What to Do If Your Mom or Dad Got a Phishing Message

October 12, 2026

Your mom calls you, worried: she got a message saying her bank account has been locked and she needs to confirm her information. Or your dad shows you an email promising a prize if he fills out a form. If you're reading this, something like that has probably just happened in your family. Take a deep breath: with a few simple steps, you can help look into the situation and protect their accounts.

What Is a Phishing Message, and Why Did My Mom or Dad Get One?

Phishing (pronounced "fishing," as in fishing for information) is a scam in which someone pretends to be a bank, a company, or an organization to get a person to hand over personal information, passwords, or money. It can arrive by email, text message, messaging apps, or social media.

Your mom or dad didn't get these messages because they did something wrong. Scammers send the same texts to a huge number of people at once and wait for someone to respond. It can happen to anyone, at any age.

A typical message might say something like this: "Dear Customer: We have detected unusual activity on your account. If you do not confirm your information today, your card will be canceled." It's a made-up example, but the tone is always the same: urgency, fear, and a request for information.

How Can You Tell If a Message Is Phishing?

It isn't always easy, because many fake messages copy the logos and wording of real companies. Even so, almost all of them share some warning signs. Go over the message together with your mom or dad and look for these clues:

It rushes you: "act today," "final notice," "your account will be locked."
It asks for information a legitimate company doesn't request by message: your password, your PIN, the code you get by text, or your card number.
It includes a link (text or a button that takes you to a web page) to "verify," "update," or "claim" something.
It comes from a number or email address you don't recognize, or one that looks like the official one but has something off about it.
It uses a generic greeting like "Dear Customer," has spelling mistakes, or has a strange tone.
It promises prizes, refunds, or gifts nobody asked for.
It asks you to pay a fee for a held package, a fine, or some pending paperwork.

Here's a rule worth repeating at home: your bank will never ask for your password, your PIN, or the code you get by text. If someone asks for it, that's a clear sign of a scam, even if the message looks very real.

What to Do If They Haven't Replied or Clicked Yet

If your mom or dad came to you before replying, they did exactly the right thing! Now all that's left is to wrap things up calmly. Here are the steps:

Don't open the link or download any attachments.
Don't reply, not even to say "I'm not interested." Replying tells the scammer the number or email address is active.
Take a screenshot (a picture of what's on the screen) in case you need to report it later.
Block the number or mark the email as spam.
Delete the message.
If there's still some doubt about whether it's real, contact the company on your own: call the number on the back of the card or go to the official website by typing it in yourself, never through the message.

How Do I Talk to My Parents Without Making Them Feel Guilty?

Many older adults feel embarrassed when they get a scam message or fall for one, and that's why they sometimes don't tell anyone. How you react today decides whether they'll call you next time. Start by thanking them: "You did the right thing by telling me."

Remind them that these messages are written by people whose whole job is tricking others, and who know exactly which words to use to scare someone. It's not a lack of intelligence or carefulness. Avoid saying things like "How could you believe that?" because that only makes people afraid to ask for help.

Use the conversation to agree on something simple and easy to remember: "If a message asks you for information or money, call me first." One clear rule works better than a long list of warnings.

How to Keep Them From Falling for Phishing Again

Fake messages will keep coming, but a few family habits make a big difference:

Agree on a family rule: whenever a message asks for information or money or creates a sense of urgency, stop and check with someone.
Turn on two-step verification (a second code in addition to the password) for email and online banking.
Use different passwords for email and for the bank.
Keep the phone and apps up to date.
Save the bank's phone number in the phone's contacts, copied from the card or a bank statement, so they never have to look for it in a message.
Talk about these topics often and share new examples you see in the news or hear about in the family.

What If They Already Clicked, Gave a Password, or Sent Money?

If your mom or dad already shared information, a password, or money, this is not the time for blame. What matters is acting quickly and calmly, because every step helps limit the damage. Go through this list together:

Call the bank right away using the number on the back of the card. Explain what happened, ask them to block the card if needed, and go over recent transactions.
Change any passwords they may have given out, starting with email and the bank. If they used the same password on other accounts, change it there too.
If they installed something or gave someone access to their phone, ask someone you trust to help check it.
Over the next few days, keep an eye on account activity and any unusual alerts.
File a report with your local police or your local consumer protection office, and bring the screenshots.
Let family members and their contacts know, because scammers could use their name or account to message them.

Whatever happens, remember that the scam is the fault of the person who commits it, not the person who receives it. What is in your hands is being there for them, acting quickly, and keeping trust alive at home. You can take the first step today: sit down with your mom or dad, read this article together, and agree on your family rule.

Educational article adapted with the help of artificial intelligence from its Spanish version, which the Watcher24 team reviewed before publication.