More than one in three older Australians say they’ve been scammed or aren’t sure whether they were targeted. If you’re worried about a parent or older relative, the aim isn’t to take over their devices — it’s to set things up so a mistake doesn’t become a disaster, and to make it easy for them to check with someone they trust.
Set up a few quiet safety nets
These work in the background without changing how they use their phone or computer:
- Multi-factor authentication on email and banking, so a stolen password isn’t enough.
- A password manager, or at least unique passwords for email and banking written somewhere secure at home.
- Automatic updates turned on for the phone, computer and apps.
- Scam call and spam filtering switched on in their phone settings.
Agree on a simple rule
The single most useful habit: “If anything about money or an account feels urgent, pause and call me first.” Scammers rely on rushing people. A quick phone call to you breaks the spell — and makes your relative feel supported, not supervised.
Talk about the common ones
Without being alarming, mention the scams doing the rounds: fake parcel and toll texts, “your account’s been hacked” calls, romance approaches online, and anyone asking to be paid in gift cards. Knowing the patterns is half the battle.
Make help easy to reach
- Save your number as an easy-to-find contact.
- Keep a note of who their bank is and the real number to call.
- Consider being a secondary contact on their accounts where that’s offered.
Keep their independence front and centre
Explain why, don’t just lock things down. People stick with safety steps they understand, and resent ones imposed on them. The goal is confidence, not dependence.
If you’d like a hand setting a parent’s phone or computer up safely — or a patient, local person to show them the ropes — book a visit. We do this gently and without the jargon.