Who this is for
Anyone with a confusing, low-stakes piece of paper on the counter: a town notice, a utility due-date letter they recognize, a school or rec flyer, a library notice, a warranty card, appliance instructions. No paper waiting? Come back when there is one. Don't invent practice with your own records.
Usually this track comes after The Message You Still Send. Do this track first if you need to reply to the letter, then go to Message.
Red paper — stop before you type any of it
- Medical bills, or anything with a diagnosis
- Court, custody, eviction, immigration
- Tax notices
- Benefits letters (SNAP, Medicaid, unemployment, Social Security)
- Any “you owe” you don't recognize
- Any demand for gift cards, a wire, or crypto
- A letter asking you to call and “verify” your account
For a red paper, use a phone number you already trust — from your card, an old statement, or the office's site you typed yourself. If you're not sure the letter is real, have a person you trust look at it first.
Sort the paper
About 5 min
One paper. If it matches the red list above, stop. Green is the only kind this track practices on:
- Town trash or recycling notices
- A utility due-date notice you recognize
- A library notice, a rec program flyer, or a school event flyer
- A warranty card or appliance instructions
Try this
Say out loud which list this paper is on, and why.
You should have: one green paper on the table. A red paper stays out of the chat. Book a human if you can't tell.
Cover the private parts
About 5 min
- Cover with a marker or sticky notes: account numbers, barcodes, QR codes, and member IDs.
- Cover your full name and address, and anyone's birthday.
- Leave the ordinary words showing — the dates, the task, the amount printed in the sentence.
Take a photo, scan the page, or upload a picture of the paper. People miss the numbers in the corners.
Underline six lines or fewer
About 5 min
- Underline the part that confuses you.
- Stop at 6 lines. That is all you will type in the next lesson.
- Read the don't-paste card at the top of the worksheet before you go on.
NOTICE — Township Department of Public Works
Account # ██████ (covered)
Beginning November 3, recycling collection in Zone B moves from Tuesday to Thursday.
Containers must be at the curb by 6:00 a.m.
Bulk items require a $15 sticker, available at Town Hall.
Questions: call the number on the back of this notice.
Covered: the account number and the name and address block. Underlined: the three middle lines.
Your paper will look different. That's normal. Check it has the same parts: private bits covered, and 6 lines or fewer underlined.
↓ Download the PH-01 worksheet (PDF)
Need a print copy from your browser? Open the print-ready worksheet.
Success check
- Paper is green
- Numbers, codes, name, and address are covered
- 6 lines or fewer underlined
Common failure modes
| What happened | What to do |
|---|---|
| The paper is on the red list | Don't type it. Use a number you already trust, or ask a person you trust to look first. |
| The confusing part is longer than 6 lines | Underline only the lines you don't understand. Leave the rest on the paper. |
| You covered the date along with the account number | Uncover the date. Keep the account number covered. |
Stop line
No photos, no scans, no uploads in this track. If the paper is about health, court, taxes, benefits, immigration, or money you don't recognize owing, stop.
Brake: Nothing is typed yet.
Stop before you type it. A human can look at the paper with you. Don't send a photo of it into a chat.