My mom has dementia and lives with me. She is constantly plugging in her name and number for "free" senior this or "free" senior that. I don't want to cut her cell phone and internet access but I don't know how to stop this. She believes every social media ad there is. Today she plugged her name and number into a "free" $2,000 stimulus check. Yesterday it was "free" $900 in groceries. When I tell her that this is a scam she calls me a liar and we get into an argument about it. Is the only way to avoid this to shut off her internet?
OP, there’s a way to give her only the kids’ version of the internet.
The problem will be, though, the rest of the family cannot use their phones around her. Out of site, out of mind. If this is all she uses it for and really does not use it to talk to others, I would get rid of it. Or, just put in a landline so she gets calls.
My father (five hours away from me) has done some pretty stupid stuff online and on the phone.
I have as many of his user names and passwords as I've been able to get. I set up online banking with his different accounts so I can monitor his accounts (he does not know how to use online banking, so won't be accessing those accounts himself).
I check his email first thing in the morning and several times during the day to filter out the stuff I don't want him to see. I monitor his Facebook account, including friend requests and messages.
I review all his calls (incoming and outgoing) daily and block the unscrupulous callers. I ask him each night about why he has made certain calls. "Dad, why did you call 911 today?" "I needed help with a credit card." "What kind of help? Was your card stolen?" "No, I just don't want to use that card any more and wanted them to help me find a new card to sign up for. They said they couldn't help me." Sigh.
The one thing I can't manage is his postal mail. He gets all kinds of money requests and thinks, "Well, if I send them a few bucks, they'll leave me alone." I tell him that when he sends them a few bucks, he'll get even more mail from them. He won't write checks to his grandchildren for birthdays and Christmas because it is too much trouble but sends money to organizations that may not even be legit. Another sigh.
Well, I hope you were able to glean some suggestions from all this.
I have a separate email for giving out on line and signing up for things myself, it’s great because I don’t have to weed through all the junk mail when I’m looking for something specific.
If she is giving money too then you might open an account just for this that has a limit of money in it and this way no one is getting her card info either.