The scam needs one app on her phone. You’ll know.
Phone scammers who pose as the bank or tech support ask your parent to install a remote-control app, then empty the account through it. TakeoverGuard tells you about a second after that app lands, so you can call before anyone moves money.
A scam call, second by second
- CallerGood afternoon, this is the fraud department at your bank.
- GrandmaOh no. Is something wrong?
- CallerSomeone is moving money out of your account right now. I can stop it, but I need to see your screen.
- GrandmaOh my. I will do anything, just tell me what to press.
- CallerOpen the Play Store and search for AnyDesk. Tap Install.
- GrandmaWait, wait… I think it’s installed.
- Her phoneWarning on her screen: if someone on the phone asked you to install it, hang up now.
- Your phoneAnyDesk installed on Grandma’s phone.
- YouYou call her. She hangs up on the “bank”.
An illustration of a common fraud: a caller posing as the bank’s fraud department talks an older person into installing a remote-control app, then uses it to empty the account.
An illustration of a common fraud: a caller posing as the bank’s fraud department talks an older person into installing a remote-control app, then uses it to empty the account.
What sets off an alert
A remote-control app is installed
TeamViewer QuickSupportAnyDeskRustDeskAirDroidSplashtop SOSZoho AssistLogMeIn RescueAnyViewerSunloginToDeskHopToDeskISL LightSupremoBeyondTrustdroidVNCand many others
An unknown app is given control of the screen
Scammers rename their tools. Any app that is allowed to read the screen and tap for her, or that was installed from a download link rather than a store, is flagged by what it does, not by its name.
Someone tries to switch the protection off
Removing TakeoverGuard first means opening a warning screen, and you hear about it the moment that screen opens. If the app disappears anyway, or the phone stops checking in for six hours, you hear about that too. Unpairing asks for confirmation, tells you first and won’t happen offline, so a scammer who says “turn that app off” can’t do it quietly.
You will never see her messages, photos, calls, location or screen.
- What her phone shares
- Its make and model, country and language.
- What it reports
- Risky apps being installed or removed, and whether protection is on.
- What it never sends
- Her name, contacts, the list of her other apps, or anything she types.
Free, with no ads. Built out of care, not for profit.
TakeoverGuard exists because phone scams take savings and confidence from people who did nothing wrong. Nobody should have to pay to keep their parents safe from that.
There is no subscription, nothing to upgrade to and no advertising. Nothing about her is collected to sell: her phone shares only its make, model, country and language, and the alerts it sends you.
Two phones, five minutes, once
Together at the kitchen table, or from a distance with a link.
On your phone
- Install TakeoverGuard and choose “Watch over family phones”.
- Type your name, the one she’ll see.
- Tap “Add a phone”. Show her the code on your screen, or send her the link by WhatsApp, text message or email if you’re not together.
On her phone
- Install TakeoverGuard and choose “Protect this phone”.
- Tap “Scan code” and point it at your screen. If you sent a link, she just taps it instead.
- Tap “Continue” and “Allow” until the shield turns green. From then on there is nothing for her to do.
Set it up on the next visit. It takes less time than the coffee.
Get it on Google Play