I Wasn’t Born Yesterday!: How to Spot Scammers, Avoid Fraud, and Stay Safe Online

"Very well written, but I'm still not entirely sure it was necessary."
- Sarah's mother

If you've ever tried to explain online safety to a parent who has successfully navigated eight decades of life and therefore sees absolutely no reason to start taking advice now, this book is for you.

If you've ever received a late-night phone call beginning with the words, "Now, this is probably nothing, but..." shortly followed by a story involving Microsoft, HMRC, a mystery parcel, or a prince in urgent need of financial assistance, this book is definitely for you.

And if you're the parent in question? This book is for you too.

Written with warmth, humour, and a healthy respect for fiercely independent people everywhere, I Wasn't Born Yesterday! offers practical, straightforward advice for staying safe in today's increasingly complicated online world.

Sarah Richardson spent the better part of a decade working in and around the technology industry. Not writing the code, but close enough to understand how modern systems work, how data is used, and just how sophisticated online scams have become. Yet none of that prevented the steady stream of late-night calls from her own mother about suspicious emails, alarming text messages, fake competitions, and rather persuasive scammers. Realising that families everywhere were having exactly the same conversations, Sarah wrote the book she wished had existed years earlier: one that explains modern scams clearly, respectfully, and without a hint of patronising techno-jargon.

Inside you'll discover:

• How to spot scam emails, suspicious texts, and fraudulent phone calls
• Why even intelligent, capable people get caught out by scams
• The warning signs of fake websites, online shopping fraud, and impersonation scams
• How artificial intelligence is making scams more convincing than ever
• Simple ways to protect your passwords, accounts, and personal information
• Exactly what to do if something doesn't feel right
• How families can talk about online safety without anyone storming off in indignation

This isn't a book about fear.

It's a book about confidence.

Because staying safe online isn't about being "good with computers." It's about understanding how modern scams work, recognising when something feels off, and knowing exactly what to do next.

Whether you're buying this for yourself, for your parents, or for that wonderfully stubborn relative who insists they can spot a scam "a mile off", I Wasn't Born Yesterday! is a thoughtful, practical gift that says something very simple:

"I love you. Please don't send money to anyone claiming to be a stranded duke."

Because you weren't born yesterday. But unfortunately, the scammers weren't either.