Overview

• Shield Seniors educates older adults, offers a simple chatbot, uses AI to analyze suspicious emails and texts, and links users to fraud-reporting agencies.
• Manoj conceived the project after her 85-year-old grandfather nearly sent $2,000 to a scammer posing as a relative in February 2024.
• The platform runs on a free AI engine in limited-access preview, with broader rollout planned once funding enables a commercial upgrade.
• Coverage cites federal data showing 2024 online fraud losses above $16 billion, including roughly $5 billion from victims aged 60 and older.
• Her outreach includes seminars at assisted-living facilities, a TEDx talk, an honorable mention in the Congressional App Challenge, and recognition as a TIME for Kids Service Star.