About Us – Call Before You Click
About Us – Call Before You Click
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The Heart Behind the Mission
It starts with a knock on the digital door, and it usually ends in silence.
For nearly four years, I’ve been on the front lines of a quiet epidemic. At least once every quarter, I sit across from a neighbor who has just watched over $20,000 of their hard-earned savings vanish into a scammer’s pocket. Almost every week, I talk to someone who has lost $1,000 or more.
These aren’t just “tech glitches” — they are calculated attacks on the people who built our communities. Helping one person at a time is only a band-aid. We need a shield. That’s why I founded Call Before You Click.
Our Mission
We protect seniors from digital scams and make technology safe, simple, and enjoyable through human-to-human help. We believe digital protection should be a right, not a luxury.
The S.T.A.R.T. Method
Our core tool is the simple, proven S.T.A.R.T. framework:
S – Stop: Pause and recognize the adrenaline or fear response. Do not click or act immediately.
T – Think: Ask yourself: “Did I initiate this interaction?” If not, it is likely a scam.
A – Assess: Look for red flags — unexpected messages, urgency, requests for gift cards, Bitcoin, or wire transfers, weird email addresses, or spelling/punctuation errors.
R – Read: Look at the “From” address or the actual link. If it looks messy, weird, or has spelling/punctuation errors, it is likely fake
T – Trust: Only trust the original company. Call or visit them directly using official contact information you already know. Never trust the message or the link.
The Human Firewall Hotline
The most dangerous moment in any scam is the “Now or Never” pressure. Scammers rely on isolation.
That’s why we offer a free, no-judgment help line. If you get a suspicious text, weird email, or phone call that doesn’t feel right, call us for a second opinion. We’ll walk you through the S.T.A.R.T. checklist in real time — before a single cent leaves your pocket.
Free Help Line: 314-669-1673
Workshops & Education
We aren’t just playing defense. Through Project S.T.A.R.T. (Senior Technology Awareness & Resource Training), we offer free group workshops at senior centers, churches, libraries, and community venues across Edwardsville, the Metro East, and Greater St. Louis.
Sessions cover:
How to spot and stop common scams using the S.T.A.R.T. method
How to use modern AI tools (Grok, Gemini, Siri, voice assistants) safely and confidently
The fun and practical side of AI: medication reminders, schedule organization, summarizing articles, creative projects with grandkids, identifying plants, reading small print, and more
Workshops are available in 45-minute and 60-minute formats and are completely free.
From Local Roots to a National Shield
While I am starting here at home with our current help line (314-669-1673), the goal is a nationwide network of protection. Scammers don’t respect zip codes, and neither can we.
As funding becomes available, we will:
Scale the Hotline: Expand our reach so anyone, anywhere, can call for help.
Train the Trainers: Empower local leaders to use our methods, materials, and knowledge base to protect their own towns.
Offer Free Resources: Provide our S.T.A.R.T. charts and literacy guides to any organization that needs them.
We are starting local in Edwardsville and the Metro East, but we are building for everyone. No one should lose their life savings simply because they didn’t have a trusted friend to talk to first.
Don’t Guess. Verify.
If something feels off, stop and call before you click. We’re here as your trusted second set of eyes and your friendly guide to safer technology.
— Roland Piche
Founder, Call Before You Click
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