AI SafeStep™The step-by-step way to use AI safely

Reading tools

Step 4 · Protect

Keep private details private, and keep scammers at arm’s length.

Keep your private details safe. Watch for scams.

In every Ask & Answer™ guidebook

Protect private details. No Social Security number, bank or card numbers, full medical records, or passwords.

What it means

Protect means keeping private details out of every chat: no Social Security number, bank or card numbers, full medical records, or passwords.

It also means watching for scams. Never share a one-time code, a password or a bank detail with anyone who contacts you first.

Why it matters

  • What you type, say or upload into an AI tool may be kept with the chat, and some companies have people review conversations.
  • Scammers often target older adults with fake messages about prizes, bank problems, packages, or a grandchild in trouble.
  • A detail you never share is a detail no one can misuse.

Protect, in everyday life

Three moments that come up every week: a scam text, a health question and a photo you want to share.

A scam text

The “grandchild in trouble” call

If a “grandchild” calls in trouble, hang up and call them or another family member on the number you already know.

Real banks, government offices and family members understand if you hang up and call back. Scammers do not.

A health question

Health questions without personal numbers

You do not need to type your name, birth date, insurance number or medical record number to get help preparing for an appointment.

A photo to share

Photos that stay at home

Never upload photos of your credit card, bank card, Social Security card, Medicare card or passport.

Before you share any picture, ask: “Would I be comfortable if a stranger saw this?” If not, do not upload it.

Give It a Go AI SafeStep™ 4 · Protect

Try it now: Run a privacy check before you send

Type or paste what you plan to send to an AI tool. The page looks for things that are better left out, such as long numbers, email addresses, dates of birth and the word password. The check runs only in your browser: nothing you type here leaves this page.

  1. Type or paste your message.
  2. Press Check my message.
  3. Remove anything the check points out, then copy the safer version.

Try it with made-up details, for example: My card number is 4111 1111 1111 1111 and my PIN is 2468. Is this text from my bank real?

This check runs only in your browser. Nothing you type here is sent or saved. It is a helper, not a guarantee: you are always the final check.

Quick Quiz AI SafeStep™ 4 · Protect

Check what you learned

Question 1. A caller says they are from your bank and asks for the code that was just texted to you. What do you do?
Question 2. Which of these is safe to upload to an AI tool?

Your progress is kept only on this device.

See Protect at work in real AI tools