Top 10 scams duping kids and teens in 2024 – is your child at risk?

Learn how to protect your kids from online, gaming and real-world scams with essential safety tips so they can stay safe.

In an age where the internet is a second home to our kids, scammers are devising more cunning ways to deceive them.

Young people need to know about the tricks and traps that scammers use, especially on the internet and mobile phones.

While specific figures on the amount children and teens lose to scams in the UK are not readily available, the issue is clear – it’s significant and growing.

For instance, Ofcom reported that nearly 43 million UK adult internet users have encountered suspected scams, with a quarter of those facing online scams losing money.

Given the sophistication and adaptability of scams targeting young individuals, particularly with the rise of AI tools, parents, guardians, and young people must stay informed about the types of scams and how to protect against them.

Gaming scams

Scammers target young gamers by promising virtual rewards for popular games like Fortnite and Roblox. These rewards turn out to be nonexistent, potentially leading to the loss of personal information or money.

Fortnite scams

In Fortnite, one of the most seen scams involves fake V-Bucks generators and stores.

V-Bucks are the in-game currency, and these scams promise free or discounted V-Bucks but are there to steal personal data or money.

Websites claiming to sell V-Bucks often mimic the official Epic Games portal.

Even though some might appear secure with HTTPS certificates, they’re actually designed to harvest payment details and personal information.

Epic Games and Fortnite’s official stance is that you should only purchase V-Bucks directly through their official websites or trusted platforms such as the Microsoft Store or PlayStation Store.

Roblox scams

Roblox scams often follow similar patterns, with fake offers and phishing attempts designed to steal personal information or in-game assets.

Your kids may find these through social media communities and YouTube, as scammers use these platforms to share links to their fraudulent websites.

You may also come across free Robux generators.

These sites offer unlimited Robux but are just tools for scammers to steal data or plant malware and viruses. It’s sadly a great way to teach your kids that (rarely) nothing in life comes for free!

Item trading scams are one of the things my daughter has sadly fallen for twice! She planned to trade items with others, but they either swapped nothing or the items traded were worthless.

Social media scams

Watch out for strangers who pretend to be someone they’re not on social media.

Social media influencer scams take advantage of the high status that influencers hold among teens.

They might try to become your friend to trick you into giving them money or personal details.

Scammers posing as brand representatives or PR companies might message young people with requests to promote a product, asking the teen to pay upfront or provide banking information to claim a supposed prize.

On top of this, young people dreaming of becoming famous online can be targeted by scams promising to boost their follower count or engage in lucrative brand deals.

These scams often ask for an upfront fee or personal information, pretending to be the verification processes or starter kits.

The promised fame and income never comes, leaving the teen out of pocket and potentially at risk of identity theft.

Tutoring scams

Someone might offer tutoring services and ask for payment upfront, but then they might not provide the promised help or lack the qualifications they claimed.

Students seeking extra help may come across scams offering access to exclusive study materials, online courses, or tutoring sessions after an upfront payment.

Once the payment is made, the promised resources are either of poor quality, not as described, or never provided.

While using tutors online may seem like a quicker, cheaper option, make sure to read reviews and use a legitimate site before deciding who to go with.

Money mule scams

In a money mule scam, scammers trick people into receiving and transferring money through their personal bank accounts, making it seem like a legitimate job or favour.

For young people, this will be sold to them as an easy way to make money quickly, but they may not understand the impact.

The scammer might say they’re abroad and need help moving money, promising a cut for your assistance.

However, this is money laundering, which is illegal and can have serious consequences, including closing your bank account or facing legal action.

Parcel mule scams

Similar to money mules, young people are tricked into receiving stolen goods or items bought with stolen credit cards.

They are then asked to send them to another address.

This might be disguised as a job offer for a “parcel forwarding agent” or “shipping coordinator”.

Like money mules, those who participate, even unknowingly, can face legal action for handling stolen goods.

Recruitment for fake jobs

There are a few ways that scammers can manipulate teens to get money from them, in addition to the parcel mule avoid.

Scammers might offer fake jobs that ask you to pay for training or equipment. Teens need to know they should never have to pay to start a job.

They may also post fake job ads that seem perfect for students looking for part-time work.

These jobs often promise high pay for minimal work.

However, the scammer might ask for personal information or payment to “secure” the job or for training purposes.

In reality, there is no job, and the scammer uses the information or money for fraudulent purposes.

Cyberbullying for ransom

Some scammers might threaten to spread harmful lies and false information online unless they are paid.

It’s a form of extortion and can be devastating for the victims and have a massive, negative impact on their mental health, which is why it’s essential to make sure kids are open and regularly open up and talk about any issues.

Homework help scams

Scammers prey on students who might be struggling with their daily homework or coursework for their GCSEs or A Levels. If the pressure of schoolwork is getting too much, it may well feel like an easy out.

Scammers might offer help with homework for money if they see posts where someone mentions they struggle or may even advertise, but be careful.

They might not help at all and just take your money or give plagerised work that causes more issues!

Free WiFi traps

Public WiFi networks, while super-useful and essential for online kids, can be a hotspot for cyber criminals.

Scammers can set up unsecured WiFi networks and give them any name, so you think you’re connecting to a legitimate network, but it’s a scammer.

When you’re logged on, they can potentially access your device and intercept login details or card details if they are shopping online.

So remind your teens to only log in or use payment details when on a private VPN, trusted or home network rather than a public WiFi.

When you give permission to access the WiFi, the scammer can steal information like passwords.

Scholarship and grant scams

Some scams target students with offers of guaranteed scholarships or grants for a fee.

Students searching for financial aid for education can become targets for nonexistent scholarships or grants.

Genuine scholarships do not need any upfront payment when applying or making the application.

While you and your teen may not want to leave any stone unturned and check every avenue, be sure to use only trusted sources, such as educational institutions and government websites.

Tips to avoid being scammed

• Question everything: If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. Research the company or offer extensively.
• Be secure: Use strong, unique passwords with a password manager, and enable two-factor authentication.
• Never share personal information: Legitimate sites will not ask for personal information like your bank account details.
• Report suspicious activity: If you encounter a scam, report it to the authorities to help prevent others from falling victim. You may also want to advise your child’s school so other parents can be wary.

Understanding these scams is crucial for young people, and will help them be more mindful of other scams as they enter into their adult life.