the spine is rounded) prevented him from going to the police station and filing a complaint in person. 

With such cases increasing by the day, several questions related to the causes behind the vulnerability of senior citizens have been raised.

"Fraudsters execute scams in such a way that the victims are put under a lot of duress and act as per their directions. This psychological ploy is the basis for most cybercrimes," says C Vamshi Krishna, DIGP, Economic Offences, CID, Karnataka and an information security expert.

He says the lack of digital literacy is one of the factors that makes senior citizens more vulnerable to cyber crimes. "There is an inherent inferiority complex amongst seniors concerning technology. Despite knowing things, they remain anxious. This creates a fertile ground for fraudsters to exploit," the DIGP adds.

Socio-economic backgrounds

Alongside age, socio-economic factors also play a major role in determining the digital fluency of a population. People from educated and affluent backgrounds are bound to find it easier for several reasons. Among many, they are more likely to have familial support systems that can combat fraudsters. 

H V Nataraj, a retired RBI officer, recalls an incident from the late 2000s, when he was using a bank account. "I got a message asking me to disclose my PIN. I mechanically did it but soon realised that something was amiss. Within half an hour, I called the helpline. They withheld the card and fortunately, the money was saved," he recollects.

Another senior citizen in Bengaluru South says he got a call in December 2023 from a man masquerading as a bank manager. "He asked me for my bank details but I was aware that one should never share it, I scolded the scammer and cut the call," he says.

A senior citizen points out that it may be ideal to have a digitised world but under present constraints and educational handicaps, it could only mean greater trouble for those from marginalised backgrounds.

According to a report by the Union Ministry of Labour, 38% of the households are digitally literate. While there are 61% of such houses in urban spaces, the number falls to a lowly 25% in rural India.

With many schemes and programmes digitised, rural seniors depend on third parties for help, increasing the chances of manipulation. Mallikarjun P Ambigar, president of the Aaraike Old Age Home in Bengaluru, says all the senior citizens in the home go to banks and other public spaces, accompanied by attendants, as they are not well-versed with technology. 

The presence of physical modes of application and transaction is important as seniors continue to trust these methods according to Vinay, the managing director of Ashraya Seva Trust, Bengaluru. He strongly believes that digital incompatibility is a generational problem and hence has to be treated sensitively. "In our trust, we give care to seniors who are abandoned, harassed and abused. Most of them are not well-versed with technology. Physical modes of transaction are a must for them," he adds.

Gender disparities 

Union Minister Anurag Thakur recently emphasised the importance of financial inclusion for women in driving economic growth. However, existing inequalities exacerbate the difficulties elderly women face in accessing banking, loans, equity, insurance products and other financial services in the digital age.

Geeta Rai, a 63-year-old homemaker from Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, comes from a well-to-do family with both her children in reputable jobs. Despite her family background, Geeta has had limited involvement in financial matters, a common scenario for women of her generation in Uttar Pradesh.

The lack of engagement has positioned her at a disadvantage in navigating the banking sector independently. “I have a smartphone with banking apps, but I am reliant on my husband or children for transactions,” she says.

Geeta recently gained confidence in using a debit card for transactions. Her experience shows the broader issue of financial literacy among women, especially in the senior age group. 

Many senior citizens are shying away from digital applications and smartphones due to the inherent risks involved. While recognising the importance of technology and preparing for an eventuality where most transactions will be digitised, we must recognise that India is a developing country with vast populations remaining untouched by technology. In such a scenario, gradual digitisation by creating due awareness may be the way forward. 

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