Speaker · Podcast guest · Media
Scams keep getting better. Eric built the defense he couldn't find for his own dad.
About Eric
Eric Wasserman is the founder and creator of OwlGuardian, the scam protection app that pairs AI with the person who knows an older adult best. He built it after scammers repeatedly targeted his father, who has dementia, and no amount of "be careful" was enough to keep him safe.
Like a lot of adult children, Eric had taken the panicked phone calls: a phishing email, a text about unpaid tolls, an alarming letter in the mail. Spam filters weren't enough for today's scams, and AI on its own isn't perfect. So he designed OwlGuardian around one idea: AI watches every message, and a trusted family member makes the final call.
He built the app himself, with privacy at the center. OwlGuardian earned a perfect score on CASA, the security assessment Google requires before any app can connect to Gmail. Only suspicious messages are kept, they're encrypted and deleted after review, and only the family's Trusted Contact can see them. "Not even me," Eric says.
He also created Stay C.A.L.M., a free four-step plan for anyone who has just been scammed: Cut contact, Alert your bank, Lock down accounts, Make reports.
At a glance
- Founder & creator of OwlGuardian
- Built it after scammers repeatedly targeted his father, who has dementia
- Built the app himself
- 100% score on Google's CASA security assessment
- Creator of the Stay C.A.L.M. scam recovery plan
- Publishes free scam help: a scam library, recovery guides and a fraud phone directory
17 scam guides and 49 recovery and family guides published free.
Why this story lands now
Source: FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, 2025 Annual Report.
Speaking & media topics
Keynotes & events
When in Doubt, Don't
The family playbook for the AI scam era: what's actually reaching parents right now, and the few habits that stop most of it.
The Human in the Loop
Why AI alone can't protect the people we love, and how to design protection where a trusted person makes the final call.
Stay C.A.L.M.: The First Hour After a Scam
Who to call, what to say, and how to stop more money leaving. A plan anyone can follow under stress.
Protection Without Taking Over
Keeping older adults safe without stripping their independence or making them feel foolish.
Podcast & media
"My Dad Kept Getting Scammed"
A son's story: dementia, repeated scams, and building the tool he couldn't find anywhere else.
The Scams Hitting Parents Right Now
Fake toll texts, AI voice clones, gift-card demands and tech-support pop-ups, and how to spot each one.
The Conversation Nobody Wants to Have
How to talk to a parent about scams so they listen instead of getting defensive.
Can You Trust a Protection App?
Privacy, Google's CASA audit, and why "not even me" is the only right answer.
Three tips every audience can use today
Hang up and call back.
If a call or message says someone you love is in trouble, hang up and call them on a number you already know. Scammers can clone a voice with AI. (FTC)
Gift cards are a giveaway.
No real company or government agency asks to be paid with gift cards. Only scammers do. (FTC)
When in doubt, don't.
Before acting on any urgent request for money, codes or passwords, pause and check with someone you trust. Urgency is the scammer's main tool.
Suggested questions
- 01What was the moment with your dad that made you decide to build something yourself?
- 02Why not just let AI block the scams? Why keep a person in the loop?
- 03Which scams are you seeing aimed at older adults right now?
- 04How do you protect a parent without making them feel foolish or watched?
- 05Someone just realized they've been scammed. What should they do in the first hour?
- 06What's one thing every listener can do today to protect their family?
Formats
KeynoteFireside chatPanelPodcastTV & radioWebinar
Audiences
Adult children & caregiversRetirement & personal financeSenior living & aging servicesAI & consumer techCommunity & faith groupsEmployers & HR benefits
Book Eric for your stage, show or community
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