How parents can keep their kids safe from scammers

Now that a large proportion of kids’ lives are spent online for study or recreation, it can be hard for parents to ensure their children stay safe.

These days, scammers can use a wide range of techniques to connect with our families online.  As cybercrime becomes more sophisticated and harder to detect, it’s important for parents and caregivers to support children with knowledge and tools that can defend against scammers.

According to Helen Maisano, Senior Director, Group Sustainability at Optus, the challenges seem to increase daily as scams become more sophisticated and pervasive.

“One important way for parents to help their children practice safe online behaviour is by parents having an open conversation with their kids, particularly about scams and how to avoid them so they are better protected in their digital environment,” Helen says.

To help families prepare their children for dealing with the risks of online scams, Optus Digital Thumbprint has created a guide, Stay ahead of scams through family discussions.

A scam is a way of tricking people into handing over money or personal details. Online scammers use phone calls, video calls, text messages, emails, social media and gaming platforms to reach their targets.

“It can be particularly tricky for families to combat scammers as the nature of scams keeps evolving and it can be hard to recognise scams and keep up with the latest risks,” Helen continues.

“While children are statistically least likely  to be targets of scams, scammers may try to exploit young people’s trusting nature and inexperience.  Plus, scammers may try to trick kids into paying small amounts (i.e. micro-scams) that could lead to something more serious in the future.”  

Here’s an outline of some of the most common types of scams that families should be aware of:

Investment – the victim is tempted with a small investment that promises greater gains in the future.

Penalty - scammer adopts an authoritative person and threaten consequences if they are not paid.

Prize - the target is told they’ve won something but to claim the prize, they must send money or personal information.

Shopping – after a purchase is made upfront the scammer doesn’t send the target what they paid for, instead they deploy a phishing link or gather personal information.

Charity - Scammers use a cause – real or fake – that appeals to their target’s compassion.

Computer - scammers contact their target and gain remote access to their computer to get personal information or install malware.

Sexual extortion or ‘sextortion’ - scammers coerce their targets by claiming that they possess intimate images or videos of their target and demanding payment so that they would not share the content to people their target is close with.

“One of the most powerful tools for parents to use is having those regular and informed conversations about the risk of scams, how to recognise and avoid them,” Helen continues.

The Stay ahead of scams through family discussions guide can help parents to talk to their kids about:

• Why it’s important to always be prepared for scams
• Identifying the most common types of scams and how scammers contact your family
• Taking steps to protect themselves from scammers
• Finding more help if you need it

“The Digital Thumbprint quizzes Fake Friends and Fake Profiles, and Scammers & Fake Friends can help parents talk to their children about how to recognise scammers and what they can do when they come across them,” Helen says.

The Stay ahead of scams through family discussions guide provides parents with handy and realistic conversation starters so they can initiative conversations with their kids so they can:

• Build a healthy scepticism by asking them to question suspicious online activity
• Remind their child that they’re not to blame if they are scammed and share a story of a time you or someone you know were scammed.
• Encourage their child to speak up and take action if they’ve been scammed.

The guide will also help parents to instil caution in their child’s behaviour online by explaining how to spot a scam using G.A.P.S.

Whereby scammers:

Gain trust – make themselves seem trustworthy

Appeal to your emotions – use ploys to counter scepticism

Procedure change – insist on their verification procedures eg a new website or phone number

Speed – create a sense of urgency to avoid scrutiny or hesitation

What to do if you are being scammed

• Stop all contact with the scammer
• Don’t pay and don’t give into their demands
• Change all passwords and passphrases
• Collect evidence and report it

Optus customers can also report a suspicious text through Optus ScamWise by sharing it in the My Optus App. Reported SMS will be analysed by Optus’ scam team, with inauthentic messages blocked to prevent future circulation of that content across the Optus network. The customer reports will also help to inform Optus’ SMS blocking rules.

Optus is blocking over 2 million calls and almost 2.8 million SMS a week. By providing customers with the visibility of trending scams and how many scam SMS and calls Optus is blocking on a weekly basis, customers can be on alert and even share the information with friends and family.

For young people

• Blocking unwanted contact guide
• Cyberbullying quiz
• Cyberbullying: what to do when things go wrong guide
• Digital Balance quiz
• Fake friends and fake profiles quiz
• Hackers, scammers and fake friends guide
• Lifehacks for a balanced time online guide
• Passphrases, passwords and MFA guide and quiz
• Protecting personal information quiz
• Scammers and fake friends quiz

For Families

• Balancing time online guide
• Blocking unwanted contact for your child guide
• Cyberbullying: What to say when things go wrong online guide
• First Phone Readiness guide and quiz
• Passphrases, passwords and MFA for your child guide
• Recognising hackers, scammers and fake friends guide
• Safeguard your child’s privacy on popular apps and games guide
• Stay ahead of scams through family discussions guide

eSafety Commissioner to report cyberbullying, image-based abuse, and illegal and restricted content

Australian Cyber Security Centre - Auto report cybercrime, including online threats and abuse, scams and hacks, data breaches, identity theft and fraud.

Scamwatch to report scams.

Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation to report online grooming and inappropriate contact

IDCARE to get identity theft, data breach, scam and cyber security support.

If your child needs to talk to someone about their feelings or worries, they can contact:

Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 for free, private and confidential 24/7 phone and online counselling services.

13YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7) for a free, private and confidential talk with an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Crisis Supporter.

Optus Digital Thumbprint supports digital safety and wellbeing for young people and families. Find out more at www.digitalthumbprint.com.au