SALISBURY — A computer expert offered details on cyber scams and other ways seniors are targeted for their money on Thursday.

Rufty-Holmes Senior Center hosted the monthly Salisbury Rowan AARP Chapter No. 4314 meeting  and members wore red to commemorate Valentine’s Day.

Tony Meece,  who runs Tony’s Helping Hands, offered details on cyber scams and other ways seniors are targeted for their money.

“Mail scams, phone scams, advertising scams — . This isn’t with the computer, all of these kind of things are coming through to you,” Meece said “Anybody needs to understand, there are people out there, they want to take your money, they want to pick your pocket. I don’t just mean the seniors, but the seniors are more susceptible because they didn’t grow up with computers.”

Meece said the scam seniors need to watch out for most is the “fake virus scam.” When people get such alerts from a website they visit saying it is causing a virus, that message itself is the scam. Simply restarting the computer will fix the issue.

The local AARP chapter has been around for 33 years and that puts things into perspective for its president, Melody Reid.

“It’s a matter of keeping people engaged. Sometimes it’s really hard when people retire and they want something to feel like they are a part of, so that’s what you got herem” Reid said. “They socialize, they know each other, they get to be friends, they do things outside. It’s really good for their mental and emotional health.”

The partnership between Rufty-Holmes and the AARP has been beneficial the past few decades.

“You’ve got all kinds of clubs that meet here every month and have been meeting here for years. So, we have an excellent relationship with them,” Reid said.

AARP members, who got to enjoy snacks to end the day,  meet on the first Thursday of every month at Rufty-Holmes Senior Center.