Why I Created Protect Grandma
My name is Michael Peterson, and I'm on a mission to protect every elderly parent from phone scams.
Last year, I lost my father. It was one of the hardest moments of my life, but it also opened my eyes to a new fear I hadn't considered before. My mother, now 78, lives alone—eight hours away from me. She's independent, sharp, and capable, but she's also increasingly vulnerable to a new breed of sophisticated scams that specifically target the elderly.
The moment that changed everything came just three months after Dad passed. Mom called me, shaken. Someone claiming to be me had called her, crying, saying I'd been in an accident and needed $5,000 immediately for medical bills. The voice sounded exactly like mine—down to the way I say "Mom" when I'm upset.
It was AI voice cloning. The scammer had found my voice from a social media video and used it to nearly steal my mother's life savings.
Thankfully, Mom remembered something Dad always said: "If it's urgent, it's probably urgent for them, not for you." She hung up and called me directly. But what about the millions of elderly parents who aren't so lucky?
The Terrifying Reality
As a software engineer, I dove deep into understanding these scams. What I discovered horrified me:
- Voice cloning technology can replicate anyone's voice with just 3 seconds of audio
- Scammers are using social media to harvest voices and personal information
- Elder fraud has increased by 400% in the last five years
- The average victim loses $35,000—often their entire retirement savings
- Only 1 in 44 cases are ever reported to authorities
But the worst part? Our parents' generation, who built their lives on trust and helping family in need, are being exploited by criminals who weaponize their love for us against them.
Building the Solution
I couldn't stand by and watch. With my background in technology and a burning need to protect my mother—and yours—I created Protect Grandma.
The solution had to be simple. My mom doesn't want to remember passwords or navigate complex apps. She just wants to feel safe answering her phone. So we built a system that:
- Works automatically in the background
- Requires no passwords or complex setup
- Instantly verifies if a family member is really calling
- Alerts with loud, clear warnings when a scam is detected
- Learns and shares fraud patterns to protect everyone
This Is Personal
Every time I talk to my mom now, living alone eight hours away, I'm grateful she's protected. But I think about all the other mothers, fathers, grandparents who aren't. Who will lose their savings today. Who will feel ashamed and violated. Who will lose their trust in the world.
That's why Protect Grandma isn't just an app—it's a mission. We're not trying to build a billion-dollar company. We're trying to build a wall between criminals and the people who raised us, loved us, and deserve to live their golden years without fear.
My father isn't here to protect Mom anymore. But his memory drives me every day to ensure no parent falls victim to these heartless scams.
Join me in protecting the generation that protected us.
— Michael Peterson
Son, Software Engineer, and Protector of Parents Everywhere
