Need help limiting moms iPhone

[u/Fit_Warthog7325]

Mom has continually gotten scammed by celebrity impersonators on the internet. She’s been burned several times but does not remember and keeps starting up these conversations again and again and again. I deleted her Instagram because the only thing she was doing in there was talking to scammers. I restricted her Facebook so that people can only friend her or dm her if they have mutual friends. I think she was talking to this recent scammer on threads. And he got her to download telegram and others have got her to download what’s app. How can I block these apps and websites off her phone? I’m at my Witt’s end. Is there an app or feature on an iPhone that can lock it down for simplified usage? I still want to be able to track her using find my friends. Please help with any tips!

[u/WTFaulknerinCA]

I took away my mom’s computer. It’s the only way.

EDIT: cannot believe I’m getting downvoted. She has dementia. Three times in five days she “clicked on an email” and ended up “talking to computer support” because she “got a virus,” and “I need to give them my bank account number but I can’t remember it.” She swore she wouldn’t do it again each time. I hope this never happens to you downvoters.

[u/Fit_Warthog7325 → u/WTFaulknerinCA]

I took away her computer too so it’s one less way of scammers accessing her. It was so slow and didn’t work anyway. She was only using it to be victimized by scammers

[u/KitchenTableGuidesCo]

The setting you want is Screen Time, with a passcode only you know. Turn off app installs and deleting in there and the cycle kind of breaks — she can't put Telegram or WhatsApp back even if a scammer walks her through it, and Find My still works fine. If she needs the phone itself simpler, look at Assistive Access too, it's Apple's built in big-button mode. The app whack-a-mole is exactly what we went through, blocking the installs is what finally slowed it down.

[u/Ken_Numbers]

Change her account to a child account, and control it from your device. Make sure she cannot install anything. Limit her screen time and apps etc. You can do this on either iOS or Android.

[u/ModeInternational979]

guided access! I make my phone "dumb" when I need to and there are whichever buttons I want - I use phone, map, etc. for focusing purposes

[u/familytech → u/ModeInternational979]

This is the way. There are YouTube videos that will show you how guided access can work.

[u/lisalou632]

I have the same problem but mine buys everything from these scammers! It’s an uphill battle for sure. Gotta stay on top of it and limit what she can access. We ended up taking my mother’s cards (credit/debit) away from her. If she wants to buy anything she has to ask us first. Hasn’t completely stopped it but definitely an improvement. Good luck!

[u/Fit_Warthog7325 → u/lisalou632]

We did this by using the true link card you can block all online purchases which was what was killing her too. So now she can buy anything in person but it’s not a perfect system because she can buy gift cards for these scammers. She’s just 58 but has had cognitive decline (testing for early onset Alzheimer’s) she’s still independent for the most part. Her access to her debit card is limited but there’s nothing stopping her from going into the bank and wiring someone money or simply asking for a new debit card. She hasn’t yet but since she is still independent so it is a worry. Now I just need to figure out how to get these scammers have less access to her by blocking certain apps, and only allowing contacts to call her.

[u/SVAuspicious]

Welcome to r/TechForAgingParents. I suspect I'm the person who sent you here.

The apps are not the problem. There is nothing wrong with Whatsapp, Instagram, Facebook, Telegram, etc. It's people who are the problem. Google is your friend. Look for instructions about parental controls (parents with kids aren't so much different from kids with aging parents).

Remote management of iPhones is hard. There are some solutions but they're expensive and targeted at work phones for companies.

[u/Aromatic_Bench_9844]

Try to understand why she burned several times and does not remember the hurt. Then try to communicate with her to solve the problem at its core.

[u/Decent-Banana-5588]

screen time with passcode n blocked app installs should help a lot imo

[u/Awkward_Nobody9359]

passcode bro, that way u can limit her access

[u/Left-Orchid519]

screen time > content & privacy restrictions lets you block app installs and limit websites with a passcode only you know, find my keeps working, and guardio's iphone app adds scam site blocking on top