University at Buffalo Institutional Review Board (UBIRB)
Office of Research Compliance | Clinical Research Institute on Addictions
1021 Main Street | Buffalo, NY 14203
UB Federalwide Assurance ID#: FWA00008824

You are being invited to take part in a research study because you are an individual who is participating in an individual learning opportunity.

Someone will explainthis research study to you.

Whether or not you take part is up to you.

You can choose not to take part.

You can agree to take part and later change your mind.

Your decision will not be held against you.

You can ask all the questions you want before you decide.

We want to see how easy and helpful an online program is for older adults to use. The program teaches people how to spot different scams, recognize warning signs, and learn how to protect themselves.

We expect that you will be in this research study for about two hours

If you agree to take part in this study, you will be asked to complete a series of short activities designed to help us understand your experience using an online learning platform developed to help older adults stay safe from scams.

More detailed information about the study procedures can be found under “What happens if I say yes, I want to be in this research?”

We do not anticipate any risks from participating in this research.

More detailed information about the risks of this study can be found under “Is there any way being in this study could be bad for me? (Detailed Risks)”

You may learn how to protect yourself from scammers. We cannot promise any benefits to you or others from your taking part in this research. However, possible benefits include improvement of learning activities.

Participation in research is completely voluntary. You may choose not to enroll in this study.

Your alternative to participating in this research study is to not participate.

Detailed Information: The following is more detailed information about this study in addition to the information listed above.

Who can I talk to?

The main researcher conducting this study is Cynthia Stewart, a Program Manager at the University at Buffalo. Please ask any questions you have now. If you have questions later, you may contact Cynthia Stewart at cs287@buffalo.edu.  If you have any questions or concerns regarding your rights as a subject in this study, you may contact the Office of Research Compliance  at Department Phone (716) 888-4888 or access their website at https://www.buffalo.edu/research/research-services/compliance/irb.html. You may also report your concerns or complaints anonymously through Ethicspoint online at www.buffalo.ethicspoint.com or by calling toll free at 1-844-678-0455. Ethicspoint is an independent organization that serves as a liaison between the University and the person bringing the complaint so that anonymity can be ensured.

This research has been reviewed and approved by an Institutional Review Board (“IRB”). An IRB is a committee that provides ethical and regulatory oversight of research that involves human subjects. You may talk to them at (716) 888-4888 or email ub-irb@buffalo.edu if: 

• You have questions about your rights as a participant in this research
• Your questions, concerns, or complaints are not being answered by the research team.
• You cannot reach the research team.
• You want to talk to someone besides the research team.
• You want to get information or provide input about this research.

How many people will be studied?

We expect about 200 to 250 people here will be in this research study.

What happens if I say yes, I want to be in this research?

If you agree to take part in this study, you will be asked to complete a series of short activities designed to help us understand your experience using an online learning platform developed to help older adults stay safe from scams.

1. Pre-Survey: You will first complete a brief survey that asks about your background, familiarity with online scams, confidence in identifying scams, and level of concern about being scammed.
   
   
2. Pre-Test  (12 multiple-choice questions): Next, you will take a short test to assess your current knowledge of different types of scams, common warning signs, and strategies for protection.
   
   
3. Online Learning Module: After completing the pre-test, you will proceed to a self-paced online course. This course includes educational content, examples, and tips on how to recognize and avoid scams.
   
   
4. Post-Test  (12 multiple-choice questions): Upon completing the course, you will take another short test to measure any changes or improvements in your knowledge.
   
   
5. Follow-Up Survey: Finally, you will complete a brief follow-up survey to share your opinions about the platform, including its usefulness, ease of use, satisfaction, engagement, and your intention to apply what you learned in daily life.
   
   
6. Follow-Up Phone Interview (for those who agree): Approximately six weeks after the individual evaluation session, a member of the research team will contact you at an agreed-upon time to conduct a short interview. The purpose of this interview is to understand how your awareness, confidence, and digital safety practices may have changed since the learning session.

Your total participation is expected to take approximately 1.5 to 2 hours. You may skip any question you do not wish to answer and may stop participating at any time without penalty or loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled.

What happens if I say yes, but I change my mind later?

You can leave the research at any time it will not be held against you.

Is there any way being in this study could be bad for me? (Detailed Risks)

There are no known risks associated with these procedures.

Audio/Video Recording

Please note that your six‑week follow‑up phone interview will be audio‑recorded for transcription purposes only. The recording is used solely to ensure accurate documentation of your responses. The audio file will be stored securely on a password‑protected server accessible only to authorized study personnel. It will not be shared outside the research team, used for any public purpose, or included in publications or presentations.

Participation in recording is voluntary. You may request to pause or stop the recording at any time. If you choose not to be recorded, you may continue participating without being recorded or may withdraw from the session without penalty. All recordings will be deleted after transcription is completed and verified for accuracy.

What happens to the information collected for the research?

Your answers will remain completely confidential. During this session, any information or feedback you share will be kept private and confidential. We take your privacy seriously and will only use the data collected to enhance the platform. Your personal information will be protected and kept confidential. The collected information will be stored in password-protected computers and can only be accessed by the researchers in this project.

We will do our best to keep your participation in this research study confidential to the extent permitted by law; however, it is possible that other people may need to review the research records and may find out about your participation in this study. For example, the following people/groups may check and copy records about this research:

The Office for Human Research Protections in the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services 

University at Buffalo’s Institutional Review Board (a committee that reviews and approves research studies) and the Office for Research Compliance.

Please note that email communication is neither private nor secure. Though we are taking precautions to protect your privacy, you should be aware that information sent through e-mail could be read by a third party. 

Sharing De-identified Data Collected in this Research 

De-identified data from this study may be shared with the research community at large to advance science and health. We will remove or code any personal information that could identify you before files are shared with other researchers to ensure that, by current scientific standards and known methods, no one will be able to identify you from the information we share.