Anyone can fall victim to scams, especially vulnerable groups like kids and teens. Scammers target them, taking advantage of their lack of experience. The goal is to steal their money and personal information. It's important to talk to your kids about scammers and teach them how to recognize suspicious texts, emails, peer-to-peer payments, and social media scams. We've made a list of the most common scams targeting kids and teens and created a free downloadable flyer for you to review together.
Most Common Ways Kids & Teens Are Scammed
With kids spending so much time online, there are many ways they can be scammed. Scammers constantly update their methods, so there's always more to watch out for. Let's look at the most common scams targeting kids and teens and how you can teach them to avoid them and what to do if they think they're being scammed.
#1 - Online Shopping Scams
Scammers create fake e-commerce sites that pretend to be discount stores, offering high-demand items at low prices to steal payment and personal details for future scams.
How to avoid: Encourage your teen to verify the site's legitimacy by checking its URL for "https://" and looking for a padlock symbol. Advise them to use secure payment methods and to avoid making purchases from social media ads without verifying the retailer's authenticity through third-party reviews and ratings.
#2 - Influencer Scams
Teens love their favorite influencers, but watch out for scammers who copy them, running fake giveaways where they will ask them to pay or share bank information to claim a prize.
How to avoid: Show your teen how to double check to make sure it’s the official influencer’s account by looking for number of followers, verification badge, and reminding them to never send money or bank details to people they don’t know. They should be skeptical of any contest that requires payment or sensitive information to participate.
#3 - Freebie Scams
Offers for "free" items like smartphones or tickets that are actually schemes to gather personal data or money.
How to avoid: Instill a healthy skepticism in your teen about free offers that require sharing payment information. Encourage them to ask, "Why is this free?" and to research the company making the offer before engaging.
#4 - Peer-to-Peer Payment Scams
Scammers pose as friends or sellers on platforms like Venmo, Zelle, or Cash App to trick them into sending money for goods and services that don’t exist.
How to avoid: Teach your teen to double-check the identity of the person they are sending money and look for typos and red flags in usernames, profile pictures, and transaction descriptions. They should avoid deals or sales conducted exclusively through peer-to-peer payment platforms, especially if the offer is unsolicited.
#5 - Text Message Scams
Scammers mimic banks or delivery services, seeking personal information or urging them to click malicious links. They might say something's wrong with an account, offer a prize, or strike up a conversation.
How to avoid: Tell your teen to never respond to or click links in unsolicited texts. If a message claims to be from a known organization, they should contact the organization directly through official channels to verify the message's authenticity. Encourage them to install a reputable cybersecurity app to screen potentially dangerous texts and calls.
Monitoring Your Child's Bank Account & Online Activity
Scammers are always finding new ways to steal money or personal information. One simple way to help protect your family is by adjusting settings to monitor their online bank accounts. Regularly having open and honest conversations is also recommended for better protection against scammers.
We suggest taking the following steps with your child:
- Monitor your child's financial activity by setting alerts and checking for any unusual activity or patterns
- Set up fraud alerts and be on the lookout for unfamiliar charges
- Encourage your kids to change their passwords frequently
- Have honest conversations about social media and stranger danger
- Teach them how to use peer-to-peer payment apps responsibly
Want more tips like this? See more in our fraud center.
