Methodology | Chapter 4: Tools and Materials

4.1. Online platform

The educational platform at odyssey-project.eu is the central hub from which all of the project's digital resources are distributed.

It includes a course made up of six modules, instructional videos, interactive exercises, an FAQ section, and up-to-date event information. Available in three languages: Polish, Hungarian and English. No registration, login, or personal data required — just open the site.

Designed with seniors in mind: large fonts, a simple interface, high contrast, no ads or pop-ups. Hosted on WordPress, which keeps it easy to update after the project ends — it will stay active because maintenance costs are minimal.

The platform doesn't replace the workshop. It complements it.

During the workshop, the facilitator displays a chosen lesson or video and shows how to reach the site — typing the address by hand, not clicking a link, because we teach people not to click links. They suggest an entirely optional "homework": "If you feel like it, visit the site this week and watch the first video. But you don't have to."

After the workshop, the platform supports continued learning at one's own pace. A senior can revisit a lesson, watch a video again, or show the platform to a granddaughter: "look, this is what we use at our meetings." That's the moment a senior becomes a mentor, not a student.

Based on dramatisations of real scenarios, played by actors, with a slow pace, clear narration and explicit instructions.

Nature, 2025 A study (Scientific Reports) comparing forms of anti-fraud education: video significantly outperformed text-only interventions on every measured aspect — recognition, recall of procedures, confidence in responding

For seniors, video has an added advantage: it's multimodal. It engages sight and hearing at once, compensating for limitations in either sense.

In the workshop: video as a session opener (illustrating the problem), a discussion prompt (pause and ask "what should they do now?"), or a review tool at a booster session. For facilities without internet: videos on USB drives, distributed with printed materials.

These are materials that work in a moment of crisis, when the brain is under stress and doesn't remember what it heard at a workshop three weeks ago — but sees the card on the wall.

Design principles

Minimum 14pt font, 16pt preferred
Sans-serif: Arial, Calibri or Verdana — serif fonts (Times New Roman) are harder to read with impaired vision
Minimum 1.5 line spacing
Left-aligned, never justified — uneven spacing makes reading harder
High contrast: black or dark navy text on white or light cream
Short sentences, one instruction per point
Coloured action icons: green "do", red "don't"
A5 or A4 format, matte paper — glossy paper causes glare under artificial light

Priority module

1. Recognise a scam

The types of common scams (phone, text, online, in-person), universal warning signs, the Z-Z-Z rule, "if-then" intentions, a recognition exercise. The foundation all other modules build on.

2. Online safety

Strong passwords, two-factor authentication, smartphone security, social media privacy, recognising fake news and deepfakes.

3. Digital finance

Secure bank login, transfers and limits, BLIK and card payments, secure online shopping, recognising fake banking websites.

4. Manage your money

Simple budgeting methods, financial traps (payday loans, MLM), consumer rights, scams at sales demonstrations.

5. Digital tools

E-government (trusted profile, ePUAP, mObywatel), e-health, artificial intelligence in plain terms and how scammers use it.

6. Self-confidence

A "soft" module: overcoming fear of technology, intergenerational solidarity, the senior's role as a family safety mentor.

Contextual matrix

Not every group needs every module:

UTA, digitally active seniors

Modules 1–3, full simulation, a 90-minute session.

Senior club, community centre

Modules 1 and 6, a lighter format, 60–90 minutes.

Rural community hall, women's club

Module 1 focused on phones and offline scams, 45–60 minutes, emphasis on printed materials.

Nursing home

Module 1, drastically simplified, 20–30 minutes, multisensory, with staff.

Parish meeting

Module 1 in the format of a 30-minute chat over coffee.

Library

Modules 1–3, with computer access, "I'll show you, we'll do it together" mode.

The Z-Z-Z rule is a great "pause trigger". It says: stop. But what next? Who to call? In what order? Without a concrete next-steps protocol, a participant might call the number given by the scammer, fail to secure evidence, or not know when to contact the bank versus the police.

The Escalation Card fills this gap. It's a concrete, physical tool that participants take home, guiding them step by step through what to do when they suspect fraud.

Format: a laminated A5 card, minimum 16pt font, pictograms supporting the text, two pathways on the front, space for personal numbers on the back.

Path A: I have a suspicion, but haven't given out data

1. STOP

Cut off contact. Don't click any link. Don't install any app. Don't give any codes, passwords or numbers.

2. SECURE

Take a screenshot (if you can) or write down: the phone number, the message content, the date and time.

3. REPORT

A suspicious text → forward it to 8080 (the whole message). A suspicious website or email → the form at incydent.cert.pl. A suspicious investment offer → the CSIRT KNF warning list (csirtknf.pl).

4. VERIFY

If the message claims to be from a bank or agency, call the number YOU ALREADY KNOW — from your bank card, a manually-typed website, your contract. Never the number in the suspicious message.

Path B: I gave out data or transferred money

1. THE BANK, IMMEDIATELY

Call the number on your bank card: "I think I've been the victim of fraud." Ask them to block your card, block online banking access, and suspend transactions if possible.

2. REPORT THE INCIDENT

Text 8080, or the website/email at incydent.cert.pl. Describe what happened and what data you gave out.

3. POLICE

Call 112 or go to a police station. Report the crime. Bring evidence (screenshots, numbers, dates).

4. If it's a demonstration or an off-premises contract

Call the UOKiK hotline (801 440 220) or your local consumer advocate. You have 14 days to withdraw from a contract signed outside a shop.

5. FAMILY ALERT

Tell a loved one. Together, decide if further safeguards are needed: changing passwords, blocking your ID, monitoring the account.

Back of the card: my numbers

Fields to fill in by hand: my bank (card number), my loved one, police 112, suspicious text 8080, incydent.cert.pl, UOKiK 801 440 220, our family security password.

Hungarian version

Bank (card number), Rendőrség (112, 107), Nemzeti Kiberbiztonsági Intézet (nki.gov.hu), KiberPajzs (kiberpajzs.hu), Fogyasztóvédelmi Hatóság, családi biztonsági jelszó.

The "near-incident" protocol

Most programmes teach "what to do if you become a victim". We also teach "what to do when you recognise an attempt and stop it".

Every report to 8080 or incydent.cert.pl strengthens the database on scam campaigns and speeds up blocking domains and numbers. Reporting "near-incidents" normalises defensive behaviour — it's not "making a fuss over nothing", it's responsible civic action.

We practise this concretely in the workshop: "You got a text like this. We know it's a scam. Let's forward it to 8080 together." Two minutes. Participants leave with a skill they'll use next time.

1. "Urgent shipping fee" (text)

L1: a text with a link. L2: a text without a link asking for a call-back. L3: a text with the victim's real address from a data breach.

2. "Bank employee" (phone)

L1: a request for a password. L2: a request for remote access. L3: spoofing the bank's number. Rule: "A phone number can be fake."

3. "Grandson in trouble" (phone)

L1: an emotional call. L2: a request for BLIK (always a scam). L3: deepfake audio of the grandson's voice — this is where the family password comes in.

4. "Fake investment"

L1: "guaranteed returns". L2: a "consultant" guides registration. L3: a deepfake video of a bank CEO. CSIRT KNF: ~90% of fake domains relate to this scam type.

5. "Impersonating a government agency"

L1: a "tax underpayment" text. L2: a request for an ID number. L3: a fake login page identical to ePUAP.

6. "Fake online store"

L1: a price too good to be true. L2: pressure to pay off-platform. L3: a fake bank login form.

7. "Romance scam"

L1: a request for money after a week. L2: a "joint investment". L3: months of isolation from family.

8. "Fake tech support"

L1: a "virus" pop-up. L2: a request for remote access. L3: taking over the computer and demanding codes.

9. "Free checkup at a demonstration"

L1: a free checkup with high-pressure sales. L2: a request for financial details. L3: a home visit invited by the senior — UOKiK protections may not apply.

10. "Fake fundraiser"

L1: an urgent donation request. L2: a suspicious payment gateway. L3: exploiting a real tragedy. Rule: "The stronger the emotion, the greater the need to verify."

11. "Messaging app account takeover"

L1: "send me the code". L2: an authentic-looking request. L3: a mass takeover of multiple accounts.

12. "Posing as courier/police"

L1: "police" asking for money — "The police never ask for money. Ever." L2: multi-stage manipulation with several "characters". L3: an hour-long manipulation with emotional blackmail.

For each session, choose one or two scenarios, no more.

The "spacing effect": information repeated at intervals is remembered better than information given once, and this effect is preserved with age. Regular, brief reminders can matter as much as the sessions themselves.

Reminder text messages

Once a week between sessions, once every two weeks during follow-up. Key rule: texts contain no links — we have to be consistent with what we teach.

"Z-Z-Z: Stop. Does this make sense? Call a number you recognise. The ODYSSEY Project."
"Don't install an app at a consultant's request. If someone pressures you, end the call."
"A text with a link? Don't click it. Forward the entire message to 8080."
"A 'sure thing' and 'urgent' investment = a red flag. Stop and consult a loved one."
"Presentation/tour: don't sign or pay under pressure. You have time to decide."
"No one from the bank will ask for your password or code by phone. If they do, it's a scam."
"BLIK over the phone = ALWAYS a scam."
"A phone number can be spoofed. Always hang up and call the bank yourself."
"The more emotional a message makes you feel, the more you should pause."
"Fallen for an attempt? Report it to 8080 or incydent.cert.pl. Every report protects others."

Printed Fraud Alerts

Short A6 cards about the latest type of scam appearing in the region. Distributed at senior clubs, women's club meetings, libraries, pharmacies. Updated monthly based on CERT Polska reports and police bulletins. Not a "newsletter" — a single-page card with one message, one illustration, one concrete tip.

Weekly mini-exercises

For Safety Circles (Chapter 5) and facilitators who meet participants regularly:

1

Check whether you know the phone number on your bank card. Have you got it written down anywhere?

2

Ask your grandson or daughter to help set a family security password.

3

Next time you get a suspicious text, forward it to 8080 before deleting it.

4

Check that your browser shows a padlock icon on the bank's website. Show a neighbour.

This module combines three dimensions: legal awareness, assertiveness, and quick decision-making checklists.

The legal dimension

Consumer rights law prohibits entering into financial contracts (loans, credit) at demonstrations and sales trips, and prohibits accepting payment before the withdrawal deadline passes. A consumer has the right to withdraw from a contract made off-premises within 14 days, no reason required.

Key exception: if the consumer arranges the home visit themselves, these prohibitions may not apply. This is a trap — scammers deliberately engineer situations where the senior "invites" the consultant.

The assertiveness dimension

Practising simple refusal phrases in pairs — the "broken record" technique: the same message, repeated calmly, without escalation, without making excuses.

"I'm not signing anything here."
"I'm not paying today, I'll come back after consulting."
"Please give me the documents in writing to take home."
"I need to discuss this with my family."
"No, thank you" — repeated as many times as needed.

Mini-checklist on an A6 card

I don't sign on the spot. I don't pay today. I ask for documents. Pressure is a red flag. I have 14 days to withdraw. If I invited someone into my home myself — extra caution. UOKiK contact: 801 440 220.

Full methodology

This was Chapter 4. The full methodology covers 19 chapters: from understanding the older learner, through building trust, running workshops, tools and materials, to sustaining long-term effects. Released under a Creative Commons CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

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