Check an account’s security
Never use real personal data. If you need to, run it through the data cleaner.
I use [service or app]. Give me a checklist to review my account’s security and privacy: two-step verification, open sessions and devices, connected apps, recovery email and phone, and what is public. Tell me where each setting usually is and remind me to confirm it in the service’s official help, because menus change.
What result to expect
A list of warning signs and checks. It is only a guide: if in doubt, contact the organisation through its official channel.
Example
Service: an email account. Result: 6 checks in order (turn on two-step verification, sign out sessions you don’t recognise, remove connected apps you no longer use…), each with the usual menu path and a reminder to check the official help.
Useful variations
- Ask for “the same list for an older person’s phone”, step by step.
- Ask to “sort it from most to least urgent”.
Common mistakes
- Pasting your password or verification codes: they are never needed.
- Following menu paths without checking: they may have changed.
Getting the most out of it
- Paste the prompt as is and only replace what is in [brackets].
- If the answer does not fit, do not start over: ask for “shorter”, “more formal” or “as a table”.
- Always review the result before using it: AI can get facts, dates or names wrong.
Before you paste it: quick checklist
- Never paste passwords, verification codes or card numbers.
- Copy only the text of the suspicious message, without your own details.
- Ask for a list of warning signs and what to do next.
- If you have a real doubt, call the organisation on its official number.
How to adapt it to your assistant
The template works the same in ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot or Claude because it only uses plain language. If your assistant supports fixed instructions (custom instructions, Gems or projects), you can store your preferred tone and format there and paste only the variable part. On a free plan, split long requests into two or three shorter messages.
More on this category
Templates to spot scams, review suspicious messages and protect your accounts. AI helps you see warning signs, but it doesn’t replace your bank or official channels: if in doubt, contact the organisation yourself through its official website or phone number.