How to Protect Your Parents and Elderly Family Online

Intermediate Time: 1-2 hours Category: Family Safety

Older adults are disproportionately targeted by scammers and are the fastest-growing group of identity theft victims. This guide helps you set up practical protections for your parents or elderly family members while respecting their independence and dignity.

Why This Matters

Adults over 60 lost over $3.4 billion to fraud in 2023 according to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, a 14% increase from the prior year. The average loss for victims over 60 was over $33,000, significantly higher than younger age groups. Seniors are targeted because they tend to have more savings, own their homes, and are often less familiar with digital threats. Common scams include tech support fraud, grandparent scams (where a caller pretends to be a grandchild in trouble), romance scams, and government impersonation. Beyond financial loss, elder fraud can cause lasting emotional harm and erode trust.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Have the conversation. Approach the topic with respect, not condescension. Frame it as helping them protect what they have built, not as fixing something they are doing wrong. Share specific examples of common scams targeting their age group so they know what to watch for.
  2. Freeze their credit at all three bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion). This is especially important for elderly individuals who are unlikely to be applying for new credit. Store the PINs securely in their password manager or your shared family records.
  3. Set up a password manager on their devices and migrate their accounts to strong, unique passwords. Bitwarden or 1Password with a family plan lets you help manage their passwords without them needing to remember complex credentials.
  4. Enable 2FA on their email and banking accounts. If they are not comfortable with an authenticator app, even SMS-based 2FA is a significant improvement. Walk them through how it works with a hands-on demonstration.
  5. Install and configure call-blocking tools. Enable the built-in spam call filtering on their phone (iPhone: Settings > Phone > Silence Unknown Callers; Android: Phone app > Settings > Caller ID & Spam). Consider a dedicated call-blocking device like a CPR Call Blocker if robocalls are a major issue.
  6. Set up account alerts for all their financial accounts. Configure text or email notifications for any transaction over a low threshold (e.g., $25). This provides early detection of unauthorized activity.
  7. Review their email for phishing patterns. Spend 15 minutes going through their inbox and spam folder together. Point out examples of phishing emails and teach them the warning signs: urgency, threats, requests for personal information, and suspicious sender addresses.
  8. Create a "call me first" agreement. Ask them to call you before sending money to anyone, giving out personal information over the phone, or clicking on a link they are unsure about. Position this as a safety net, not a restriction.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Being condescending or taking over: If you make them feel incompetent, they will stop asking for help and become more vulnerable. Teach, do not take over.
  • Setting things up without explaining them: If they do not understand what a password manager or 2FA does, they will work around it or disable it.
  • Installing too many tools at once: Overwhelm leads to confusion. Prioritize the highest-impact protections (credit freeze, password manager, 2FA) and add more over time.
  • Not addressing phone scams: For older adults, phone-based scams are often a bigger threat than online scams. Call blocking and the "call me first" rule are critical.

Additional Tips

  • Sign them up for the National Do Not Call Registry at donotcall.gov to reduce telemarketing calls.
  • Consider adding trusted contact information to their financial accounts. Many brokerages and banks allow you to designate a trusted contact who can be reached if there is concern about financial exploitation.
  • The AARP Fraud Watch Network (aarp.org/money/scams-fraud) offers a free helpline and resources specifically for older adults targeted by scams.

Last updated: February 10, 2026