The internet is an essential resource for staying in touch with distant loved ones, reading news, and even conducting important business like accessing health care.

However, it can also be rife with scammers looking to take advantage of seniors through various sophisticated and nefarious efforts. Here are four quick tips for evading their traps and browsing the internet with greater security.

Avoid phone scams

Artificial intelligence (AI) is now powerful enough to replicate human voices, such as those of your friends or grandchildren. In what are known as “grandparent scams,” fraudsters use this tool to prey on your care for young relatives, placing phony phone calls faking a crisis that your money or private data is needed to resolve. Don’t fall for it: if someone you know calls and asks for personal information, text or call them directly to confirm it’s them making this request. Making matters worse, sharing your information can allow them to target you online and even access your online accounts.

Say no to sweepstakes

Be wary of any messaging that claims to offer free prizes or hard-to-believe discounts. Scammers often employ such tactics to trick you into clicking phishing links, which acquire your personal information in exchange for false perks. Following an unsafe link could also download malware, or damaging software that intrudes on your device’s security and tracks your activity.

Do your due diligence

Fraudsters tend to target seniors because they may likely have substantial funds set aside for retirement. As a common tactic, they’ll pose as the IRS, a Medicare rep, or your bank to request sensitive information like your Social Security number. Don’t click links demanding this info or surrender any information to them; as with AI voice scams, the safest step is to call these services directly and then confirm what data they need, if any.

Establish trust first

One issue the FCC specifically warns against is romance scams. This is when criminals create fake profiles on social media, build a rapport with people through messaging, and then ask them for money; some scammers may also blackmail their victims into paying up. Even if an online relationship seems genuinely romantic, friendly, or professional, cease all contact with someone who is requesting money unless you have met in person and established mutual trust.

While there’s no such thing as a 100 percent safe internet, being aware of these and other scam tactics can ensure that you browse with greater peace of mind every day.