Teach your children about online scams to help them avoid becoming a victim. Think of it as an ongoing conversation with children and teens that you need to build on.
Parents say parenting is harder than ever now, and screens are a big reason. In addition to concerns about screen time and cyberbullying, parents also face another big problem: online scams targeting children.
The best thing you can do to help your child avoid becoming a victim: Teach your children about online scams. Keep in mind that teaching children and teens about online scams isn't a one-time event. Think of it more as an ongoing conversation, with each lesson building on the last.
With that in mind, here are seven ways to teach kids about online scams.
1. Talk to your child about online scams
Start by bringing up the topic of online scams with your children and make it a two-way conversation. Ask them if they know about online scams and if they can think of any examples of scams. This way, you can find out what they do and don’t know about scams. And you can get them interested by telling them that they can help fight the “bad guys” online by putting on their detective hat, learning how scammers work, and being on the lookout for scams.
2. Give your child an overview of online scams
Scammers are always coming up with new twists on old scams, but the basics tend to stay the same. There are phishing scams, scams, vishing scams, and even scams that specifically target children.
Give your child a quick lesson about the different types of scams that exist, the main tactics scammers use, and what scammers are trying to achieve. For example, tell them that scammers can:
I am sending you a text message.
I'll leave you a voicemail.
You send an email that looks like it comes from a friend
Run an online ad
Post a hoax on social media
And let them know that scammers can have a variety of goals: to get money, to get your personal information so they can steal your identity, to take over and use your email or social media accounts, or to infect your device with malware. malware.
3. Give examples of scams targeting children
There's nothing like a concrete example to drive home a point when teaching children something new, including online scams. Children may be especially interested in learning about scams aimed at children and teens.
Here are some examples of scams targeting children:
Contest and prize scams
Scammers know that contest scams are a great way to target children. They might receive an invitation to enter a fake contest or receive a notification that they have won a big prize like free pizza for a year or a new iPad. They might have to click a link or fill out a form to enter the contest or claim the “prize.”
Freebies and fake deals
A child may receive an offer for a free toy, a “hot” new product, or an electronic item or other product they want. They may be asked to pay for a “discounted” item that they will never receive.
Scholarship scams
A child or teen may be tricked into applying for a scholarship that appears legitimate but is actually a scam. For scholarship scams, a child may be asked to provide a variety of personal information such as name, address, and social security number on the “application.” Or they may be asked to pay a large fee to apply.
Fake talent contests or casting scams
A child may receive an invitation to compete in a talent contest for acting, singing, or sports. Scammers use big dreams or the promise of fame and money to lure children into these scams, and they may charge a large entry fee to participate.
Scammers can use different tactics and have different goals for any of these scams. Tell your child to be wary of any offers they find online.
4. Show your child how to protect devices
As a parent, you take care of your entire family when it comes to cybersecurity. That means installing antivirus software on your devices, running regular updates, and perhaps using a VPN for extra protection. You might consider trusted security software like Norton 360 Deluxe.
Instead of a boring chore, these tasks can become educational moments that allow you to teach your children about online scams and cybersecurity. Enroll your children to help you choose antivirus software, install it, and update it. And use that time together to reopen the conversation about how basic security measures are an important first step toward avoiding online scams. Explain that by securing your devices, you are closing the doors through which an online “bad guy” could enter to target you or your child with fraud.
5. Set family guidelines for using the device
Involve your children in setting cybersecurity guidelines for the whole family. There’s a lot to think about and remember when it comes to online scams. Family “rules” make it easy for your child to remember how to help protect themselves from scams. And by letting your children help set the family guidelines, they’ll learn more and be more invested in following those rules.
Examples of family guidelines you may choose to establish include the following:
Avoid using public Wi-Fi.
Don't give out personal information online.
Protect your accounts with a strong password and multi-factor authentication.
Never click on a link if you are not sure it is legitimate.
Never talk to strangers online, even those who claim to be children.
Don't pay for anything unless you initiated the transaction with a trusted seller.
Run contests and offers after a parent.
By encouraging your child to come to you when they are unsure about an “offer,” you open the door to more teaching moments in the future.
6. Talk about fraud with children to improve critical thinking skills
Critical thinking is an important life skill, and you can help your children develop it by teaching them about online scams. Talk about the phrase “too good to be true” and ask your children what it means to them and why they think the saying exists.
Ask about hypothetical situations, like “What if you saw an ad for an iPhone for $25? What would you think? What would you do”?
Finally, encourage your children to think about how they might be able to spot a scam. Help them come up with answers like: an offer that seems too good to be true, a link that seems strange, copy with lots of spelling mistakes, and phrases like “act now!”
7. Encourage your children to teach others.
There is a saying that teaching is one of the best ways to learn. Encourage your children to use their new knowledge by teaching others about scams, especially online scams that target children. This could include talking to their friends about scams or doing a report, play presentation, or other school project about scams.
Shih here the full article by author Allie Johnson, published on the Norton company's website "us.norton.com" about creating antiviruses for computer operating systems.