TechForYears Safer technology decisions for seniors and families

TechForYears resource

Family Scam & Identity Protection Checklist

Use this checklist before paying for anything

This checklist walks through the free first steps, the scam conversation, the identity protection service decision, and what to do in the first 48 hours if something has already happened.

Before you start

  • Have the conversation with your parent first. Do not sign them up for anything in secret.
  • Agree on one phone number for your parent to call before money or information goes out.
  • Confirm the main email account is accessible and recovery numbers are current.
  • Know whether your parent has a Power of Attorney in place.

Free first steps (before paying for anything)

  • Freeze credit at Equifax.
  • Freeze credit at Experian.
  • Freeze credit at TransUnion.
  • Turn on transaction alerts on the main checking account.
  • Turn on new-device sign-in alerts on the main email account.
  • Turn on transaction alerts on the primary credit card.
  • Sign up for free Credit Karma monitoring as a safety net.

Sign up for identity protection if two or more apply

  • Parent’s email or phone has been part of a known data breach.
  • Parent has been targeted by a scam in the past year.
  • Parent has memory changes or recent significant medical events.
  • Parent shares an address with multiple adults.
  • Parent has been recently widowed.
  • Adult child lives far away.

Scam call setup

  • Install a scam call blocker (RoboKiller, Nomorobo, or the one included with the identity service).
  • Turn on “Silence Unknown Callers” on iPhone or the Android equivalent.
  • Add doctors, pharmacy, bank, family, and trusted neighbors to Contacts.
  • Add yourself to your parent’s Emergency Contacts.

The family scam conversation

  • “If you ever get a call about Medicare, the IRS, Social Security, or a grandchild in trouble, hang up and call me first.”
  • “No legitimate company will ever ask for a gift card.”
  • “If a message says ‘act now’ or ‘your account is frozen,’ that is the moment to slow down, not speed up.”
  • “If something does happen, please tell me right away. You will not be in trouble.”

Emergency 48-hour plan

If money or information has already been given to a scammer, do these in order:

  1. Call the bank or credit card issuer to dispute and freeze the account.
  2. Change the password on the main email account first, then the affected accounts.
  3. File a report at IdentityTheft.gov (generates the FTC affidavit banks accept).
  4. File a police report for documentation.
  5. Place a fraud alert with one credit bureau (it notifies the other two automatically).
  6. If a Social Security number was given, contact the Social Security Administration and the IRS.
  7. If gift cards were sent, call the gift card issuer’s fraud hotline within hours.
  8. Document what happened in writing: who, what, when.

What to put on the fridge

A single index card with the family caller-back number, the bank fraud line, the credit card fraud line, IdentityTheft.gov, and the identity protection service phone number.

Monthly maintenance

  • Confirm bank and email alerts are still on.
  • Skim the identity service dashboard together (5 minutes).
  • Ask: “Did you get any calls or messages this month that felt strange?”

Red flags that need immediate attention

  • Mail is missing or arriving opened.
  • New cards or bills arrive for accounts your parent did not open.
  • A “tech support” person was given remote access to the computer.
  • Your parent mentions a new online “friend” who is asking for money.
  • Money was moved to an unfamiliar account.