n the last decade, the United States has seen a growing number of Internet-savvy seniors and, as a result, there is an escalating risk for them to be targets of cyber crimes and scams.

Many seniors participate in a growing selection of services now available on the Web, including bank and credit-card transactions, online dating and shopping.

With more seniors engaging in these types of online activities, it has become even more important to stay vigilant while on-line, particularly as online scams become tougher to spot. Consider these safety tips for Web-savvy seniors:

• Don’t be the victim of phishing. Your bank, credit-card company and other financial institutions will never ask you for ac-count or personal information by e-mail.

• Check your online dates. Conduct a background check with a consumer background-screening company. It’s the perfect way to ensure that potential mates are exactly who they say they are.

• Don’t associate with people you don’t know. Don’t read, just delete all e-mails from people you don’t know — even if the subject line reads “Hello!” or “Remember Me?”

• Consider subscribing to identity theft protection services.

• Trust your gut and make the call. If you’re not sure that an e-mail or Web site is legitimate — simply don’t use it.