Importance Score: 75 / 100 🔴
As a vigilant parent of two adolescents, I have come to terms with my children possessing their own smartphones. Recognizing their ages, 14 and 16, and the impending independence of driving for one, mobile devices have become a necessity. However, granting teenagers phone access also opens them up to a range of potential online scams and digital threats, including sophisticated phishing schemes via texts and emails, similar to those targeting adults. To safeguard my children and myself from these risks, I’ve focused on educating them about critical warning signs and preventative measures against teenager scams and identity theft attempts.
How to Shield Your Children from Online Scams
For several years, my teenagers have owned cell phones and, consequently, have encountered their fair share of fraudulent texts and emails. One instance involved my youngest child receiving persistent messages from an individual seeking her Roblox login credentials under the guise of gifting in-game currency. We diligently monitored and reported these interactions until they ceased. This experience, coupled with a significant data breach reported by my children’s school, prompted me to freeze their credit reports the previous year. Despite this measure, educating them on avoiding scams that could lead to financial harm and identity theft remains crucial.
Raising Awareness: The First Line of Defense
Educating children about the existence of phishing emails and texts is the primary step in helping them evade these deceptive tactics. Highlighting that they will likely encounter such messages fosters vigilance toward communications from unknown sources or those that appear suspicious. I have instructed my children to never engage with messages from unfamiliar individuals under any circumstances. I’ve emphasized that cybercriminals employ various methods to solicit personal data, even mine, making complete avoidance of interaction the safest strategy.
Ben Colman, from the cybersecurity firm Reality Defender, specializing in deepfake detection, advises parents to guide children in using the “THINK” method before replying to text messages: True, Helpful, Inspiring, Necessary, Kind.
“This technique encourages them to pause and consider before acting,” Colman explained. “Furthermore, children should be taught to independently confirm the sender’s identity through a separate communication method before clicking on links or sharing any information.”
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Implementing Spam Filters and Blocking Suspect Numbers
Our entire family utilizes device spam filters for both texts and emails, effectively blocking many scam attempts. However, some malicious messages still bypass these filters and appear in our inboxes, requiring manual intervention. I’ve instructed my children to promptly delete suspicious or spam texts and to block the originating numbers. This action is easily achievable on both iPhone and Android devices with a few simple steps.
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Guidance Against Clicking Unverified Links
Another vital lesson involves caution against clicking embedded links within text messages or emails unless the origin is definitively verified. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) cautions that certain in-text links can deploy malware on devices, enabling the stealthy extraction of sensitive data without the user’s knowledge.
Maintaining Open Communication Channels
Finally, I have reassured my children that they can always approach me for assistance if they are uncertain about a received message. If anything appears dubious or the sender’s identity is questionable, I am available to review it and guide them on the appropriate course of action. Establishing open communication regarding potential online threats, including identity theft and fraud, has been instrumental in maintaining our family’s online safety. Cybersecurity experts widely agree that ongoing dialogue is a critical component of online safety practices.
“Children need to feel secure in approaching you, even if they find themselves in an uncomfortable or embarrassing situation,” advised John Wilson from the cybersecurity firm Fortra. “Ideally, initiate these conversations before they become heavily engaged online. Emphasize that you will address any problems together as a team.”
Common Scams Targeting Teenagers
While online scams can indiscriminately affect anyone with a phone and email, specific schemes are designed to target younger demographics. Ultimately, cybercriminals do not discriminate by age.
“Teenagers with phones are susceptible to phishing attacks, such as fraudulent toll road or package delivery texts. These scams are crafted to deceive them into divulging personal and financial details or downloading malware,” explained Michael Scheumack, Chief Innovation Officer at IdentityIQ, an identity theft protection service provider.
Common text scams aimed at children include:
- Gaming-related Scams: According to Colman, criminals frequently target children with fabricated game rewards for popular platforms like Fortnite and Roblox. Scammers promise complimentary in-game currency to collect personal information.
- Social Media Scams: Colman also noted an increase in social media impersonation scams. In these schemes, fraudsters impersonate a friend or influencer to entice children into clicking on harmful links.
- Friendship Scams: Some text scams initiate with attempts to cultivate a friendly relationship with a child or teenager, intending to exploit this connection to extract sensitive personal data, such as Social Security numbers and credit card details.
- Account Takeover Scams: Account takeovers are particularly prevalent among teenagers, especially targeting social media accounts, according to Scheumack. Once a criminal obtains login information, they seize control of the account, locking out the legitimate owner. They then exploit the compromised account to solicit information from contacts or gain access to other accounts.
- Delivery Scams: Cindi Carter, Global Chief Information Security Officer at Check Point Software, emphasizes that teenagers are particularly vulnerable to delivery scams due to their frequent online shopping habits.
Carter further highlighted the emerging threat of deepfake audio and video being utilized in scams targeting teenagers across social media. Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) are also making phishing attempts more sophisticated. AI can generate convincingly realistic text messages that mimic educators, coaches, or friends.
“This underscores the growing importance of fostering critical thinking and intuitive skepticism in children,” she stated. “It’s no longer just about identifying spelling errors or poor grammar; scams now appear and sound convincingly real, thanks to AI.”
Responding to Information Compromise
If your child has unfortunately fallen victim to a phishing scam and shared personal or family information, swift and composed action is crucial, according to Colman. Begin by meticulously documenting all details of the scam incident, including screenshots, messages, and any information disclosed. Subsequently, immediately contact your financial institutions to freeze any potentially compromised accounts if financial data was involved.
Immediately update passwords across all digital platforms, prioritizing email accounts since they often serve as gateways for password resets across other services. Consider adopting a password manager to generate and securely store complex passwords.
Next, take proactive steps to protect your credit and identity, particularly if sensitive data such as names, addresses, birthdates, and Social Security numbers were exposed.
“Consider initiating a fraud alert with credit reporting agencies, even for minors, given that identity thieves target children due to their pristine credit histories,” Colman advised.
Freezing both your and your child’s credit reports adds another layer of security, preventing unauthorized account openings, regardless of the extent of information compromised.
Finally, it is important to report the incident to the FTC at IdentityTheft.gov and to local law enforcement. Moreover, engage in a constructive dialogue with your child to ensure they comprehend the incident and learn preventative measures to avoid future occurrences.
“Utilize this as a valuable learning opportunity to reinforce your family’s overall cybersecurity practices going forward,” Colman concluded.