Helping Older Relatives Secure Their Accounts
A practical one-afternoon plan to help parents and grandparents secure their email, phone, banking and WhatsApp, respecting their independence while protecting them from takeovers and scams.
Many older adults are confident online, but account security settings are often left at their defaults. An afternoon spent together can close the biggest gaps. Go at their pace, do the steps on their devices, and explain why each one matters.
The afternoon plan
1. Their phone (20 minutes)
- Set a strong screen lock. See screen lock.
- Turn on automatic updates and find-my-device. See find my device.
- Turn on spam call filtering.
- Save important numbers: bank, network, family.
2. Their email (30 minutes)
- New strong password, two-step verification. See two-step verification for older relatives.
- Check recovery details; add yourself as a recovery contact if they agree.
- Print backup codes and store them with important papers.
3. Banking and payments (30 minutes)
- Turn on transaction alerts.
- Discuss lower daily limits and a trusted contact with the bank, if offered.
- Check that the banking app is the official one.
4. WhatsApp and social media (20 minutes)
- Turn on WhatsApp two-step verification.
- Review privacy settings and who can add them to groups.
5. Passwords (30 minutes)
- Set up a password manager, or at least unique passwords for email, bank and phone accounts.
- Consider emergency access. See sharing passwords with family.
The rules to agree
Never share codes, PINs or passwords. Never install apps or allow remote access for a caller. Call family before paying anyone new or unexpected.
Keep it going
- Check in every few months.
- Share new scam examples.
- Make sure they know they can ask you anything, without judgement.
See protecting elderly parents from scams.
Show them how to check messages. CyberWatch AI Scan gives a free second opinion on anything suspicious.
For more, read our guide to identity theft and account security.
Frequently asked questions
How do I start without offending them?
Frame it as something you are doing for the whole family, share examples of scams you have received, and let them lead the process on their own devices.
Should I keep their passwords?
Only if they want you to, and ideally through a password manager's emergency access or family sharing rather than a list on paper.
What is the single most important step?
Securing their main email with a strong password and two-step verification, because it controls their other accounts.
Sources
- Use Two-Factor Authentication To Protect Your Accounts, US Federal Trade Commission
- How Scammers Try To Steal Your Life Savings, US Federal Trade Commission
- Top tips for staying secure online, UK National Cyber Security Centre
