You don’t need to be an expert to keep your family safer online. A few small habits, agreed on together at home, go a long way.
Two-minute read
One small thing to do this week
Nothing you do here is saved or sent
Your check: not done yetYour check: done
What’s true
Scams rarely break in. They talk their way in.
Many of the scams that reach families don’t hack into anything. They work by rushing you, and by borrowing a name or a voice you already trust: a call, a text or an email that says something has gone wrong and you need to act now.
AI tools make it easier for a scammer to fake a convincing voice or write a believable message. The way to protect yourself hasn’t changed, though: slow down, and check that it’s really them some other way, such as calling them back on a number you already know.
One check this week
A family code word.
At dinner this week, agree on one word only your family knows. Don’t write it anywhere online.
If someone who sounds like a loved one calls in a panic asking for money, ask them for the word.
If they can’t give you the word, hang up. Then call your family member back on the number you already have for them.
Why it works: AI can clone the sound of a voice, but it can’t know a word your family chose privately, around your own kitchen table.
Time needed: one conversation.
In Stuart’s words
“The greatest gift you can give yourself is that of education. What you don’t know may not kill you, but it may seriously impact you or someone you care about.”
