Who writes our guides
Guides are written by OwlGuardian's Safety Desk under the shared byline Nora Hale, a pen name for our editorial team. OwlGuardian was founded by Eric Wasserman.
Sources we rely on
- Government agencies first: the FTC, FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), CFPB, FCC, Social Security Administration and its Inspector General, IRS, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Medicare.
- Official help pages of the companies involved (banks, payment apps, Apple, Google, gift card issuers).
- Established nonprofits such as AARP and the National Council on Aging, where they publish guidance.
Every page lists its sources. We don't publish statistics without a source, and we only publish phone numbers we've checked against the organization's own website, with the check date shown.
Examples are illustrative
Scam messages shown on our pages are written to show the common pattern described by official sources. They use fake phone numbers (555) and fake web addresses, and they're labelled as illustrative.
Product mentions
OwlGuardian is a paid app, and we say so. On recovery pages, help comes first and we mention the product at most once. We're clear about what OwlGuardian does not do: it doesn't block calls or texts, monitor bank accounts or credit, or recover lost money.
Comparison pages
Our comparison pages are based on each company's published information as of the date shown. They aren't hands-on reviews, and we say where another product is the better fit.
Updates and corrections
Scams change fast. We re-check phone numbers and statistics regularly and show the date each page was last updated. Spotted an error? Email [email protected] and we'll fix it and note the correction.
Not legal or financial advice
Our guides offer general safety information. Policies vary by bank, card issuer and state. For legal questions, such as powers of attorney or guardianship, talk to an elder law attorney.