Supporting Cyber Security Awareness Month

As part of Cyber Security Awareness Month Optus has released a new series of guides from the Optus Digital Thumbprint Program to help families stay safe online.

This year’s theme for Cyber Security Awareness Month is 'Be cyber wise – don’t compromise' which aims to help people improve their cybersecurity and avoid becoming the victim of cybercrime.

One of the new Digital Thumbprint Program guides, Stay ahead of scams through family discussions aims to help  families prepare their children for the unavoidable exposure to scams, as cybercriminals become more sophisticated and better disguised.

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.

While children are statistically least likely  to be targets of scams, scammers will try to trick young people due to their inexperience with the world and their trusting nature. Scammers can also deceive people into paying small amounts (i.e. micro-scams) which makes young people prime targets and could lead to something more serious  

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.

An important way parents can support their kids to keep their identity safe online is to discuss online scams with their children regularly, so they are better protected in their digital environment.

The Stay ahead of scams through family discussions guide will assist 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

Talk to your child about the actions they can take that can help them fight off scammers and try our new Digital Thumbprint quizzes Fake Friends and Fake Profiles, and Scammers & Fake Friends.

The 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

Other contacts

• eSafety Commissoner to report cyberbullying, image-based abuse, and illegal and restricted content
• Australian Cyber Security Centre to report cybercrime, including online threats and abuse, scams and hacks, data breaches, identity theft and fraud
• Scamwatch to report scams y 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 has been endorsed by the eSafety Commissioner as a Trusted eSafety Provider.

The program also has a range of external advisers and contributors, including Dr Michelle Blanchard, Honorary Senior Fellow, School of Social Sciences, University of Melbourne, and Executive Director, Strategic Projects, National Mental Health Commission. Dr Blanchard’s contribution to Digital Thumbprint centres on her deep expertise in the use of technology to enhance mental health and wellbeing of young people.

Learn more about other Digital Thumbprint Program the resources here.

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