Tips from Howie

Protecting Yourself Online

A plain-language reference guide for older adults & families — covering scams, passwords, identity theft, phone safety, and what to do if something goes wrong.

"Welcome! Scammers rely on urgency to make you panic. Take a breath, slow down, and keep this reference guide right next to your computer or phone!"

— Howie

⭐ The Golden Rule

When something feels off — Stop, Verify, Protect.

STOP — Don't react to pressure or urgency.
VERIFY — Check through a trusted source — never through the message itself.
PROTECT — Use strong passwords, MFA, updates, and backups.

💡 AI Tip: AI can help with the analysis. YOU make the final decision.

🚫 Always a Scam — No Exceptions

If any of the following happens, stop immediately — it is a scam, every single time.

Red-flag demands

Gift Cards / Wire Transfer — Payment demanded by gift card or wire transfer. Legitimate organizations never ask for this.
Password / Code Requests — Anyone asking for your password or verification code. No real company will ever ask for this.
Remote Access — An unsolicited request for remote access to your computer. Hang up immediately.

🔴 Never Share These

Keep these private — always

Passwords or verification codes
Full Social Security Number (last 4 digits only, if ever needed)
Bank or card numbers by email or text

🔑 Passwords & Accounts

12+ Use 12+ Characters. Length matters more than complexity. A longer passphrase is harder to crack than a short jumble of characters.
1× Never Reuse Passwords. If one account gets hacked and you reused the password, every account with that password is now at risk.
🔐 Use a Password Manager. A password manager remembers all your passwords so you only need to remember one master password.
✅ Turn on MFA Everywhere. Multi-factor authentication adds a second step (like a text code) that stops most account takeovers even if your password is stolen.

⚠️ Other Red Flags

⏱ Urgency & Scary Language. Messages pushing you to "act now or lose your account" are designed to short-circuit your judgment. Pause.
❓ Unusual Requests. Requests that seem out of character for the supposed sender — your bank, a family member, or a company.
🏆 Too-Good-to-Be-True Offers. Unexpected prizes, lottery winnings, or inheritances from strangers are always scams.
✏️ Typos & Odd Grammar. Legitimate companies proofread their messages. Unusual wording or spelling errors are warning signs.
📧 Sender Mismatch. The display name looks familiar but the actual email address is strange — e.g., "Apple Support" sending from a Gmail address.
🔗 Link Mismatch. Hover over a link (don't click!) and check that the destination matches where it claims to go.

🖥️ Protect Your Devices

🔄Auto Updates. Keep your operating system and apps updated — updates fix security holes that scammers exploit.
🛡️Built-In Protection. Use your device's built-in security tools. Windows Defender and macOS security are excellent starting points.
💾Regular Backups. Back up your photos and important files regularly to an external drive or cloud service.
🔒Lock Screen. Use a PIN, password, or fingerprint to lock your phone and computer when not in use.
📍Find My Device. Enable "Find My" (Apple) or "Find My Device" (Android/Windows) so you can locate or remotely wipe a lost device.

🪪 Your Identity

🗂️Shred Documents. Shred anything with account numbers, Social Security numbers, or personal details before throwing it away.
📬Bring In Your Mail Daily. Mail left in the box is an easy target for identity thieves.
🏦Review Statements Regularly. Check bank and credit card statements for unfamiliar charges at least once a month.
❄️Consider a Credit Freeze. Freezing your credit at Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion is free and prevents anyone from opening new credit in your name.

📱 Phone & Wi-Fi Safety

📵Let Unknown Numbers Go to Voicemail. If it's important, they'll leave a message. Scammers rarely do.
✋Don't Tap Links in Texts. Even if the text looks like it's from a familiar company — FedEx, your bank, the USPS — go directly to their official website instead.
📲Official App Stores Only. Only install apps from the official Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
📶Avoid Banking on Public Wi-Fi. Public Wi-Fi at coffee shops or airports isn't secure. Use your phone's cellular hotspot for sensitive tasks.

👨‍👩‍👧 The Family Emergency Scam

AI can now clone a loved one's voice convincingly.

If a caller claims a family member is in trouble and needs money sent immediately — do not trust the voice alone.
Ask for your family's secret word (agree on one in advance).
Hang up and call the person back on a number you already know.

🆘 If You Think You've Been Scammed

1Stop the conversation — hang up, close the window, or leave the chat immediately.
2Change your passwords — starting with email, then banking, then everything else.
3Call your bank — immediately if any money was moved or financial details were shared.
4Save the details — take screenshots or write down what happened for reporting purposes.

🤖 How to Check a Suspicious Message

📸 AI Second Opinion. Screenshot the message, cover any private details (name, address, account numbers), then paste it into an AI chatbot and ask "Is this a scam?"
🔍 Free Scam-Check Tools. Norton Genie (genie.norton.com) and Bitdefender Scamio (scamio.bitdefender.com) — both free, both fast.

📞 Key Contacts & Reporting Resources

FTC Fraud Reporting reportfraud.ftc.gov · 1-877-382-4357
FBI Internet Crime (IC3) ic3.gov
Identity Theft identitytheft.gov
Equifax Credit Freeze 1-888-836-6351
Experian Credit Freeze 1-888-397-3742
TransUnion Credit Freeze 1-800-680-7289

"Remember: Technology moves fast, but staying safe comes down to simple habits. Pause, verify independently, and never hesitate to ask for help from someone you trust!"

— Howie's Final Reminder