When cybercriminals attempted to defraud her grandfather earlier this year, Texas high school student Tejasvi Manoj responded not with frustration, but by launching a website aimed at shielding older adults from similar scams.
The 17-year-old's project, Shield Seniors, has already earned national recognition, including being named TIME's Kid of the Year 2025, an award that highlights young people making a positive impact, says TIME.
"It was a near miss for my grandfather, and I realized how easily others could fall for these scams," Manoj told Reuters. "I wanted to create something practical to help people his age feel safe online."
A close call sparks an idea
The idea was born in February 2024, when Manoj's 85-year-old grandfather received an urgent email claiming to be from a relative in need of $2,000. Preparing to transfer the funds, he instead phoned his son, who urged caution. A quick check confirmed the request was fake.
"I never asked you for money," Manoj's uncle told the older man, cutting short what could have been a costly mistake.
The episode left Manoj unsettled. "It was like, why did you not know? Why wasn't there more awareness?" said her mother, Aishwarya Manoj. "That's when Tejasvi started her research and realized it was not just her grandparents, but a much larger problem."
Fraud losses climb
Data supports her concern. The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center reported nearly 860,000 complaints in 2024, with potential losses exceeding $16 billion. People over 60 accounted for nearly $5 billion of those losses - a 32% increase from the previous year.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says older adults who lost more than $10,000 quadrupled between 2020 and 2024. Those who lost over $100,000 increased sevenfold, reaching $445 million in reported losses last year.
Officials believe the true scale is larger, as many seniors feel too embarrassed to report incidents, reports TIME.
"Seniors are particularly vulnerable because they often have savings and less familiarity with online tactics," said Aarathi Rajamanickam, a banking-sector software engineering manager and Manoj's mentor. "Cases like this come across my desk almost daily."
Building a platform
Determined to respond, Manoj combined her computer science skills with community outreach. By the end of 2024 she had developed Shield Seniors, a website that teaches seniors to recognize scams, allows them to upload suspicious messages for analysis, and links to reporting channels such as the FBI and Better Business Bureau.
The site is still in private preview as Manoj works to secure funding and improve its AI-powered detection system, which she says is about 95% accurate.
"Our goal is to make sure older adults are independent and know what to look for," she said. "We want them to navigate the online world confidently, with independence and with dignity."
The site's interface reflects that mission: large-font text, simple navigation, and a calming blue theme. Manoj tested early versions with her grandparents and neighbors to ensure accessibility.
Manoj also holds seminars at assisted-living facilities. "I remember going to my first seminar and I was super nervous," she recalled. "What if no one shows up? What if I totally mess up?"
The opposite happened. "There were so many people taking notes, asking questions. At the end some came up to me, and I was able to help them," she said.
Her community involvement extends well beyond cybercrime awareness. Manoj is an Eagle Scout, plays violin in her school orchestra, and tutors Bhutanese refugees in math and English through the nonprofit Vibha. She also volunteers with the North Texas Food Bank and with TangoTab, a social enterprise that packs meals for food-insecure families.
"I think it's really important; if you're lucky yourself, you want to make sure other people feel loved and lucky too," she said.
Recognition and support
The project has attracted attention beyond Texas. Manoj received an honorable mention in the 2024 Congressional App Challenge and delivered a TEDx talk in Plano in 2025 on building "digital bridges" between generations, reports TIME.
Coverage in the Dallas Observer led to a meeting with AARP, where she demonstrated the website. "They were very impressed," Manoj said in an email. "They shared my work on LinkedIn, which helped me connect with a wider network of people."
TIME's editors also took notice. This year, Manoj became the first youth honored as both TIME Kid of the Year and a TIME for Kids Service Star, part of a program highlighting youth-led service initiatives.
Coding with purpose
Manoj grew up surrounded by technology. Both parents work in IT, and she began coding in eighth grade, learning Java, Python, and HTML through school courses and summer programs such as Girls Who Code. She later joined Cyber-Patriot, an initiative sponsored by the US Air Force and Space Force to encourage interest in cybersecurity.
"I really love the fact that you can solve problems with your computer," she said. "And I really like creating."
Her father, Manoj Ganapathy, added: "Everyone in my family is into tech. She was well prepared for this challenge."
Simple solutions
The site includes four main sections: Learn, which covers basic internet safety such as password protection and spotting scams; Ask, a chatbot offering short, jargon-free answers; Analyze, where suspicious messages can be uploaded for AI review; and Report, which connects users with official complaint channels.
"What her portal does is to simplify it," said mentor Rajamanickam. "For lack of a better word, it dumbs it down, but that's exactly what's needed for this demographic."
Manoj agreed. "If you ask ChatGPT or Gemini about cybersecurity, you'll get 10 paragraphs with technical terms. That works for some, but not for most older adults," she said.
Looking forward
Shield Seniors remains in development, with limitations stemming from its reliance on free AI tools. Manoj hopes to expand capacity by moving to commercial platforms once funding is secured.
"We plan to open it to a wider audience once we secure funding to support broader access," she said.
Meanwhile, Manoj is preparing for college applications, with interests ranging from the University of Texas at Austin to Georgia Tech and Purdue. She plans to major in computer science with a focus on AI or cybersecurity.
Though still a teenager, she says age is sometimes a barrier when trying to gain access to assisted-living facilities for workshops. "I'm a bit young, I guess," she said. "But I'll keep working to gain more experience."
For now, she is focused on expanding the reach of her project and encouraging families to engage with older relatives about online safety.
"Just make sure to check up on your loved ones," Manoj said. "Make sure that they're staying safe online."