Preventing scams and teaching our kids to stay safe onlineis an important aspect of digital parenting.
Teaching skills to navigate online threats is valuable preparation for our children’s independent online journey.
We might believe that once the network and our children’s devices are secured with the necessary firewalls and antivirus software, and once privacy settings are adjusted and online rules are outlined and enforced, then the framework for a safe online environment is in place.
Unfortunately, it’s not so. Like anywhere else in the world, criminals are working hard to find loopholes to get to innocent and trusting victims.
Online access is everywhere. Even the strictest rules or surveillance can’t keep children from eventually being caught off guard or tricked in seemingly safe situations.
We don’t just need the gates of our children's online playground to be secure; we also need to know what to look out for inside the gates - on gaming accounts, on social media, in our inbox, and when browsing for websites.
And we need to teach our kids the same. Everywhere, there are cybercriminals specifically targeting kids. This is why kids need to know in which situations they risk being scammed and what a scam can look like. This will help children learn to spot scams and protect themselves while exploring the digital world safely.
Checklist to spot online scams
1. Suspicious messages or emails
Any message or email that doesn’t seem quite right should always make you suspect a phishing attempt. They can look like messages or emails that offer valuable prizes for free. They can also contact you to say you have won a contest or lottery.
At times, it can look like the gaming platform you use or an official company you know requests that you get back to them with personal information like login details.
It can also look like a friend or a relative asking for help to send money, or a lottery requesting a small payment to receive a big reward you’ve won.
You can also receive emergency messages that request you to act fast; to send money to a ‘relative’, to download protective software due to ‘security breaches’, or to re-enter login details to a supposedly ‘locked account’.
Remind kids to:
- Never respond to threatening or urgent messages. Always check that they are, in fact, from a known company or relative if they claim to be.
- Remember, you can't win a contest you didn't enter.
- If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
- Official, legit companies will not put pressure on you to receive any prize or reward.
- Trustworthy companies would never request login details or personal information in an email or text message.
- Always get help from an adult if they feel unsure or pressured to do something
2. Check the sender
Phishing scams in messages or emails are very common. In these scams, cybercriminals send messages or emails pretending to be from official, trustworthy companies. They might look like official emails from Netflix, Roblox, or your social media platform.
At first, the message or email may seem legit, and nothing looks suspicious. But it's a good idea to always take a closer look when you are asked to download something, click a link, provide information, or even receive a prize that you never requested or signed up for.
Remind kids to:
- Notice the email address, profile, or phone number of the sender. Does it match the official contact information of the company or person they claim to be?
- Be aware that scammers can pretend to be a friend, relative, or a trusted source or company. With AI technology, it is possible to even imitate voices or video calls.
- Check for other ways to verify that the sender is who they claim to be. Some families agree on a safe word that only they know, which they can use as verification in these situations.
- Remember that official companies will contact you to request personal information in an email or offer rewards you didn't sign up for.
3. Fake websites
Cybercriminals go out of their way to create fake websites that look like the original. This could be the login page to a social media account or a gaming platform for game downloads.
They hope that visitors won't notice and unknowingly reveal their login information or click a link that downloads harmful software.
Remind kids to:
- Always be extra aware when using a new website for any downloads, etc. Always be sure that it’s a trusted source and the original website.
- Make sure that the website address is correct before downloading. Make it a habit to check that you only download what you came for and that no unwanted software is hiding in a zipped or attached file.
- Look for the padlock icon for a secure connection in the website's browser window.
- Look for misspelled words, strange grammar, or unusual formatting or logos, which may all indicate that it’s not from the real company.
- Check that the URL of the website matches the original address of the website.
4. Links and attachments
Links and attachments can be scammers’ direct access to your or your child’s device. They can be disguised as an innocent link, appearing to be sent from a trusted source, like an official company or a close friend.
They can also appear on a fake website or as a pop-up on the computer. Sometimes, harmful files can hide in a zipped folder when downloading software.
Remind kids to:
- Be suspicious of receiving links that ask you to log in or download files when you haven't requested them.
- Not click links or download attachments from unknown sources. They should double-check with an adult if they’re unsure.
- Younger kids should always ask adults before clicking or downloading anything.
- When you search for downloads online, for example, for popular games, always check that you end up in the right place and you download from the official site or another trusted source. Make sure no unwanted attachments are included in the download.
5. Friend Requests
Fake friend requests are very common on social media and in online gaming. Anyone can create a profile and claim they are someone they are not, or simply hide their real identity behind a gaming avatar or social media profile.
There can be many reasons for approaching someone in gaming or social media from a fake profile or an account that hides your identity. But none of them are good, and these kinds of suspicious friend requests should always be avoided.
It is wise for kids to also avoid online users they don’t know in real life.
And be sure to adjust your child’s privacy settings, so this kind of contact is not possible if your child is not old enough to handle this kind of interaction.
Remind kids to:
- Be suspicious of strangers, even the nice ones. Nice people can be dangerous, and online, everyone can lie about who they are.
- Not accept requests from people they don’t know.
- Check that the person behind the friend request is who you think it is, even if the name and profile picture are familiar.
- Not talk to or respond to messages from “new friends” without checking with parents first.
8. Social media scams and fake web shops
It is easy to sell a fake reality on social media, and the market is full of fake webshops and influencer scammers selling fake products or courses.
Many young people fall for cheap products on realistic-looking websites when scrolling social media. Victims might spend a lot of money and never see the products they bought.
Some influencers portray a luxurious lifestyle and claim that buying their expensive ‘get rich quick’ course will guarantee a successful business with minimum effort. This fantasy can be appealing to young people looking for direction in life.
Remind kids to:
- Check reliable reviews before buying from a new webshop.
- Consult parents or other trusted adults before purchasing from a new source online if tey are old enough to do so.
- Check other reliable sources to back up the claims and promises made by influencers.
- Talk to parents to get their perspective.
- Remember that most of what you see online is not a true reflection of reality.
- That businesses and influencers are mostly on social media to make money, not to give.
9. Sextortion
Sextortion is, unfortunately, one of the fastest-growing online scams targeting children. This scam often happens when a child is approached online by someone who appears to be their age.
Often, teenage boys are approached by what appears to be a girl of the same age. The purpose of the communication is to trick the victim into sending naked photos of themselves.
These photos will then be used to heavily threaten the victim into sending money to the scammer, or else the photos will be shared publicly with friends and family.
This is a very scary and shameful situation for anyone, let alone children. Many victims panic. Sadly, there are numerous cases of children ending their lives within hours of receiving the first threat due to the shame and pressure.
Remind kids to:
- Never send money, and immediately stop communication.
- Always get help if someone is threatening them.
- Remember, it is never the victim's fault, no matter how ashamed they may feel.
- Make sure to collect evidence before blocking or deleting anything. Be aware of the laws in your country if evidence is nude images of minors. There can be different guidelines on whether taking screenshots is allowed or not.
- Always report to authorities and do not be ashamed of doing so. It has happened to other people, too, and there is a way out.
