“I feel insecure when I don’t know how to do something online” – retirees want to learn, but they need help

Digital services are increasingly becoming part of seniors’ everyday lives. Some pay bills through mobile apps, use online banking, and communicate online, but when they encounter a problem, they most often turn to their children or grandchildren for help. 

Limited digital literacy, fear of making mistakes, and increasingly frequent online scams leave many retirees still feeling insecure in the digital space. 

Institutions, banks, pensioners’ associations, and consumer protection organizations agree that organized and continuous education is needed to help seniors use services that are increasingly moving online safely and as independently as possible. 

“Have you ever wanted to do something online but been unable to? Who do you turn to for help when you have a problem with technology, and which services would you still like to receive at a service counter?” These are some of the questions Meta.mk discussed with representatives of pensioners’ associations. 

Ljupcho Dimovski, president of the Butel Association of Pensioners, says he uses online banking and pays his phone and electricity bills online. When he gets “stuck,” however, he turns to his family for help. 

“When I can’t figure something out, my daughter or grandchildren help me,” says pensioner Ljupcho Dimovski. 

“I use e-banking, and I pay my electricity and phone bills through the A1 app, but my daughter or grandchildren help me when I have problems or when I’m not sure how to do something. At our meetings, pensioners complain that they sometimes order something online and then get scammed. Or they don’t know how to pay their phone bill, so they go to a service counter to pay it. Sometimes they receive messages asking them to enter their personal information, and after they do, money disappears from their account,” says Dimovski. 

Nikola Markoski, president of the “Solidarity” Association of Pensioners from the Municipality of Aerodrom, says he often finds himself in situations where he needs to take care of something online but runs into a problem. 

“I usually resolve this with the help of a fellow pensioner from our professional staff who has more knowledge and uses digital technology more actively. I also turn to younger members of my family for help. It would be difficult for me to learn how to handle these services online, and I would need additional training and support to master the technology,” says Markoski. 

If he could master one new digital skill, he would choose to learn how to pay bills electronically, as well as other practical ways of using a computer. 

He points out that the association has already dealt with a case in which money was taken from a pensioner’s payment card. Following the bank’s intervention, the money was returned. 

Online scams, fake profiles, and identity theft 

Tatjana Tasevska, legal adviser at the Consumers’ Organization of Macedonia (COM), tells Meta.mk that they receive complaints from seniors, as well as from people from lower-income groups, who do not have enough information about the risks of shopping online. 

Most of the problems are related to purchases made through social media, where sellers are often not registered as legal entities. 

“Most complaints concern cases where people bought something online but then either did not receive the product or received something completely different. These are purchases made through social media, where it is clear that the seller does not issue a fiscal receipt. It happens that people order a product and it is not delivered, they are unable to return or exchange it, or the sellers block them. We cannot help them because the sellers are not legal entities,” says Tasevska. 

The Organization advises citizens to avoid buying from unregistered sellers, as they have no adequate consumer protection if something goes wrong. 

“We also receive reports about messages claiming that a package has arrived, asking the recipient to click on a link and enter their personal information. This is then followed by misuse of their information and money disappearing from their account,” says Tatjana Tasevska of the Consumers’ Organization of Macedonia (COM).

She believes that, just as training on digital services is organized for high school and university students, organized training is also needed for seniors and could be delivered through pensioners’ associations. 

“That way, they will become more digitally literate and more cautious when using online services,” says Tasevska. 

Practical guide 

How to recognize a suspicious message 

• It urges you to click on a link immediately.  

• It asks for your card number, personal identification number, or password.  

• It promises a reward you never signed up for.  

• It claims that you have a package but does not provide accurate details.  

• It warns that your account will be blocked immediately.  

Do not open the link or enter any personal or banking information. Contact the institution or company using its official phone number or website. 

Fake or hacked profiles, posting of other people’s photos, videos, and audio recordings, as well as online insults, defamation, and blackmail are among the most common reasons why citizens turn to the Personal Data Protection Agency (PDPA). 

The Agency says that citizens most often report abuses on social media, while a smaller share of complaints concerns other forms of unauthorized processing of personal data. 

During 2025, the Agency received 147 complaints, all of which concerned the unauthorized processing of personal data on social media. In the same year, it handled a total of 229 complaints and grievances related to social media. 

The PDPA also noted an increase in the organization of fake prize draws, particularly on Facebook and Instagram. Citizens are promised various prizes, most often household appliances, and in return are asked to provide their first and last name, address, photo, ID card number, personal identification number, payment card details, or copies of personal documents. 

In cases involving fake profiles, citizens most often reported that someone was using their photos and personal data to falsely present themselves as that person. The largest number of complaints concerned Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, while some were also related to Snapchat, OnlyFans, Yahoo, and Google. 

“These figures show that there is a continuing need to inform and support citizens on how to use online platforms safely. The Agency advises citizens to be extremely careful when sharing their personal data online, given the increased risk of it being misused for other unlawful purposes. Cases involving the identification of perpetrators are referred to the Ministry of Internal Affairs,” the Agency says. 

The Agency also points to the need for further education of citizens about the importance of protecting personal data, as well as improving the culture of personal data processing among data controllers, processors, and users. 

The publication of guidelines and informational materials for citizens is planned, including materials for vulnerable groups such as seniors and children. 

“Protecting citizens, including seniors as one of the more vulnerable groups in the digital space, is an ongoing activity of the Agency. The third strategic objective of the Strategy for the Implementation of the Right to Personal Data Protection for the period 2025–2030 is the continuous strengthening of the culture of personal data protection,” the PDPA says. 

The Agency does not have the authority to delete, restore, or block social media profiles, but its website provides instructions on how citizens can report problems themselves on each of the platforms. 

Banks offer support, but also alternatives 

Data provided by the banks to Meta.mk show that digital banking is gradually gaining acceptance among senior customers. However, the banks use different age groups and different methods of calculation, so the percentages should not be directly compared. 

The three banks that Meta.mk contacted say that the use of digital services among senior customers is growing, but that age, previous experience, and trust in technology significantly influence how they use these services. 

For customers who need assistance, the banks provide support at branches, by phone, and through guides and instructions. For those who do not use digital channels, traditional banking options remain available. 

 Komercijalna Banka
Education must not leave seniors behind 

Komercijalna Banka says that some of its senior customers have less experience with digital technologies and need more time to build confidence when using digital banking services. 

According to the bank, its employees are often not just service providers, but also provide support as customers learn to use new tools. This requires patience, an individual approach, and clear communication. 

“It is important that assistance is provided in accordance with the highest security standards, meaning that customers should enter their passwords and security information themselves. That is why the focus is on explanation, demonstration, and education, rather than carrying out activities on behalf of the customer,” Komercijalna Banka says. 

For customers who prefer personal contact or do not use digital services, the bank continues to offer services at its branch offices. For bill payments and other recurring transactions, customers can set up a standing order or authorize a trusted person. 

NLB Banka
They are not afraid of the app, but they need reassurance and support 

Around 20 percent of NLB Banka’s customers over the age of 58 actively use mobile banking. However, the use of digital services declines with age. According to the bank, around 10 percent of customers over 65 have online banking. 

“Senior customers are generally not afraid of the app itself, but they need additional reassurance and support when transitioning to digital banking. Digital skills in this group require continuity and repetition, and asking for help again is a natural part of the learning process,” NLB Banka says. 

“Senior customers are generally not afraid of the app itself, but they need reassurance and support,” NLB Banka says. 

For customers who do not use digital banking or prefer personal contact, branches, the ATM network, and telephone support through the contact center remain available. 

The bank says it also organizes educational activities, particularly for seniors and customers who are less digitally active, as well as ongoing training for employees who help customers use modern banking channels. 

Stopanska Banka
Use of digital services is growing among customers over 55 

At Stopanska Banka, the use of digital banking is growing steadily across all age groups, including among customers aged 55 and over. At the same time, the number of cash transactions carried out at branches is declining. 

According to the bank’s records, 23.7 percent of all digital banking users are aged 55 or older. 

“We believe that digitalization should be a means of making banking services more accessible, not a reason for certain groups of citizens to be excluded. That is why we are investing in digital solutions while also strengthening human support and accessible alternative channels for all our customers,” Stopanska Banka says. 

Employees at branches and in the contact center are trained to guide customers patiently, step by step, through the process of using online and mobile banking. Text and video guides are also available for customers who prefer to learn and use the services independently. 

Digitalization must not mean exclusion 

Although more and more seniors are using digital services, they remain among those most exposed to online scams, misuse of personal data, and financial losses. At the same time, some still depend on their children, grandchildren, or bank employees even when carrying out relatively simple online services. 

The shared message from pensioners’ associations, consumer protection organizations, the Personal Data Protection Agency (PDPA), and banks is that digital transformation must not mean excluding those who lack sufficient knowledge of technology or confidence in using it. 

What is needed is continuous, practical training, as well as keeping alternative ways of accessing essential services available.