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Digital seniors | a new reality
The stereotype of an older adult who's afraid of computers and pays only in cash is fading faster than we might expect. Data from the 7th edition of the Warsaw Institute of Banking's (WIB) 2026 survey paints a completely new picture of the Polish older adult in the world of digital finance. As many as 82% of respondents over 60 report using online banking | whether through a browser on a computer or a mobile app on a smartphone.
This is a result that would have seemed unattainable just five years ago. In 2020, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the share of older adults using online banking was under 50%. The pandemic became a catalyst for digital transformation among older people | closed bank branches, limited access to cash, and the need to handle things remotely forced millions of older adults to take their first steps in the world of e-banking. And it turned out those first steps quickly turned into a habit.
WIB data also shows that 84% of older adults own and actively use a payment card | both debit and credit. Contactless card payments have become a natural way for many older people to pay for everyday purchases. Interestingly, the popularity of BLIK | Poland's mobile payment system | is also growing. Although just a few years ago it was associated mainly with younger users, today one in three older adults with a smartphone uses it.
This shift is fundamental. Older adults are no longer passive observers of the digital financial revolution | they've become active participants in it. They log into mobile banking, make transfers, check balances, pay bills online, buy public transport tickets through an app. This is a huge step toward independence and convenience. But it also carries new risk.
But there's a catch
The growth in digital technical skills is, unfortunately, not matched by a proportional growth in safety awareness. The same WIB study shows that 59% of older adults rate their knowledge of safe internet use as "average". Only 18% feel confident in this area, while as many as 23% admit their knowledge is "poor" or "very poor".
This means we're dealing with a dangerous mismatch: older adults use digital tools willingly and increasingly skilfully, but don't always know how to recognise a threat. They can log into online banking, but can't always tell a real bank website from a phishing fake. They can make a transfer, but don't always know how to verify whether a link in a text message is genuine. They use BLIK, but may not know that a BLIK code must never be shared with anyone | even someone claiming to be a bank employee.
Fake domains | CSIRT KNF data
Data from the Computer Security Incident Response Team at the Polish Financial Supervision Authority (CSIRT KNF) for 2024 provides additional context. Of all the fake domains identified and blocked by the team, as many as 89% were linked to fake investment platforms. This means scammers are concentrating on one particularly lucrative area: convincing victims | including older adults | to "invest" money on platforms that are actually traps.
The mechanism is well known: the victim comes across an ad on social media or a news site, promising high returns from investing in cryptocurrency, gold, oil, or other assets. After clicking the link, they land on a professional-looking page that deceptively resembles a legitimate investment platform. They register, deposit an initial amount | often around $250 | and watch their "investment" grow on screen. Encouraged by the "profits", they deposit more. When they try to withdraw the money, it turns out the platform doesn't exist, and the money is gone.
Older adults are especially exposed to this type of scam for several reasons. First, they have savings they'd like to grow | especially in the face of inflation eating into the value of bank deposits. Second, they have less experience assessing the credibility of websites. Third, ads for fraudulent platforms often use the images of well-known figures | actors, politicians, TV presenters | which builds a false sense of credibility.
What do older adults expect from banks?
Research conducted by WIB, SeniorHub, and CFA Society Poland sheds interesting light on what older adults actually expect from their banks when it comes to safety. Their answers form a consistent picture of needs that largely remain unmet.
Automatic blocking of suspicious transactions
At the top of the wish list is automatic blocking of suspicious transactions. Older adults want the bank itself to recognise that a large transfer to an unknown recipient, made at an unusual time, could be the result of a scam | and for such a transfer to be held pending additional verification. Some banks are already implementing AI-based solutions like this, but it's still not a market standard.
Proactive warnings
The second expectation is proactive information about current threats. Older adults want to see a message after logging into online banking: "Warning: texts impersonating our bank are currently circulating. Do not click links in text messages." Warnings like this, shown at the right moment and in simple language, could prevent thousands of scams. Unfortunately, many banks place this kind of information only on their websites, in "News" or "Security" sections that older adults rarely visit.
Simple language
The third, perhaps most important, expectation is communication in simple, understandable language. Bank terms and conditions, security policies, and account protection instructions are often written in legal language, full of technical terms and multi-clause sentences. For an older adult who is only just learning to navigate the digital world, this kind of communication isn't just hard to understand | it's discouraging. Older adults need short, concrete instructions: "Never give an SMS code to anyone who calls you", "Check that the website address starts with https:// and matches your bank's address", "If in doubt, hang up and call the bank yourself".
Transaction limits and notifications
Older adults also point to the need for easily setting transaction limits and instant notifications for every account operation. Being able to set a daily transfer limit of, say, $500 | with the option to temporarily raise it after additional authorisation | gives a sense of control and creates an extra barrier for scammers. A push notification to the phone after every transfer, card payment, or login lets you instantly spot unauthorised activity.
What are we doing at ODYSSEY?
The ODYSSEY project was created precisely to close the gap between older adults' growing digital activity and their safety knowledge. In our free online course, we dedicate an entire module to this topic: Module 3: "Safe online and mobile banking".
Module 3 | banking, step by step
Module 3 of the ODYSSEY course is designed to walk an older adult through the entire process of using online banking | from logging in safely, through making transfers, to recognising attempted scams. Every lesson is built on the three-step method: show, explain, practise.
First, we show what a given banking interface element looks like | screenshots, animations, video recordings. Then we explain what to watch out for and what traps might appear. Finally, we give learners the chance to practise in a safe simulated environment, where making a mistake carries no consequences but still provides a valuable lesson.
The module covers, among other things: how to check the authenticity of a bank login page (verifying the SSL certificate, checking the URL), how to safely use a bank's mobile app (updates, screen lock, not installing apps from unknown sources), how to recognise a fake text supposedly from the bank (shortened links, time pressure, language errors), and how to set transaction limits and notifications to have full control over your account.
The "Banking on a Smartphone" video
The module is complemented by a dedicated educational video, "Banking on a Smartphone", created in partnership with experts from the Regional Volunteer Centre in Kielce and the International Cultural Relations Programme in Budapest. The video, available in Polish and Hungarian, shows real scenarios | both correct and risky ways of using mobile banking.
The video features older adults sharing their experiences | both positive and negative. One participant describes how a push notification on his phone helped him detect an attempted unauthorised login to his account, letting him block access in time. Another participant describes how she nearly fell victim to a fake text "from the bank" and what stopped her from clicking the link. These authentic stories carry enormous educational value | older adults learn most effectively from people they can identify with.
Practical checklists
The module also comes with printed checklists | one-page materials an older adult can print out and keep next to their computer or phone. The checklists contain simple, bulleted instructions: "Before logging in, check that...", "After making a transfer, make sure that...", "If you get a text from the bank with a link, NEVER...". Research by WIB and SeniorHub confirms that physical materials like this | something to touch, read, and put up on the fridge | are a valuable complement to digital materials for older adults.
A few rules to close on
Whether you're just starting your journey with online banking or have been using it for years, it's worth regularly reminding yourself of a few fundamental rules:
- Always log into your bank manually | type the bank's address into your browser or use the official app. Never log in through links from emails, texts, or ads.
- Set daily transfer limits | even if a scammer gains access to your account, a transaction limit will cap potential losses.
- Turn on notifications for every transaction | a text or push notification for every transfer and payment lets you react instantly to suspicious activity.
- Never share SMS or authorisation codes with anyone | your bank will never ask you for a text code over the phone. If someone does | it's a scammer.
- Update your banking app and phone's operating system | updates often contain security fixes that protect against the latest threats.
- Don't use banking on public Wi-Fi networks | at a cafe, shopping centre, or hotel, use mobile data rather than an open Wi-Fi network.
Each of these rules is a separate layer of protection. None of them is complicated, none requires technical knowledge. Together they form a shield that's very hard to break through | even for an experienced scammer.