How to Help Protect a Parent From Phone Scams

What you can do right now to reduce your parent's risk

The most effective protection is a combination of three things: teaching your parent to recognize the setup of a scam call, setting up technical barriers on their phone, and creating a verification system so they check with you before sending money. You cannot eliminate the risk entirely—scammers are persistent and convincing—but these steps reduce it sharply.

Start with the phone itself this week. Then have a conversation about what a scam call sounds like. Then set up a simple rule: if someone calls asking for money or personal information, your parent calls you back at a number they know is yours before doing anything else.

Key Takeaways

• Enable call filtering on your parent's phone through their carrier or a free app like Nomorobo, which blocks most spam and scam calls before they ring.
• Teach your parent that legitimate companies never call asking for passwords, Social Security numbers, or payment information—and that scammers often create false urgency by claiming an account is frozen or a warrant is pending.
• Create a rule together: if anyone calls asking for money or personal details, your parent hangs up and calls you back at a number they already know before taking any action.
• If your parent has already sent money to a scammer, contact their bank immediately and report the fraud to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

Setting up call filtering and blocking

Your parent's phone carrier offers call filtering at no cost or low cost. AT&T Call Protect, Verizon Call Filter, and T-Mobile Scam Shield are built into their networks. Your parent can turn these on by calling their carrier's customer service or through their online account. These services flag suspected spam and scam calls, and your parent can choose to send them straight to voicemail or block them entirely.

If your parent uses a smartphone, free apps like Nomorobo, RoboKiller, or Whoscall add an extra layer. These apps use databases of known scam numbers and can block calls before the phone even rings. Download the app, follow the setup steps, and enable it to block calls automatically. Your parent will still see a log of blocked calls if they want to check it.

Landlines are harder to protect because they do not support most apps. If your parent uses a landline, ask their phone company whether they offer call filtering. Some do. If not, a device like CPF30D (a physical call blocker that sits between the phone and the wall jack) can filter calls, though these cost money and require setup.

Teaching your parent to recognize a scam call

Scammers use a small number of setups repeatedly. Your parent does not need to memorize everything—just the core rule: legitimate companies never call asking for passwords, Social Security numbers, bank account details, or payment information over the phone. If someone calls claiming to be from the bank, the IRS, Medicare, or tech support and asks for any of these things, it is a scam.

Common scam scenarios include: a caller claiming the parent's account is frozen or compromised and needs immediate verification; a caller saying there is a warrant or legal problem and demanding payment; a caller offering a prize or refund and asking for account details to process it; or a caller claiming to be tech support because the parent's computer has a virus. All of these are scams. Real companies do not work this way.

The second rule is about urgency. Scammers create pressure by saying "act now or your account closes," "the warrant will be issued today," or "this offer expires in an hour." Your parent should know that real emergencies from banks or government agencies come by mail first, not by phone. If a caller creates panic and demands immediate action, that is a sign to hang up.

Creating a verification system with your parent

Agree on a simple rule together: if anyone calls asking for money, passwords, or personal information, your parent will hang up and call you back at a number they already know. Write down your phone number and post it near the phone. Your parent should use this number, not one the caller provides.

Make this rule concrete by role-playing one scenario. You call your parent and pretend to be someone claiming to be from their bank. Your parent practices hanging up and calling you back. This takes five minutes and makes the rule feel real instead of abstract.

If your parent lives alone and worries about reaching you, set up a backup person—a trusted family member or close friend—who can also verify calls. Give your parent both phone numbers written down. The point is that your parent never acts on a call alone; they always check with someone they trust first.

What to do if your parent has already been scammed

If your parent sent money to a scammer, time matters. Contact their bank or payment service immediately—the same day if possible. Tell them the transaction was fraudulent. Banks can sometimes reverse wire transfers or stop payments if they act quickly, especially if the money has not yet been withdrawn.

Report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov. The FTC collects reports to track scam patterns and does not investigate individual cases, but the report creates a record. Also report it to your state's attorney general office, which sometimes has a consumer protection division that investigates scams.

If the scammer obtained your parent's Social Security number, passwords, or bank account information, place a fraud alert with the three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) by contacting one of them—they will notify the others. A fraud alert makes it harder for someone to open accounts in your parent's name. You can do this online or by phone.

Monitoring for signs of ongoing risk

Check in with your parent regularly about calls they have received. Ask whether anyone has called asking for money or personal information. If your parent mentions a call that sounds like a scam, walk through what happened and reinforce the verification rule.

Watch for signs that your parent may have already been targeted: unexpected bills, credit card statements with charges they do not recognize, or mail about accounts they did not open. These can indicate that a scammer has used their information. If you notice any of these, help your parent contact their bank and the credit bureaus.

If your parent is showing early signs of memory loss or confusion, scam risk rises because they may forget they already checked with you or may not remember the verification rule. In this case, consider whether a more active role—like reviewing their bills together monthly or having their bank contact you about large transactions—makes sense.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if my parent already gave out their Social Security number?

Place a fraud alert with the credit bureaus immediately by calling Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion. A fraud alert stays on the credit report for one year and requires creditors to verify identity before opening new accounts. You can also request a free credit report from annualcreditreport.com to check for accounts opened in your parent's name.

Can I put my parent's phone on a do-not-call list?

Yes. Register at donotcall.gov or call 1-888-382-1222. This reduces telemarketing calls but does not stop scammers, who ignore the list. Call filtering and the verification rule are more effective.

Should I take over my parent's phone or finances to protect them?

Not unless they ask or cannot manage independently. Start with teaching, call filtering, and the verification rule. If your parent's memory or judgment is declining, a conversation about power of attorney or joint accounts may be necessary, but that is a separate decision.

What if my parent refuses to believe they were scammed?

Shame and embarrassment often make people deny it. Do not argue. Instead, focus on the future: "I know this is frustrating. Let's set up that rule so it does not happen again." Contact the bank yourself if your parent will not, and consider whether a trusted family member or counselor can help your parent process what happened.

Are there scams that call filtering cannot stop?

Yes. Scammers sometimes spoof numbers that look local or familiar, and call filtering may not catch them. This is why the verification rule—calling you back before acting—is the most reliable protection. No technology replaces a second person checking before money moves.