Scams & Tech
The two problems that generate the most late-night phone calls: someone tried to scam them, or something on the TV stopped working. This section covers both — because the fix for each is usually a system, not a one-off.
Something suspicious right now? Don't search — run the Scam Risk Check. It takes about a minute, works in your browser, and tells you what not to do first.
Scam response, step by step
These three pages are the core of scam defense. Read them in order once, then keep the first one bookmarked.
What to do when a parent gets a suspicious text or call
The first-hour playbook: stay calm, don't engage, verify independently, report, and tell your parent they did nothing wrong.
Read the first-hour playbook →How to verify a bank, utility, or tech-support message independently
The one skill that protects against almost every impersonation scam — and a script your parent can actually follow.
Learn the verification habit →A family safe-word system for voice-impersonation scams
Five minutes to set up, genuinely effective against the "Grandma, it's me, I'm in jail" call that no amount of skepticism fully defeats.
Set up a safe word →Making their devices easier — safely
Easier is not the same as less secure. These guides make the phone usable and keep it protected.
Make an iPhone easier for an aging parent
Bigger text, fewer surprises, silenced unknown callers, and the settings to skip.
iPhone guide →Make an Android easier for an aging parent
The same job on Android, where menus vary by manufacturer — with the differences flagged.
Android guide →Simplify a TV setup and remote
One remote, labeled inputs, captions on, and a written cheat sheet for the person who will actually use it.
TV guide →Before you take over their passwords
What to do (and what to ask first) before you become the family account manager — including the documents to gather and the promises to make.
Passwords & accounts →Use the tools
Scam Risk Check
Paste it, get a risk band and safe next steps. Browser-only and private.
Run the check →Explain It to Mom/Dad
Turn "make the text bigger" into six printable steps.
Generate steps →Call-blocking gear: worth it or not?
For the landline that rings 14 times a day with "your car's warranty."
Read the decision guide →