This agreement is a conversation starter between adult children and the parents or older relatives they help. It is not about control. It is a plan you both agree on, so that a scam call, a hacked account or a lost phone is less frightening when it happens. Fill it in together, keep one copy by the phone, and give one to the family helper. To print, press Ctrl+P (Windows) or Command+P (Mac), or use Share, then Print on a phone.
Tip: lead with “scammers are targeting everyone right now”, not “I worry you will be fooled.”
Our family tech plan
Staying safe online, together
Names: Date:
1. Before money leaves
- ☐ Before sending money, gift cards, wire transfers or crypto to anyone new, I will call:
- ☐ Our family code word for real emergencies:
- ☐ If a caller says it is the bank, government or a grandchild in trouble, I hang up and call back on a number I already have.
- ☐ I never read out a verification code that was sent to my phone.
2. Accounts and devices
- ☐ Our passwords are kept in: (a password manager or a locked notebook)
- ☐ A trusted contact has been added at the bank:
- ☐ Account recovery phone and email for my email account are up to date.
- ☐ Phone and computer updates are turned on to install automatically.
- ☐ My credit is frozen at all three bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion).
3. Checking in
- ☐ We will do a short tech check-in every:
- ☐ The family helper may view (not change) these accounts:
- ☐ If I think I have been scammed, I will tell: and nobody will be upset with me.
4. What the family helper promises
- ☐ I will respect your independence and ask before changing settings.
- ☐ I will answer or call back quickly when you check something with me.
- ☐ I will never make you feel foolish for asking, or for being targeted.
Important numbers: Bank Card issuer
Having the conversation
Many older adults are more careful online than people assume, and being treated as fragile can make them less likely to speak up when something goes wrong. Frame the plan as something every family needs, because scammers target people of all ages. Offer to fill in your own copy too.
Agree on boundaries before you change anything. “View only” access, such as being a trusted contact at a bank or having shared alerts, protects independence while still giving a second pair of eyes. For anything more formal, such as a power of attorney, speak with a lawyer or the bank directly.
The most important line is the promise that nobody will be upset. Shame is the main reason people keep paying a scammer. If something does go wrong, start with Get Help Now and the Who to Call printable.
Related guides: grandparent and family emergency scams, stopping scam calls on a parent’s phone, how to freeze your credit, and the scam fridge card.
More printables: all printable guides · Family tech agreement for kids and teens · Disclaimer
