# ShieldWord

> ShieldWord is a free family safety tool that helps households protect against AI voice cloning scams using a shared secret code word. No app, no download, and no technical setup required. Families choose a private word or phrase; if a caller claiming to be a loved one can't provide it, hang up. The protocol works on any phone — smartphone or landline — and is designed to be accessible to seniors and non-technical households.

ShieldWord was founded by Howard Orloff in Saratoga Springs, New York. The mission is to normalize simple behavioral verification for emotional or financial requests, making households of all backgrounds safer from AI-driven fraud.

## Core Tool

- [Generate Your Shield Word](https://shieldword.com/): The main tool. Generates a random, memorable code word for families to share as a verification phrase. Free, instant, no account required. Takes under 60 seconds to set up.

## How It Works

- [How It Works](https://shieldword.com/how-it-works): Step-by-step explanation of the ShieldWord protocol — how families choose a code word, when to use it, and what to do when a caller can't provide it. Explains why AI voice cloning makes this necessary and how a shared behavioral habit is more reliable than software alone.

## Tools & Subdomains

- [MailCheck — Suspicious Letter Scanner](https://mailcheck.shieldword.com/): A free tool that lets users upload or photograph suspicious physical mail (letters, postcards, envelopes) and scan for known scam warning signs. Extends ShieldWord's protection beyond phone calls into offline fraud. Targets fake IRS notices, Medicare scams, sweepstakes fraud, and other physical mail schemes.

## About & Mission

- [About ShieldWord](https://shieldword.com/about): Background on ShieldWord, its founding, and its mission to protect families — especially seniors — from AI-driven impersonation fraud. Explains why the behavioral approach (a shared secret) outperforms technology-only solutions as AI continues to evolve.

## Educational Resources

- [AI Voice Scam Awareness](https://shieldword.com/resources): Educational content covering how AI voice cloning works, real-world examples of grandparent scams and emergency impersonation fraud, FTC and FBI warnings, and how to talk to older family members about verification habits.
- [Blog & Press](https://shieldword.com/blog): Articles, narratives, and press coverage about ShieldWord, AI safety trends, and elder fraud. Includes original essays such as "Being a Good Grandparent Is Now a Security Vulnerability."

## Legal & Contact

- [Privacy Policy](https://shieldword.com/privacy): ShieldWord's data and privacy practices. The site collects no user data, stores no code words, and requires no account creation. The generated code word is displayed only to the user and is never transmitted to or stored by ShieldWord servers.
- [Contact](https://shieldword.com/contact): How to reach the ShieldWord team. Media inquiries: howard@shieldword.com. Mailing address: 4 Standish Rd, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866.

## Optional

- [llms.txt](https://shieldword.com/llms.txt): This file. A structured summary of ShieldWord's pages and content for AI language models and crawlers.