Gen Z is the generation that can confidently be called “digital natives”. They’ve grown up with technologies like smartphones, computers, and tablets, and use social media like pros. However, that doesn’t stop them from becoming victims of scams, surprisingly even more than any other age group, including the elderly.
According to research, from 2017 to 2022, people aged 20 or younger have fallen victim to online scams at a faster rate than any other group. While seniors’ losses amounted to 805%, Gen Z managed to lose around 2,500%. That’s $210 million.
In this case — just like in any other case with online scams — everyone must know that prevention is better than cure. That’s why it’s important to teach teenagers about digital literacy.
But before we delve into how teens can deal with online scams, let’s first learn about the common tricks they might fall for.
6 Common Online Scams Aimed at Teenagers
1. Phishing Scams
Phishing is when scammers send fake emails or messages that appear to be from legitimate organizations, such as banks, schools, or social media platforms, in order to steal personal information or money.
One of the reasons teenagers (and other age groups) become victims of phishing is because scammers effectively dupe email addresses and phone numbers, which makes it hard to tell who’s actually sending emails or messages.
Phishing scams emerged in the mid-1990s, and these days they are getting more and more sophisticated due to online technologies, low cost and high return, and their effectiveness.
2. Social Media Scams
Social media platforms are full of scammers waiting to defraud unsuspecting individuals. Teenagers aren’t the only ones who fall for them; adults also become victims of social media scams such as phishing links, offers from fake profiles, fake contests and giveaways, romance scams, and impersonation, among others. Reported losses to social media scams from January 2021 to June 2023, according to the Federal Trade Commission, amounted to $2.7 billion.
Teens are especially susceptible to social media scams when their favorite celebrity is involved. Scammers know how to use celebrities’ names for their benefit and host fake giveaways or contests, asking fans to provide personal information or pay a fee to participate.
3. Romance Scams
Romance scams may take longer than other tricks, as scammers usually take their time before asking the victim for money or personal information. Would you send a random stranger $1000 if they asked you out of the blue? Probably not. That’s why scammers wait, usually a few months, to gain a victim’s trust.
After this, they persistently ask for money or personal information. They come up with different excuses like medical emergencies or plane tickets to come visit you. However, the second you transfer money to them — or worse — send them your PI like Social Security number, bank account details, or anything familiar, the consequences will be harsh.
Choosing a partner online is convenient and in some cases effective. Note, however, that scammers use online dating to their advantage to steal money and people’s data.
4. Investment Scams
Some scammers have turned the internet into the Wall Street. It’s just the profit goes straight into their pockets and nobody else’s. They always promise high returns with little risk to lure teenagers in.
Some teens, of course, don’t think twice before sending money, but there’s no such thing as a free lunch. And in the case of investment scams, the lunch isn’t even free — you have to pay for it, usually a very high price.
So, whenever someone reaches out to you with investment opportunities on social media or any other online platforms, think about it: would legitimate investors even waste time on this?
If you’re willing to invest in something worthy with potential returns, it’s better to do research online without trusting those you know nothing about.
5. Job Scams
Some teens want to be independent and don’t want to ask their parents for money. For this, they usually go online and search for jobs. Reasonable, correct? Fast, effective, easy. However, scammers succeeded here, too. They post fake job postings targeting teenagers for part-time or full-time work and require money for training or materials.
In some cases, they just ask for money straight away, which is a huge red flag. No legitimate employer will ever demand money for anything, and if they do, it’s a smart idea to cease all communication with them. Oh, and don’t forget to block.
6. Sextortion Scams
Sextortion is every parent’s worst nightmare. It’s a serious crime where a blackmailer threatens to share a sexual photo or video of the person if they don’t give in to the blackmailer’s demands. Unfortunately, this happens to kids way too often on the internet.
As stated by the FBI, from October 2021 to March 2023, the number of people who were sextorted amounted to 12,600 victims — mainly boys — and led to at least 20 suicides.
Blackmailers can be spotted on social media and dating websites. They pretend to be looking for a date and at some point ask the person to send a sexual image or video.
Once they have that image or video, they start to threaten the victim, demanding money or more sexual images in exchange for not telling anyone. Kids, and even adults, fall for this because the idea of someone seeing the sexual content they sent to someone is absolutely dreadful to them.
How to Protect Teenagers From Online Scams
Scam awareness primarily starts with parents. Every parent should know that the online world is rife with scammers, blackmailers, sexual offenders, and others with awful intentions. So, here are some ways to prevent teens from becoming victims:
1. Educate and Communicate
It’s necessary to talk to teens about the most common online scams and their consequences. Phishing, sextortion, romance scams — talk about it all. It would also be wise to mention a few real-life stories that happened to real kids online.
Don’t be afraid to communicate with your child. They need support from early on in order not to fall for any tricks in the future.
2. Teach Them Mindful Social Media Sharing Practices
These practices, according to Nuwber, involve teaching children how to protect their personal information and helping them understand what type of content could threaten their safety.
Be an example to your kids and show them how important it is not to overshare online.
3. Use Parental Controls
Parental controls are an effective way to monitor children’s online activities. Set parental controls on Google Play, your child’s phone, laptop, tablet, and any other devices they use.
Windows Family Safety, macOS Parental Controls, Norton Family, Google Family Link, and Verizon Smart Family are some of the software to use to safeguard your kids.
4. Make Sure Your Children Always Reach Out to You
Children can’t always handle everything the way they’ve been told. That’s why it’s necessary to teach them to talk to parents in case someone suspicious reaches out to them online.
Let’s Sum Up
Teenagers are the unprotected segment of the population that’s constantly getting targeted by fraudsters. They lack knowledge, don’t know how to stand up for themselves, and are curious about how the world works.
All these lead to them becoming victims of online scams such as phishing, sextortion, and much more.
As a parent, it’s your responsibility to make your kids feel safe online. To achieve this, make sure you implement the tips from this blog post.
