San Diego County seniors lost more than 130 million dollars in just one year to online scams according to the District Attorney’s Office. Two local high school brothers named Neil and Rohan Chandra are fighting back by traveling to senior centers across the county teaching older adults how to recognize AI generated scam texts and phishing attempts in simple understandable terms. Neil Chandra started the Stay Cyber Safe project as part of his Eagle Scout requirements after being inspired by his grandmother who frequently asked him about suspicious texts and emails, and his younger brother Rohan soon joined the effort to help protect seniors from having their retirement savings drained by sophisticated online criminals. The brothers teach workshops explaining how to spot fake messages and fraudulent emails, and they’re now preparing to launch an app that turns their cybersecurity lessons into a game guiding users through different phishing and AI scam scenarios with a user friendly interface. Their innovative approach to protecting vulnerable seniors has earned them national recognition including wins in military cybersecurity competitions, proving that teenagers can make a real difference in combating the growing threat of elder financial abuse.
Seniors have actually contacted the brothers after their presentations to thank them for helping detect more phishing attempts and scammer attacks, with Rohan saying it’s great to see how much their work has helped people avoid costly mistakes that could wipe out life savings. The Chandra brothers are now partnering with the District Attorney’s Elder Abuse Prosecution Unit to expand their educational reach throughout San Diego, with plans to collaborate with the local AARP chapter and establish new chapters in North Carolina and Illinois. Their mission continues to grow as they aim to expand their workshops nationwide to help protect as many seniors as possible from the epidemic of online scams that cost older Americans billions of dollars every year.
