A Back-to-School Reminder: Kids and Teens Fall for Scams, Too

The digital-native generation is not immune to cyberthreats. Here’s what to watch for

When it comes to navigating the digital world, today’s kids and teens are the savviest generation yet. They spend a huge portion of their lives online, and are exceedingly skilled in using the latest apps and tools for messaging, learning, shopping, dating, gaming, and more.

That doesn’t mean, however, that they’re invincible in the face of online scams and threats. In fact, while seniors remain by far the most common target for cybercrime, kids and teens are experiencing a worrying level of financial losses due to fraud.

The online dating investigation service Social Catfish recently released its State of Internet Scams report, encompassing a proprietary survey along with data from the FBI and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Among the key findings: The amount of money lost to fraud by victims age 20 or younger totaled $210 million in 2022—a staggering 25 times higher than the figure for this group in 2017. This rate of loss is much greater than even the one recorded among seniors over the same five-year period. Social Catfish says that this spike in financial losses among young victims speaks to “the growing sophistication of scammers.”

Because children and teens are at an emotionally vulnerable stage of their lives, becoming a victim of fraud or other cybercrimes can have a dangerous impact on their well-being, beyond any financial damages they or their family might suffer.

With back-to-school season upon us, now is an ideal time to look at the latest scams targeting young people, and to review tips on how to make sure the kids in your life stay safe online.

The social media influencer scam

Few people own a higher status among teens than social media influencers. Scammers are taking advantage of this by posing as brand representatives and messaging young people with a request to promote a product as an influencer. One catch: The teen has to send payment upfront. (It’s highly unusual for a reputable brand to ask an influencer to pay for promoting a product; typically, the influencer gets paid.) In another version of this scam, bad actors create phony accounts impersonating real influencers, then run shady contests in which the “winner” discovers that the prize can only be claimed by paying a fee or providing bank account information.

Our advice: If you’re a parent or guardian, remind your kids that before following any influencer or responding to a message from a brand, they should do research to confirm that they’re dealing with a verified, official account. And if anyone asks them to send money or banking information as a requirement for collecting a prize or promoting a product, they should cut off contact. Report any potential fraud to ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

The gaming rewards scam

Scammers are leveraging the fact that young gamers love picking up virtual rewards to enhance their gaming experience. For example, according to a report in WIRED, gamers are being increasingly targeted by a scam involving phony promotional ads that offer rewards for the wildly popular online games Fortnite and Roblox. When a gamer clicks the link, they are directed to a fake landing page (known as a “poison PDF”) where they are tricked into “downloading apps, malware, or submitting personal details in exchange for nonexistent rewards.”

Our advice: Be sure your kids’ devices have up-to-date antivirus software. And let your young online gamers know they should be cautious about clicking any link that promises amazing rewards such as in-game currency. (The developers of Fortnite and Roblox have separately stated that they don't allow for the exchange of in-game currency through third-party channels. If you see an ad promoting this type of reward, it's likely a scam.)

The sextortion scam

The FBI reports that cybercriminals are pulling photos and videos of people—including minors—from the web or social media apps, and using artificial intelligence-enabled “deepfake” technology to alter the images into explicit or compromising material. The fake images are then circulated online for the purpose of harassing or extorting victims. A related version of this tactic, called sextortion, involves the scammer sending an explicit photo on a dating or social media app, and asking the recipient for an explicit picture in return. When they receive it, the scammer threatens to post or share the image unless the victim pays up.

Our advice: As the FBI recommends, keep a close eye on your kids’ online activities. Talk to them about the risks posed in sharing personal photos or videos; strongly encourage them to use strict privacy settings in social media; and make sure they’re extremely careful when it comes to communicating with or sending anything to people they haven’t met in person. Run frequent searches of your kids’ online information to identify any potential issues.

The romance scam

While romance scams target people of all ages, teens can be particularly at risk. On social media and dating platforms, fraudsters reach out to their young victims using stolen and often AI-manipulated photos to present themselves as an attractive match. They begin sweet-talking via direct messaging, and once they’ve earned the victim’s heart, they start pressuring the teen to send money. Sometimes it crosses into sextortion (see above), where the victim is blackmailed into sending money to avoid having intimate photos published online.

Our advice: Tell your kids to be careful about sharing personal information or photos. If they have photos of someone they’ve met online, do a reverse image search to see if the person’s identity is real. If their new romantic interest refuses to meet in person or do a video chat, it’s likely a scam. Finally, as embarrassing or distressing as a scam like this can be for a teen, it’s important to report it to the authorities and to the dating or social media platform.

The homework cheating scam

This one’s a bit tricky because it starts with a questionable decision on the part of a student: an attempt to cheat on homework. Be wary of so-called “homework helper” services offering to complete students’ class assignments. The Better Business Bureau reports that some high school and college students who have signed up for these services have found themselves victims of extortion, in which the online service suddenly turns on them and threatens to expose the student’s cheating unless the student pays an additional fee.

Our advice: Avoid using “homework helper” services. If a student wishes to use a legitimate tutor (not a homework cheating service) to assist with learning, the Better Business Bureau counsels families to seek referrals and references, and to agree on availability and rates up front.

For comprehensive privacy and identity protection of your entire family, including kids, consider coverage under the Family version of IDX’s Complete Plan. The cost-effective plan covers two adults and up to five minor dependents under the age of 18, and includes a full range of advanced tools and services designed to safeguard the entire household against current and emerging cyberthreats.