How to help a parent stay safe online

The plan

1. 1. Start with a friendly talk Share a scam you got yourself. Ask what they’ve seen lately. Promise you’ll never be upset if they call to check.
2. 2. Agree on three rules Nobody real asks for gift cards. Codes are never for sharing. If something rushes you, call me first.
3. 3. Pick a family code word For emergency calls and messages. Easy to remember, never posted online.
4. 4. Make a “real numbers” sheet Their bank, card, pharmacy, main stores, and family members, from statements and cards, not from emails.
5. 5. Set up the basics Updates on, a password manager or a written password book kept at home, and sign-in codes for email and bank. Their bank may let you set up alerts or a trusted contact.
6. 6. Add a security advisor A tool like Gmork Scam Guard can flag likely scams on their computer and suggest the next step, so they’re not alone when you’re not there.

A message worth practicing on

Red flags

• They seem secretive about a new online friend or a “business opportunity”.
• Unusual purchases of gift cards, or withdrawals of cash.
• New programs on the computer they can’t explain, or someone “helping” them remotely.
• Worry about a debt, a prize, a legal problem or a relative’s emergency.

What to do

1. Make checking a habit, not a test: “Want to look at it together?”
2. Help them unsubscribe and block senders that keep sending scams.
3. Keep the reporting numbers below on the “real numbers” sheet.

If you already paid, clicked or shared a code

Don’t panic, and don’t blame yourself. Act quickly, one step at a time.

• Stay calm and kind. Say “Thank you for telling me.” Shame stops people from reporting.
• Act fast on money: call the bank or card company on the number on the card.
• Change passwords, starting with email, and check for remote-access programs.
• Report together at ReportFraud.ftc.gov or ic3.gov. The National Elder Fraud Hotline (1-833-372-8311) can help with next steps for people 60 and older.

How Gmork Scam Guard helps

Gmork Scam Guard is a free browser extension for Chrome and Edge on a computer. It reads the email or chat that’s open, and the page’s text, on the computer itself, and gives expert advice when something looks like a scam: what looks suspicious and what to do next. It can’t see phone calls or phone texts, and it can miss scams, so it works best alongside the rules above. Install it together and look at the settings, which are kept on their computer.

See what Gmork Scam Guard warns about and what it keeps private.

Questions people ask

Should I take over their accounts?

Usually not. Most people want to stay independent. Simple rules, real numbers and a kind check-in work better than control. Ask their bank about trusted contact options if you’re worried.

My parent doesn’t want help. What can I do?

Start small. Share one scam you received and ask their opinion. People accept help more easily when it feels like teamwork.