It happened. Now what?
If you're reading this, a computer or an online account has probably been compromised. Maybe it was a virus on a device. Maybe a scammer got access. Maybe a password was stolen. Whatever it was, you may feel:
- ConfusedWhat actually happened?
- EmbarrassedHow did I let this happen?
- WorriedWill it happen again?
- Unsure who to trustIs the next person a scammer too?
You're not alone. Americans over 60 report losing more than $3 billion a year to online fraud, according to the FBI, and many never report it at all.
Here's something that may help: companies with entire security teams get hacked all the time. They aren't careless. Attackers are persistent, and this is their full-time job. If large corporations can be caught, anyone can. You didn't fail. You were targeted by professionals.
The good news: I bring the same skills companies use to recover. Your accounts can be secured. Your devices can be cleaned. Your peace of mind can come back.
Hi. I'm Jeff.
I've spent more than ten years in cybersecurity, much of it helping organizations respond to and recover from security incidents. I hold the CISSP, one of the field's most recognized certifications.
What matters more: I'm local. I'm based in Maricopa County. I'm not a national call center or an automated service. When you work with me, you're working with one person you can call back, who knows your situation and will still be here next month.
I started offering recovery help for older adults because I kept seeing the same thing: smart, capable people caught by scammers, then left to fix it alone. They shouldn't have to.
Jeff Cady, CISSP · JCady LLC · Goodyear, AZ
How you'll know it's really me
After a scam, it's sensible to be suspicious of everyone, including me. These are the rules I work by, so you can tell my help from the next scam.
- I never ask for your passwords.You type them yourself. I look away or you cover the screen.
- I never take gift cards, wire transfers or cryptocurrency.You pay by card through a secure checkout, or by check, and you get a receipt.
- I never call you out of the blue.You contact me first. If someone calls claiming to be me, hang up and dial my number yourself.
- You see a written agreement before any work.It lists what I'll do and what it costs, in plain language.
- You watch everything I do on your computer.Remote access is only on while we're on the phone, and I remove it when we finish.
- Family is welcome.Bring a son, daughter or friend onto any call. I'd encourage it.
Three ways I can help
Incident triage and device recovery
$700Best if you think you've been hacked but aren't sure how bad it is.
- A first conversation by phone or video, your choice
- A careful look at what actually happened
- Device cleanup: removing viruses and suspicious software
- New passwords and a second login step on your key accounts
- One call to brief your family, if you'd like
- 30 days of follow-up by phone or email
Usually takes 1–2 weeks
Full account recovery and security review
$1,600Best if you need to know that everything is actually fixed.
- Everything in incident triage, plus:
- A full check and lock-down of your email account
- Help with your bank: we prepare together, then I sit with you on the call to the fraud department
- A review of your social media and other online accounts
- A written record of what happened, for fraud claims and bank disputes
- Credit monitoring or a credit freeze set up, if your identity was stolen
- Your own security playbook: a short guide you can keep by the computer
Usually takes 2–3 weeks
Annual protection plan
$2,250 a yearBest if you want ongoing peace of mind and your family involved.
- A visit to your home to check your devices and home network
- Devices and accounts set up securely from the start
- Your security playbook updated and reprinted every year, so phone numbers and steps stay current
- A 15-minute check-in call every month
- Priority help if something new happens
- A training call for a family member on how to help you from a distance
Year-round, starting with the home visit
These prices cover most households. If your situation is unusually large, or isn't something I can fix, I'll tell you on the free call before you pay. You'll get a written agreement before I start. I can't promise that lost money will be returned; that decision belongs to your bank. I can make sure your claim is as strong and well documented as possible.
Or get ready before anything happens
Businesses keep a written plan for the day something goes wrong. Your household can have one too. A security playbook puts your important phone numbers, your accounts and clear step-by-step instructions in one large-print guide you keep by the computer.
Security playbook
$495Best if nothing has gone wrong and you'd like to keep it that way.
- Two sessions with me, by video or in person
- A second login step turned on for your key accounts
- A password manager set up, with a lesson on using it
- Your playbook printed in large type: who to call, what to do, and how to spot a scam
- A copy for the family member you trust to help
One time · usually 1–2 sessions
Playbook care
$480 a yearBest if you want your playbook kept current and someone to ask.
- A 30-minute check-in call every three months
- Your playbook updated and reprinted once a year
- An "is this real?" line: call or email me about a suspicious message and hear back within one business day
- A lower price on recovery help if something does happen
Year-round
Get both together
The playbook now, and playbook care to keep it current for the year.
Prefer to build it yourself?
from $39The Family Security Playbook: the same large-print guide, built at your own pace in about 20 minutes, with no sessions.
- Plain questions, one screen at a time; what you type stays on your device
- Print it at home, or have a copy printed and mailed to you
- Family pack for up to three people, or add a 30-minute review call with me
What you're actually paying for
This isn't ordinary tech support. You're paying for:
- ExpertiseMore than ten years of professional security and incident response work.
- Your time backThe hours you'd spend trying to work this out alone.
- Peace of mindKnowing someone qualified checked everything.
- SupportA person you can call when a new question comes up.
- Local trustSomeone from Maricopa County who stands behind the work.
What recovery looks like
The first example is real, and it happened in my own family. I share it with my son's permission. The two after it are illustrations of how I'd handle common scams, not accounts of specific clients.
The fake job offer
What happened
My son was "hired" for a job that didn't exist. The offer came from a real company's HR email account, which criminals had broken into, and the onboarding happened over Microsoft Teams. As part of the onboarding, they sent him a fraudulent check. If it can happen in a security professional's family, it can happen in anyone's.
What we did
- Reported the fraudulent check to his bank
- Filed a report with the FBI
- Told the HR person whose email account had been taken over, so the company could lock the criminals out
- Reported the Teams account used in the scam to Microsoft, which shut it down
Why it matters
Recovery isn't only about cleaning one computer. It's knowing who to call, in what order, and what to say, so the scam stops and the next person isn't caught by it.
The fake bank email
What happens
An email arrives that looks like it's from the bank. The link leads to a copy of the bank's website. Once the username and password are typed in, the scammer has them and starts moving money.
What we'd do
- Call the bank's fraud department together and report the transfers as unauthorized
- Secure email, banking and investment accounts, starting with email
- Turn on a second login step and set up a password manager
- Write up a clear timeline for the bank's dispute process
What you'd end up with
A documented claim with the bank, accounts the scammer can no longer reach, and a routine for telling real bank messages from fake ones.
The fake tech support pop-up
What happens
A loud warning fills the screen saying the computer is infected and to call a number. The person who answers asks for remote access, installs harmful software, and then charges hundreds of dollars to "fix" it.
What we'd do
- Back up photos and documents, then wipe the computer and reinstall it cleanly
- Dispute the charge with the card company
- Change passwords for anything used on that computer
- Show you and a family member how to spot and close fake warnings
What you'd end up with
A clean computer, new passwords, and the confidence to close the next pop-up without calling the number.
Questions I hear
I'm not good with computers. Can you still help?
Yes, and that's the whole point. I don't expect you to know technical terms. I explain things in plain language, and if something isn't clear, I slow down and try again. That's the service.
How long does this take?
Incident triage usually takes one to two weeks. Full account recovery takes two to three weeks. The protection plan runs all year. Most of the work happens by phone or video, with you watching. If you'd rather I come to your home, we can arrange that.
Will this happen again?
No one can promise perfect security. After we work together you'll have a clean device, strong passwords that are all different, a second login step on your important accounts, a clear guide for spotting scams, and a person to call when something seems off. That puts you well ahead of most people.
Should I go to the police?
It depends on what happened, and we'll talk it through on the first call. In general, tell your bank first. You can also report it to:
- The Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov
- The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov
- Your local police or the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, especially if you lost money
A report helps with bank disputes even when the police can't recover the money.
I'm calling about my parent. Is that all right?
Yes. Many first calls come from a son or daughter. I'll need your parent to agree to the work and be part of it, since the accounts and devices are theirs.