Help Teens Learn to Recognize and Avoid Online Scams

While we hear stories every day about older people being targeted by scams, scammers also target teens. We don’t hear about this nearly as often. Maybe it’s because it’s embarrassing for us as adults that we let our children get tricked. Perhaps it is because it makes our children feel bad, and we don’t want them to feel worse. We learned this the hard way after scammers zeroed in on my college-aged daughter. She shared what she was experiencing with several adults (including myself) and others as the scam unfolded. Yet, despite our questions and concerns about what was happening, we all fell for it. Until it was too late.

In her case, hackers accessed her boss’s phone and emails at an internship. They read through his email and text exchanges and easily picked up on their working relationship. They understood the types of work tasks he might assign to her. They likely used AI – artificial intelligence – to copy his communication style and reached out to her with carefully prepared texts and emails. They learned about the details of the projects they were working on together. They knew just the right way to push and intimidate. That, combined with other real-life distractions at the time, made it even easier for my daughter to accept the request. It was the perfect storm … for the scammers.

In hindsight, a few things might have been flagged. But in the moment when pressure was applied and multiple requests were coming in, she felt compelled to follow through to ensure her “good intern” status. In this case, she was asked to lay out money and buy gift cards to send as thank-you gifts to colleagues for a recently finished project. She was told she’d be paid back at a meeting later that week. She was given details about where to buy them. She even went to multiple locations after not finding what she needed at the first two spots.

Soon, some kind of “problem” arose, and she was asked to buy more. Luckily, she couldn’t do so because of her money and credit card limits. She asked her boss if she could use his credit card for the additional purchases. Then she was met with silence. Multiple requests went unanswered. She began to sense she’d been scammed. She felt upset, vulnerable, and victimized. And sure enough, when she stepped back and reviewed the details, it became clear she had been scammed.

Today, scammers have even more powerful tools. Artificial intelligence can help criminals create convincing emails, texts, images, voice messages, and even video calls that appear to come from trusted people. It can be harder than ever to tell the difference between a legitimate request and a scam.

This is just one example of the crafty ways scammers may target a smart young person online. Other scams may include:

• Phishing emails and text messages. These are fraudulent emails or messages that seem to come from reputable companies and are designed to get you to reveal personal information.
• Fake online shopping sites
• Job and internship scams
• Romance and friendship scams
• Gaming scams
• Cryptocurrency and investment scams
• Sextortion scams
• Social media account takeovers
• AI-generated impersonation scams
• Fake customer support scams

Scammers constantly change their methods, but most scams share one goal: convincing someone to act before they have time to think. You can help young people take steps to protect themselves from becoming victims. These steps will also work for you as an adult.

Stop and ask questions. Tell them to take a breath. Our lives move quickly, with information coming at us rapidly. Remind them it’s okay to slow down and look at a situation more carefully. Teach them to ask questions like:

• Am I distracted right now and unable to pay attention to small details? 
• What am I being asked to do?
• Does it make sense?
• What am I getting for the money I’m being asked to spend? 
• Would my parents or guardian be okay with what I’m doing? 
• Is someone trying to flatter me to get something out of me?
• Is someone creating a sense of urgency?
• Am I being asked to keep this secret?
• Is someone claiming there will be consequences if I don’t act immediately?
• Could I verify this request through another communication method?

Be suspicious. If an offer looks too good to be true, it probably is. Tell your child it’s okay to be skeptical. For example: 

• What kind of real jobs exist where you can earn $500-$2000 per day while working only an hour? 
• How can you win a contest that you didn’t enter? 
• Is it pure flattery to have someone tell you your resume is perfect for a job that you didn’t apply for?
• Have you been asked to pay for something using gift cards or a wire transfer?
• Have you received an unexpected invitation link that requires you to click on it to access information? 
• Did you get an attachment from someone you haven’t spoken to in a while? 

Keep those “spidey senses” on high alert and avoid clicking on these. Delete and report suspicious texts and emails. Verify before you trust. Even when a message appears to come from someone you know, pause before responding. If a supervisor asks you to buy gift cards, a friend asks for money, or a family member sends you an unusual request, contact them directly using a phone number or communication channel you already trust. Never rely solely on the message itself as proof it is legitimate. 

Keep personal information private. Never share private details, including (but not limited to): 

• Home address
• Phone number 
• Date of birth
• Bank information
• Social Security number
• Passwords
• Verification codes
• School identification numbers
• Information that could reveal your location

Legitimate organizations rarely ask for sensitive information through unexpected texts, emails, or direct messages.

Always use strong passwords. Use unique passwords for different accounts and consider using a password manager to help keep track of them. Whenever possible, turn on multi-factor authentication (MFA). MFA creates an additional layer of protection by requiring a second step, such as face or fingerprint recognition, before someone can access your account.

Look carefully at URLs and email addresses. Remind them to examine email addresses, URLs, links, and fine print carefully. If using a phone, check the source. Ask them to look for things like a single letter out of order, a name that’s close but has extra characters, misspellings, and mistakes, as those should all be considered red flags.

Remember that scammers increasingly use convincing website designs and professional-looking emails. A polished appearance does not guarantee legitimacy. Take time to:

• Hover over links before clicking
• Verify website addresses carefully
• Access accounts directly instead of using unsolicited links
• Search independently for company information

Other things to consider include avoiding public Wi-Fi, installing malware protection on your computer, and adjusting your social media settings to make them private.

Know the Signs of AI-Powered Scams. Artificial intelligence is making scams harder to recognize. Scammers may use AI to:

• Mimic the writing style of someone you know
• Create realistic-looking photos
• Clone voices
• Generate fake documents
• Personalize messages using information found online

Remember, just because a message sounds like someone you know does not mean it came from them. Whenever something seems unusual, verify it through another trusted source.

Be Thoughtful About What You Share Online. Scammers often gather information from public social media accounts before targeting someone. They may use details about:

• Schools
• Employers
• Friends
• Travel plans
• Hobbies
• Family members

The more information they collect, the more convincing their scams can become. Before posting, consider whether the information could be misused. Profile details, photos, comments, and shared connections can support phishing, impersonation, and social engineering efforts.  

What to do if you think your teen has been scammed

Scammers get even the best of us. So, if you suspect your child is being scammed or has been the victim of a scam, here are some important things they can do:

Share concerns with a trusted adult. Make sure your teen knows they can come to you if they feel they’re in trouble. Their first step should always be showing messages that seem suspicious to a trusted adult or parent. Let your teen know they shouldn’t feel embarrassed if they’ve clicked on something they shouldn’t have. Try to fix the problem as quickly as possible. If you believe a crime has been committed, contact the police.

Contact the source. If they’ve received something from someone they know or an organization they are connected with (banks, non-profits asking for donations, or religious institutions, for example), go directly to the source! Have them reach out to the sender and confirm the communication is legitimate! You’ll likely quickly discover whether something is real or a fraud. 

Report your experience to official channels. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has a website that provides information about numerous scams, how they work, how to recognize them, and how to stay safe. Go to https://consumer.ftc.gov/ to subscribe and receive alerts about scams and other consumer issues. If you think your teen was targeted, take time to report what happened at ftc.gov/complaint. Experts there look for trends and can use the information to investigate further and ensure that others are aware of the scam.

Act Quickly. If your financial information, passwords, or online accounts may have been compromised, consider:

• Changing passwords immediately
• Enabling multi-factor authentication
• Contacting financial institutions
• Monitoring account activity
• Reporting fraudulent charges 

Offer an Ongoing Message 

Knowing scammers are out there gives you, as a parent or caregiver, an opportunity. Talk to your child before anything happens. Let them know they can come to you to help them get out of trouble without fearing they’ll get into trouble. Remind them that when they come to you, they will find no judgment. Instead, you can model how you offer support, solutions, and gratitude for including you at a time when they felt vulnerable.