Safety · 7 minute read
AI safety for older adults and families
Practical ways to protect privacy, check important answers, and respond to convincing scams created with AI.
Pause when a message creates urgency
Scammers often create fear, excitement, or a deadline. AI helps them write convincing messages and imitate familiar voices. A call may sound like a relative. An email may look polished. Those details no longer prove that the request is genuine.
Pause before sending money, sharing a code, or giving personal information. Contact the person or organization through a number you already trust. A separate phone call can settle the question quickly.
- Treat unexpected payment requests with caution
- Never share a one-time security code with a caller
- Call a family member using a saved number
- Look up an organization’s official number yourself
- Ask someone you trust to review unusual messages
Keep private details out of AI conversations
Avoid entering Social Security numbers, account numbers, passwords, private health records, confidential business information, or another person’s sensitive details into a general AI tool.
You can often get useful help with a safer version of the question. Remove names and identifying details. Describe the type of document or situation instead of pasting the entire private record.
Check answers that affect health, money, or rights
An AI response can help you prepare questions or understand common terms. Important decisions still require reliable sources and qualified people. A pharmacist can confirm medication guidance. A financial institution can confirm an account issue. An attorney can explain legal rights in your situation.
Ask the AI tool where a claim came from, then visit the original source. Confirm dates because rules and recommendations change. If the source does not support the answer, do not rely on it.
Create a simple family verification plan
Families can choose a private word or a question that an impersonator would not know. Discuss which person to call when a message feels suspicious. Make it clear that checking is welcome and never embarrassing.
Technology changes quickly. The most dependable habits remain simple: slow down, protect private information, verify through a second channel, and ask for help when the situation carries real consequences.