NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Frisco, TX, September 9, 2025: In a year when the FBI reported nearly 860,000 online scam complaints with potential losses exceeding $16 billion, a 17-year-old high schooler has emerged as a beacon of hope for older Americans. Tejasvi Manoj of Frisco, Texas, has been named TIME magazine’s Kid of the Year 2025 for creating “Shield Seniors,” a website designed to help people over 60 detect, report, and protect themselves against online fraud.
The numbers tell the urgency of her mission: scams targeting older adults accounted for almost $5 billion in losses last year, a 32 percent increase from 2023. The FTC further noted that high-value losses—over $10,000—have quadrupled since 2020.
For Manoj, the fight against fraud is deeply personal. Her inspiration came in February 2024, when her 85-year-old grandfather nearly fell victim to a scammer impersonating a family member. “I realized then how vulnerable seniors are online and how little support exists to help them,” she told TIME.
Shield Seniors offers a two-pronged approach: “Learn” modules that walk users through basics like password safety, privacy settings, and common scam tactics; and an “Analyze” feature powered by artificial intelligence, which allows seniors to upload suspicious messages or emails. With nearly 95 percent accuracy, the platform identifies likely scams and provides step-by-step reporting guidance.
The project has already drawn national attention. Manoj earned an honorable mention in the 2024 Congressional App Challenge, delivered a TEDx talk in Plano, Texas, and regularly conducts cybersecurity workshops in assisted-living facilities.
Beyond her tech innovation, Manoj is a well-rounded community leader: she is an Eagle Scout, tutors Bhutanese refugees in math and English through the nonprofit Vibha, plays violin in her school orchestra, and serves on the North Texas Food Bank Young Advocates Council.
As scams continue to rise in scale and sophistication, Shield Seniors stands out as an example of technology infused with empathy. “My goal,” Manoj says, “is to give seniors the confidence to navigate the digital world safely.”
