The Importance of Senior Digital Safety in New York City | DMS International Case Study

The Team at DMS International at Saint Mary Gate of Heaven Church in Ozone Park, New York for a senior digital safety event.

Read the Official Press Release for the Woodhaven-Richmond Hill and Ozone Park Senior Digital Safety event from Senator Addabbo.

Every day, thousands of older adults rely on technology to communicate with family, manage healthcare, pay bills, and access essential services. Unfortunately, those same digital tools have also become one of the most common ways scammers target seniors.

At Digital Marketing Solutions International, we recognized this wasn’t simply a technology issue. It was a community issue. We believed practical education could help seniors recognize common scams, make informed decisions, and use technology with greater confidence.

One of the biggest concerns DMS International noticed was the rise of online scams targeting senior citizens. Many older adults depend on technology to stay connected, manage services, receive updates, and communicate with family. At the same time, scammers are using phone calls, text messages, emails, fake links, company names, government names, and even artificial intelligence to make scams harder to recognize.

DMS International saw this as more than a technology issue. It was a community issue.

The Challenge

Senior citizens are often targeted because scammers know they may receive important messages about utility bills, Medicare, the IRS, EBT benefits, banking, tolls, family emergencies, and other personal matters.

These scams can appear through phone calls from unknown numbers, text messages with suspicious links, emails that look like they came from real companies, fake E-ZPass or utility account alerts, IRS, Medicare, or EBT-related messages, requests for money or personal information, messages pretending to be from family members, and AI-generated voices that sound familiar.

For many seniors, the problem is not a lack of intelligence. The problem is that scams have become more convincing. A message may look official. A phone call may sound urgent. A text may use the name of a company the person recognizes.

For the past two years, DMS International has helped educate seniors on how to recognize scams, understand warning signs, and feel more confident before responding to suspicious messages or calls.

President Kamini Singh helping a senior at the Senior Digital Safety Event in Woodhaven.
President Kamini Singh helping a senior at the Senior Digital Safety Event in Woodhaven.

Why DMS International Got Involved

Through our work with business owners, websites, SEO, digital tools, and financial organization, DMS International understands how quickly the digital world changes. We also understand that technology must be explained in a way people can actually use and understand.

After recognizing the growing concern around scams affecting seniors in New York City, DMS International brought the issue to the attention of New York State Senator Joseph P. Addabbo Jr.

Senator Addabbo’s team recognized the importance of the topic and suggested bringing the information directly to local senior centers. With planning and coordination between DMS International and Senator Addabbo’s office, a series of senior digital safety events were organized across senior centers in Queens, New York.

The goal was simple: give seniors practical, real-life information that could help them protect themselves.

Secretary Shane of DMS International answering questions from a senior at the Woodhaven Senior Digital Safety Event.
Secretary Shane of DMS International answering questions from a senior at the Woodhaven Senior Digital Safety Event.

The Solution

DMS International created and delivered senior digital safety presentations focused on scam awareness, online safety, and digital confidence.

The events were designed to be easy to understand, practical, and respectful. Instead of using complicated technical language, DMS International focused on examples seniors may actually see in daily life or may already be experiencing.

Topics included fake utility company messages, suspicious phone calls, E-ZPass text scams, IRS-related scams, Medicare-related scams, EBT-related scams, messages from strangers pretending to be family members, fake links and urgent account warnings, and AI voice scams.

Seniors were taught simple safety steps they could remember:

  • Do not click suspicious links.
  • Do not share personal or financial information over the phone.
  • Hang up if a call feels threatening, confusing, or urgent.
  • Call the official phone number of the company or agency directly.
  • Delete suspicious messages instead of responding.
  • Ask a trusted person for help before sending money or information.
  • Report suspicious activity when needed.

DMS International also created an informational flyer with important phone numbers and resources so attendees could take the information home and use it later.

Treasurer Emily Singh helps a senior with her phone at the Glendale Senior Digital Safety Event.
Treasurer Emily Singh helps a senior with her phone at the Glendale Senior Digital Safety Event.

Bringing Digital Safety Directly to Seniors

DMS International’s senior digital safety outreach began a year ago and continued with a new event at Sacred Heart Gold Age Senior Center in Glendale, Queens. This event became the starting point for DMS International’s expanded community education effort around scam prevention and technology safety.

The presentation was led by Tyler Singh, Vice President of DMS International, with support from Kamini Singh, President of DMS International, and the DMS International team. During the session, Tyler explained how scammers use familiar names, urgent language, and fear to pressure people into giving money or personal information. The examples included scams involving Con Edison, E-ZPass, the IRS, and other names seniors may recognize.

The presentation connected with attendees because the examples were familiar. Many seniors had already received strange text messages, suspicious calls, or confusing account alerts. Instead of speaking about technology in a general way, DMS International focused on real situations seniors could understand.

After the Glendale event, the outreach expanded to the Woodhaven-Richmond Hill Older Adult Center and the Ozone Park Older Adult Center. At these events, DMS International continued teaching seniors how to recognize scams before responding. The team also addressed newer technology risks, including how artificial intelligence can be used to copy voices or make scams sound more personal. This was especially important because many seniors are taught to watch for poorly written emails or obvious fake messages. Today, scams are not always obvious. Some can sound professional, personal, and urgent.

DMS International helped seniors understand that when something feels suspicious, the safest response is to pause, avoid clicking, avoid sending money, and verify the information through an official source.

Hands-On Support Made the Events More Personal

The events were not only presentations. They also included one-on-one support.

After each session, DMS International team members worked directly with seniors who had questions about their phones, tablets, text messages, emails, device settings, and other technology concerns.

This hands-on support was one of the most meaningful parts of the outreach. Many seniors did not just want information. They wanted someone patient enough to look at their device, answer their question, and explain what was happening in simple terms.

That personal support helped seniors feel seen, heard, and respected.

Vice President Tyler Singh helps a senior citizen with his mobile phone at the Ozone Park senior digital safety event.

Remarks from New York State Senator Addabbo

“This community outreach from DMS International reflects a meaningful commitment to helping elders navigate technology challenges,” said Senator Addabbo. “Technology can be a powerful tool for staying connected and informed, and I’m glad we could provide clarity and practical tips to keep seniors safe online.”

– Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., New York State Senator

The Result

The success of these events demonstrated that digital education is most effective when it is practical, accessible, and delivered with patience. By focusing on real world examples rather than technical jargon, seniors left with greater confidence in their ability to recognize scams and make informed decisions before responding to suspicious messages or phone calls.

Seniors learned how to recognize suspicious messages, avoid fake links, question urgent requests, verify information through official phone numbers, and protect their personal information. Many attendees connected the presentation to situations they had already experienced, which made the education practical and useful.

The outreach also strengthened DMS International’s relationship with the local community. By working with the Office of New York State Senator Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., DMS International was able to bring digital education directly to seniors in Queens New York who needed support.

For Digital Marketing Solutions International, this work reflects the same values we bring to every client relationship: clarity, education, trust, practical solutions, and a genuine commitment to helping people move forward with confidence.

What This Says About How We Work

DMS International helps businesses grow by making the digital and financial side of business easier to understand and manage. Whether we are helping a business improve its website, strengthen SEO, organize bookkeeping, clean up financial records, or build a stronger online presence, our work is rooted in the same principle: people need clear information they can act on.

The senior digital safety events showed that DMS International’s knowledge can support both business owners and the community.

For businesses, digital tools can create growth.
For seniors, digital education can create confidence and protection.
For the community, practical technology support can make people feel safer and more prepared.

DMS International is proud to be rooted in New York, trusted by clients locally, nationally, and internationally, committed to community service, and dedicated to helping people and businesses move forward with clarity.

If your business or organization needs support with website development, SEO, bookkeeping, digital strategy, or practical technology education, contact DMS International to learn how we can help.

Resources

New York State Senate Press Release: Senator Addabbo Brings Tech Class to Glendale Senior Center

New York State Senate Press Release: Senator Addabbo Senior Tech Class to Two Community Centers

Queens Chronicle: Scam Prevention Class for Seniors Held in Glendale, New York City

Queens Gazette: Senator Addabbo Brings Tech Class to Glendale Senior Center

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