It all starts with a conversation.

A good way in might be by discussing a scam that you, yourself, almost fell for. This highlights that everyone is susceptible, and they should not feel embarrassed to ask for help.

Start with the classics

We’ve been online our whole lives, but previous generations spent most of theirs living in a vastly different manner. So, while we can often spot a scam a mile away, it may not be as simple for previous generations. But by educating our elder family members on some of the "don'ts" we can help them avoid falling victim to the most common scams. 

These are things like: 

• Don’t give out personal info or passwords unless you’re absolutely certain who you’re talking to. 

• If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. 

• Don’t click on links in emails or texts from unknown sources. 

• Don’t transfer money over the phone or through an email link. 

• Don’t feel pressured to act. 

• If you’re not sure who you’re speaking to, hang up. Call them back on a number you already had on file. 

You can also help educate your relatives by showing them examples of phishing emails or text messages, romance scams, fake anti-virus software pop ups, and explaining the how distressed family member phone calls might sound. 

If you show them the red flags, they’ll be better prepared when they arise. Here are some text message scam examples:

Boost their security

Two-factor authentication is an essential tool to help keep our information secure, but it isn’t automatically enabled for many of our most used online accounts. Help your relatives out by adding this extra level of security. 

The use of a password manager (like 1password) can be a simple extra layer of protection to ensure their login credentials are unique and secure. 

Another easy way to help is by ensuring your loved one’s device is updated regularly. The addition of anti-virus software and popup blockers can also keep malicious malware from their computers, tablets and phones. 

Be their wingman / wingwoman

Just like in the dating world, it’s useful to have the backing of a trusted ally, so let your older family members know you’ve got their back.  

If they spot something they think is suspicious, show them how to safely screenshot it to send it through to you. A second set of eyes never hurts! Reinforce that you’d rather them be safe than sorry. 

By creating a family group chat, you can keep the entire family connected with the added bonus of ensuring there’s always someone on hand to help out if a suspicious call, text or email arises on a more senior members phone. 

Scammers often rely on quick action and impulsive decisions to trick their victims, but if your family know they can take a moment to run things by you, it may help alleviate any anxiety they are feeling. 

So go forth and be a scam-stopping superhero

You don’t want to babysit your grandparents and they don’t want you to. Give them these tools to help protect themselves. This is about empowering them to be informed, keep their independence and stay in control of their personal information.  

Who knew fighting crime was so easy!