Every family has that one person everyone turns to for tech questions. The one who can magically reconnect the Wi-Fi, explain why you need to reset your password again, and help untangle those confusing texts, emails and pop-ups that don't quite seem right.
If that sounds like you, congratulations. You're part of a very important group of people helping friends and family stay safe online. As the family's unofficial tech support, you do much more than fix devices. You help loved ones build confidence, recognise risks and develop simple habits that can protect them from online scams and other digital threats.
Let’s talk about scams
One of the most valuable things you can do as the family's tech support person is talk openly about scam prevention.
Gone are the days when scams were thought to only affect certain people. Scammers have one job: to earn people's trust and take advantage of it. Their tactics are becoming more convincing, often posing as trusted organisations, delivery companies, banks, government agencies, businesses, or even friends and family members.
They can cost people thousands, plus a lot of stress. If you're helping someone with their device, take the opportunity to talk through some common scams they may come across, including:
- Phishing scams that ask for passwords, personal information or one-time codes
- Banking scams claiming there's activity on an account requiring your urgent attention
- Fake delivery notifications requesting payment or personal details
- Marketplace scams involving deposits for items that don't exist
- Investment scams promising unrealistic returns
- Messages that appear to come from someone they know but feel out of character
We have some handy tips on protecting yourself from scams which you can share with your family and friends. Short on time? These three simple steps are worth remembering:
STOP before you share money or personal information.
CHECK who you’re really dealing with using contact details you find yourself.
PROTECT yourself and others by reporting scams to your bank, cyber.gov.au and Scamwatch.
Check for updates
Many device and software updates contain important security improvements that help protect against emerging threats.
When helping family members with their devices, make sure updates are installed from the genuine software source and that automatic updates are enabled where possible. Along with improving performance, regular updates can help reduce security vulnerabilities scammers may try to exploit.
Keep accounts personal and secure
Shared accounts can create confusion and increase security risks.
Where possible, set each family member up with their own profile, login and password. Separate accounts make it easier to manage privacy settings, limit access to sensitive information and reduce the chances of accidental changes being made to devices.
For shared services, use strong, unique passwords or passphrases and consider a password manager to help everyone keep track of them safely.
Help create a back-up plan
A back-up won't stop a scam, but it can help reduce the impact if important files are lost, encrypted or compromised.
Setting up automatic cloud backups and regularly saving important files can provide peace of mind for the whole family. Photos, important documents and treasured memories are often difficult or impossible to replace once they're gone.
Solve problems and build confidence
Technology is constantly changing, and so are scam tactics. While digitisation can make life a little easier, like paying without a physical card or connecting with loved ones anytime, anywhere, it can feel overwhelming for anyone.
When helping someone solve a tech problem, try explaining what you're doing and why. Building confidence can help people make safer decisions independently in the future. You might even inspire them to become the family's next tech support person by sharing a few trusted tech advice websites and showing them how to solve simple issues themselves.
If someone has already interacted with a scam, remember that anyone can be targeted. A calm conversation, practical support and early reporting can help minimise the impact and encourage others to seek help sooner.
If you’re a P&N Bank customer and think you’ve been scammed, get in touch with us on 13 25 77 to let us know us as soon as possible.
Family tech support and scam safety checklist
- Update all devices and software
- Turn on multi-factor authentication
- Review and strengthen passwords or use passphrases
- Set up a password manager
- Remove unused apps and accounts
- Set up automatic backups
- Review privacy settings
- Install reputable anti-virus software
- Save trusted contact details for your bank and key services
- Talk through Stop. Check. Protect.
- Check for suspicious messages, calls or requests for payment
- Report scams or suspicious activity as early as possible
- Safely wipe (important) and recycle old devices
No one's just a number
Every scam report represents a real person, real money and real experiences. Being targeted by a scam is never a reflection of someone's intelligence or capability. Scammers are skilled at creating trust and a sense of urgency, which can catch anyone off guard.
By helping family and friends develop safer online habits, having open conversations about scam awareness and encouraging early reporting, you're doing more than providing tech support. You're helping protect the people who matter most and contributing to a safer community for everyone. Visit Scamwatch to learn more.
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