Daphne Lee MATT Class Featured in CBS News Story
View the CBS News Video at https://www.cbsnews.com/news/texas-teen-uses-computer-science-to-fight-scammers
👩💻Daphne Lee, owner of Mature Adults Tech Training MATT, was delighted and honored by a special guest teacher last week during one of her MATT classes at the Plano Senior Center (Sam Johnson Recreation Center).
Tejasvi Manoj of Plano, Texas, recently designated Kid of the Year 2025 by Time Magazine, dropped in to share her internet scam-fighting knowledge during Daphne’s MATT class on Apple Vault Passwords.
Tejasvi Manoj of Plano, Texas – TIME Kid of the Year 2025
TIME’s Kid of the Year Is Protecting Seniors From Cybercrime
Read the complete article at: https://time.com/7315024/kid-of-the-year-2025/
“Unnamed cybercriminals trying to scam seniors out of their money got more than they bargained for when they targeted Tejasvi Manoj’s grandfather back in February 2024. Tejasvi, then a 16-year-old junior at Lebanon Trail High School in Frisco, Texas, was driving home from Scouting America camp with her father when he suddenly noticed five missed calls on his phone—all from his 85-year-old father. He called back, and the older man reported that he had received an urgent email from another relative, Tejasvi’s uncle, asking for $2,000 to settle an unexpected debt. Given the apparent emergency, Tejasvi’s grandfather was prepared to transfer the funds—but her father urged him not to and the grandfather, at the suggestion of his wife, then called the uncle to see if the request was legitimate.”
“Older Americans clearly need protection, and Tejasvi was determined to provide it. Within the year she had built and launched Shield Seniors, a website designed to educate the 60-plus demographic about what online scams look like, analyze suspicious emails and messages users upload, and, if the communications prove fraudulent, provide links to report them. The site is currently available in a private preview mode only, pending more R&D and fundraising, but is already—like its creator—making itself known. Tejasvi was recognized with an honorable mention in the 2024 Congressional App Challenge; delivered a 2025 TEDx talk in Plano, Texas, about the need to build “digital bridges” to all demographics; and makes occasional appearances at local assisted-living facilities, demonstrating her website [Shield Seniors, currently in development] and teaching seminars about cybercrime.”
“This [Shield seniors website] is supposed to bring people a sense of ‘You’re not alone,’” says Tejasvi. “A lot of people are embarrassed that they got scammed, but this isn’t something you should be embarrassed about. It’s just a learning experience. You should report it to help make sure it doesn’t happen to anyone else.”
“And she’ll keep working to expand and improve Shield Seniors—and her personal footprint as well, hoping especially to be welcome in more assisted-living facilities where she can interact with seniors face-to-face. For now, she’s had the opportunity to visit just a few, with others telling her to come back when she’s had a little more experience. “I’m a bit young, I guess,” she says.
But that’s not stopping her from getting the message out as best she can, as she continues to advocate for seniors to become savvy and independent in cyber-space, and for their family members to help them gain the necessary experience and confidence.
“Just make sure to check up on your loved ones,” Tejasvi says, asked if she has any advice for those who want to join her in that quest. “Make sure that they’re staying safe online.”
Daphne Lee and Mature Adults Tech Training wish Tejasvi Manoj all the best!
She is a brilliant young woman with a heart for providing essential services for senior citizens.
We will be following the development of her website, Shield Seniors.