Holiday Phone Safety Guide: What to Tell Your Parents About Scams and Subscriptions

TL;DR for Parents: When in doubt, don't click anything. Call your kid first. We'd rather answer 100 questions than have you lose money to a scammer. Also, check your phone subscriptions (instructions below), because you might be paying for things you don't use.

Why I wrote this

I was helping my dad with his phone recently and found he was paying over $100 per month in subscriptions he didn't know about. One of them was YouTube Premium, twice.

My dad is sharp. He ran a successful business for decades. But phones are not designed with older users in mind, and scammers target older people on purpose.

If you're visiting your parents this Thanksgiving, spend 15 minutes going through their phone with them. Print this guide and put it on their fridge. It can save them money and stress.

The most important thing

If something feels wrong, don't click anything. Call your kid.

We're not annoyed by these calls. We want you to call us, every time.

Fake virus warnings

You might see pop-ups like:

  • "Your phone has been infected!"
  • "You have 3 viruses! Click here to clean"
  • "Your phone has been hacked!"

These are fake. A website can't scan your phone for viruses. The warning itself is the scam. They want you to panic and call their fake support number or download their fake security app.

What to do: Close it. Press the home button or swipe up. Nothing bad happened.

Texts from unknown numbers

You might get texts from strangers like:

  • "Hi! We met at church last week, remember?"
  • "Your package couldn't be delivered"
  • "There's a problem with your bank account"
  • "Hey, long time no see!"
  • "I have those photos you wanted"

These are almost always scams. The sender doesn't know you. They send these to thousands of numbers and wait for replies. If you reply, even with "wrong number," they know your number is real and will send more.

What to do: Don't reply. Delete it. If someone you know needs you, they'll call, or you'll recognize their name.

Toll, IRS, and other "official" texts and emails

These are common right now. You might get texts or emails that claim to be from:

  • Toll roads: "You owe $6.99 in unpaid tolls. Pay now to avoid fees."
  • The IRS: "Action required on your tax account. Click here."
  • Social Security: "Your benefits are suspended. Verify your identity."
  • Medicare: "Your coverage is at risk. Update your information."
  • Your utility company: "Your power will be shut off today unless you pay."

You can safely ignore these. Government agencies and toll authorities don't send texts or emails that demand immediate payment. They send a letter by mail, with a case number and contact information you can check.

What to do:

  1. Delete the text or email. Don't click any links.
  2. If you're worried it's real, find the agency's official website yourself. Don't use a link from the message.
  3. Call the number on the official website. Never call a number from a suspicious text or email.
  4. Wait for the mail. If it's important, a letter will come.

Scammers can send fake letters too. If a letter feels wrong, look up the contact information yourself and call to check before you do anything.

Suspicious phone calls

Scammers often pretend to be:

  • Apple or Microsoft: They don't call you out of the blue.
  • The IRS: They send letters. They don't call to demand payment.
  • Your bank: Hang up and call the number on your card.
  • Police or sheriff: Real police don't call to ask for money.
  • A grandchild in trouble: Scammers can fake voices now. Call your grandchild directly to check.

What to do: If it feels wrong, hang up. It's not rude. Then call your kid to talk it through.

The gift card rule

No real organization asks you to pay with gift cards.

Not the IRS, not your electric company, not anyone. If someone asks you to buy gift cards and read them the numbers, it's a scam.

Finding hidden subscriptions

This is worth checking. You might be paying for things you forgot about.

On iPhone:

  1. Open Settings (gray gear icon)
  2. Tap your name at the top
  3. Tap Subscriptions

On Android:

  1. Open Google Play Store
  2. Tap your profile picture (top right)
  3. Tap Payments & subscriptions
  4. Tap Subscriptions

Cancel anything you don't recognize or don't use.

Note: This only shows subscriptions billed through Apple or Google. Other services may charge your credit card directly. Ask your kid to help you review your statements.

Quick reference

Real:

  • Comes from someone you know
  • Gives you time to think
  • Never asks for gift cards
  • Government agencies contact you by mail, not text

Scam:

  • Creates panic and urgency
  • A stranger asks if you remember them
  • Wants gift cards for any reason
  • Asks you to click a link in a text
  • Claims to be the IRS, a toll road, or Medicare by text or email

Summary

Before you click anything, download anything, or give anyone information, call your kid.

We love you, and we're always happy to help.

Print this out and put it on the fridge. Happy Thanksgiving 2025.