The internet is a valuable resource for young people. They can use it to learn, connect with friends and family, and explore their interests and passions. However, spending time online also comes with potential risks, such as online scams. These scams can target anyone, including young people, and they can be sophisticated and hard to detect.
What are frauds and cybercrime?
Fraud is intentionally deceiving someone for an unfair advantage, often for money. It can take various forms, such as gaming scams, fake websites, and false advertisements that often target vulnerable groups like young people. Cybercrime is a type of fraud that occurs on the internet, like hacking, phishing, and denial-of-service attacks. It can cause huge financial losses, information loss, and data breaches.
Here are some of the most common online scams that young people face, along with information on how to spot them and help prevent young people from becoming victims of these schemes.
Online scams that young people may come across:
Gaming Scams:
Gaming scams are a type of online scam that specifically targets young people who are avid gamers.
These scams can take many forms, such as fake gaming websites that promise free games or in-game currency in exchange for personal information. They may also involve phishing schemes that trick young people into giving away their login details or other sensitive information.
To avoid falling victim to gaming scams, young people should be cautious of offers that seem too good to be true and avoid clicking on links from unknown sources. It is important to educate young people on how to spot and avoid these scams to protect their personal and financial information.
Phishing:
Phishing is a type of online scam where someone pretends to be a trustworthy company or organisation to get your personal information or log-in details. This may come as an email or direct message from an organisation or company you know and trust.
Other online scams include schemes to trick you into giving up personal information, account logins, or money. These can take the form of messages encouraging you to enter prize draws, complete surveys, or click on unfamiliar links.
Young people are encouraged to always speak to a trusted adult if they have any concerns about sites and links they come across on the internet.
Copycat government websites:
Online scams are common and can be difficult to spot. Some scams pretend to be real government websites, like HMRC. They may ask you to pay a fee to process official documents like passports or visas. Be careful, and always check the website address and credentials before providing any personal or financial information.
Practical ways to keep young people safe
Here are some guidelines for protecting yourself from internet scams:
- Be careful about what information you share online. Don’t share your personal information, such as your name, address, or phone number, with people you don’t know or websites that you are not sure about.
- Be cautious of offers that appear to be too good to be true. If something appears to be too good to be true, it most likely is.
- Never click on links in emails or messages from people you don’t know. These links could lead to malicious websites that could infect your computer with malware. Be wary of unexpected messages from individuals you care about; fraudsters sometimes act as family members, friends, and other people in our lives.
- Use strong passwords and change them regularly. A strong password is at least 8 characters long and includes a mix of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
- Be aware of the signs of a scam. If someone is asking for money or personal information, be suspicious. If something seems off, it probably is. It is better to be careful than to provide important information that might put more of your personal information in danger.
Where to get additional support
If you think you or someone you know has been scammed, report it to the authorities. You can also report scams to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at ftc.gov/complaint.
The online world offers many benefits, but unfortunately, some scammers specifically target young people who may be vulnerable to their schemes. As technology advances, fraudsters are becoming smarter in the ways they target people.
At Childnet, our mission is to advocate for young people to have a safe online experience. By following these tips, we hope to raise awareness, protect young people from online scams, and foster a safer internet environment.
