For the sandwich generation

How to Protect Elderly Parents from Online Scams & Financial Fraud

A step-by-step way to protect your parents from scams and mistakes, without treating them like a child.

This pairs with my video Aging Parent's Tech: How to Take Over Without Taking Their Dignity. Watch it for the why behind each step, then work through this list together.

None of this is meant to happen behind their back. Sit side by side, explain what you're setting up and why, and check things off as you go. Your progress saves in this browser, so you can pick it back up next visit.

“Digital independence isn't all or nothing. It's about keeping our parents connected to the world they love while building a digital firewall around them.”

Sarah Kimmel, from my aging parents video

Notice the signs first

Not sure this conversation needs to happen yet? These tend to show up first:

Strange or repeated charges on their card or bank account, especially to "tech support" companies
They close the laptop or turn the phone face-down when you walk in
A sudden pile-up of spam texts, emails, or pop-ups
They're calling you for tech help a lot more than they used to

Any one of these is worth a closer look. Not a confrontation, just attention.

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There's no deadline. It saves in this browser, so you can come back to it.

Have the Conversation

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How you bring this up matters as much as anything you set up.

Something like this works:

“Man, the scammers out there have gotten so advanced that even with AI, I almost fell for one yesterday. I just want to help make sure that you have things in place where we can catch anything before any real damage is done.”

From my aging parents video

Framed yourself as their tech support, not their warden. You're keeping an eye on things, not taking over their life.
Put the blame on the scammers, not on them, instead of questioning their judgment.
Agreed together that a mistake won't cost them the device, so they'll tell you next time something feels off instead of hiding it.
Set up a family security word for phone calls, so if a voice ever sounds "off" (even an AI-cloned one), you both know how to check it's really them. Use the same word as your Tech Cheat Sheet.

Build Your Shared Cheat Sheet

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If you haven't already, this is the perfect next step to do together.

Sat down together and filled out the Tech Cheat Sheet: Wi-Fi, passwords, who to call, all of it.
They know exactly where the printed copy lives, and can find it without calling you first.

Lock Down Passwords & Banking

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The money side is where real damage happens, so it's worth doing properly.

Set up a shared password manager so you both have emergency access to the accounts that matter.
Switched their passcode to Face ID or a fingerprint instead of a typed code they'll forget or tape to the fridge.
Turned on transaction alerts for their bank and credit cards, sent to both of you.
Turned on app store purchase approval, so one accidental tap can't turn into a monthly charge neither of you notices.

Simplify Their Devices

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Fewer devices means fewer places for something to go wrong.

Narrowed things down to just the devices they actually use day to day.
Considered a tablet instead of a full computer, if browsing and video calls are really all they need.
If a new device is on the table, matched it to the same kind of phone or tablet you use, so things like Find My and family sharing work between you.

Lock Down Their Browser & Search

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A lot of tech support scams start with a search, not a phone call.

Installed an ad blocker in their browser, so fake "warning" pop-ups and tricky buttons don't get a chance to fool them.
Switched their default search engine to one that doesn't bury real results under sponsored ones.
If you're comfortable with it, set up filtering on their home Wi-Fi that blocks known bad sites before they ever load. (Optional. The two above matter more.)

Quiet Their Inbox & Phone

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With less spam getting through, the one dangerous message is a lot easier to spot.

Set unknown callers to go straight to voicemail instead of ringing through.
Turned their email spam filter up to its strongest setting.
Turned off automatic image loading in email. It sounds small, but it's one of the ways scammers confirm an address is "live" and worth targeting again.
Set up a way to keep suspicious texts separate from real ones, so the real messages don't get lost in the noise.

Add a Safety Net

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The last layer, for when something gets through anyway.

Set up identity theft monitoring, so you hear about a problem before it snowballs.
Set up a way to reach their device remotely, so you can fix most problems without driving over.

Know when it's more than co-managing

Most of the time, working through this list together is enough. But if they keep falling for the same kind of scam even after you've caught it once, or the risk to their finances is serious, it may be time for a bigger step, like power of attorney, so someone can act on their behalf when it's truly needed.

That's a legal and family conversation of its own, and not something this page can walk you through. It's worth knowing the option exists before you need it in a hurry.