Short answer
What to know first
A family AI safety plan gives everyone a simple rule before stress hits: pause, use a known number, ask a trusted person, and never send money or login codes because of urgency.
This page is meant to be printed, discussed, and placed somewhere useful. It does not detect AI. It helps the family respond when a call, message, image, video, or voice feels urgent or suspicious.
Fill it out with children, parents, grandparents, caregivers, and anyone who might receive an emergency request.
Practical red flags
- Someone says there is an emergency but tells you to keep it secret.
- A caller sounds familiar but asks for money, codes, gift cards, crypto, wire transfer, or cash pickup.
- A message tells you to click a link to prevent account closure, arrest, delivery failure, or financial loss.
- A shocking image or video asks you to share before you can find the original source.
- A caller or message gets angry when you say you need to verify.
What to do next
- Stop the conversation and write down what was requested.
- Call a known number from this plan.
- Use the family code phrase for urgent requests.
- Ask a trusted person to review the situation.
- Do not send money, gift cards, crypto, or login codes until the request is verified.
- If money or codes were shared, contact the bank, platform, or account provider quickly.
Printable family plan
Fill this out with the people who may need it. Keep a copy near the phone, in a family binder, or wherever urgent decisions usually happen.
Family code phrase
Choose a phrase that is easy for your family to remember, but not something posted online. Use it for urgent money, pickup, travel, or emergency requests.
Trusted contact list
List people who can help verify a story. Include at least one person outside the household.
Known phone numbers
Use these numbers instead of caller ID, links, texts, voicemails, or numbers given by the person making the urgent request.
Before sending money checklist
- I stopped the call, text, email, or chat.
- I called the person back using a known number.
- I contacted a second trusted person.
- The request was not secret.
- The payment method is not gift cards, crypto, wire transfer, cash pickup, courier, or payment app to a stranger.
- No one asked for login codes, bank codes, password reset codes, or remote access.
Before sharing shocking content checklist
- I found the original source or an official source.
- I checked the date, location, and context.
- I looked for reputable reporting or confirmation.
- The content does not humiliate, sexualize, threaten, or falsely accuse a real person.
- Sharing it would help, not just spread panic.
Never share login codes reminder
A one-time code is often the key to an account. Do not read codes over the phone, send screenshots of codes, or type codes into links from unexpected messages.
After a suspicious call or message
- Write down the phone number, username, email address, link, payment request, and exact story.
- Do not delete evidence until a trusted person has reviewed it.
- Contact the bank, payment service, platform, or account provider if money or codes were shared.
- Change passwords and review account recovery settings if login details were exposed.
- Report the scam to the FTC, platform, local police, or another appropriate organization.
Caregiver notes
Use this space for medication, memory, hearing, phone, transportation, or support notes that affect how the plan should be used.
How to use this plan
Print one copy for the house and one for anyone who may need it. Save known numbers in phones, but also write them down in case a phone is lost or locked.
Practice the plan once. That makes it easier to use when a call or message creates panic.
Caregiver notes
Caregivers should avoid blaming language. The message is: scammers use pressure and technology against everyone, so the family has a shared process.
If someone gets a suspicious call, thank them for telling you. The more comfortable people feel reporting close calls, the safer the household becomes.
Trusted resources
These references support the guidance above. They do not create certainty about whether specific content is AI-generated.
- FTC: Scammers use AI to enhance their family emergency schemes FTC consumer alert on AI voice cloning in family emergency scams.
- FTC: Scammers Use Fake Emergencies To Steal Your Money FTC guidance on slowing down, checking the story, and avoiding urgent payment demands.
- AARP Fraud Watch Network Fraud alerts, scam prevention resources, and helpline information for older adults and families.
- BBB: New tech creates fake calls and voicemails BBB scam alert on AI voice cloning, fake calls, and fake voicemails.
- Common Sense Media: Parents' Ultimate Guide to Generative AI Parent-friendly guide to how kids use generative AI and how families can discuss it.