Talking to Family About Digital Safety
Ask permission, use a real situation and agree on one practical next step. A safety conversation should make it easier to ask for help, not harder.
By ZoraSafe · Content reviewed
Begin with a shared decision
Try: “Would you like to look at this message together?” Let the person describe what concerns them. This communication approach is a practical suggestion, not a measured claim that one script prevents fraud.
Practice a response rather than a lecture
Pick an example such as an urgent family request or a delivery message. Discuss how you would reach the real person or organization without using the incoming link.
- Agree that anyone can pause an urgent request to verify it.
- Choose a trusted contact route that everyone can use.
- Ask which information the person wants help reviewing. Keep unrelated messages private.
Sources: FTC: Scammers use fake emergencies to steal your money; FTC: How to recognize and avoid phishing scams
Keep the door open after a mistake
Respond without blame if money or information was shared. Move to practical provider contact and account recovery instead of debating who should have spotted the scam.
Sources: FTC: What to do if you were scammed
Sources and product references
Reviewed 2026-10-08. Source dates and scope matter; a linked source supports the associated guidance, not every claim about every product.