Be savvy - don't get scammed
Advice for parents
Your children could become victims of internet or mobile phone scams specifically targeted at teenagers.
These scams include:
- Expensive ringtone charges which may be connected to a subscription service
- SMS scams based on text message subscription services
- 1550 lines asking them to claim a 'prize' such as a holiday or an MP3 player when they haven't entered a competition
- Unexpected requests for their personal details on social networking sites like Bebo, Myspace and Facebook
- Chain letters
Parents can sometimes feel left behind by their internet and mobile phone-savvy children. That's understandable, but you don't need to be a technological wizard to protect your children from being scammed.
Discuss the scams listed on our Bebo page with your children and encourage them to follow some simple precautions. These include the following:
- Never reply with personal details such as address or bank account number to unsolicited emails and texts
- Never reply to texts from strangers offering a chance to claim a 'prize' when you haven't entered a competition
- Never open attachments from unsolicited emails
- Do not post personal details such as addresses or mobile numbers on social networking sites such as Bebo, Facebook and MySpace
'Phishing' and credit card fraud
Identity theft - 'phishing' - is rife on social networking sites like Bebo, Facebook and MySpace.
Phishing is a fraudulent attempt to acquire personal information such as user names, passwords and credit card/bank account details by masquerading as a trustworthy individual or organisation.
Phishing is usually carried out by email or instant messaging and often directs users to enter details at a website, although phone contact is sometimes used.
Once this information is acquired, the phishers may use a person's details to create fake accounts in the victim's name. They can then ruin the victim's credit by stealing their identify and buying goods posing as the victim.
It's estimated that one in 20 computer users in Ireland has experienced some form of phishing, which can lead to serious financial losses for parents whose children have inadvertently divulged family credit card details to fraudsters.
If you allow your children access to a credit card for online shopping, ensure that the websites they are visting are legitimate.
You may also consider acquiring a separate credit card with a low credit limit for your children's online purchases - some credit card providers supply an extra credit card without you having to pay further stamp duty charges on the card.
Online security
Teenagers don't want their parents prying on their online activity. But you can lay down some sensible ground rules to ensure that your teens are not scammed. For example:
- Tell them not to post personal details on their Bebo page or other social networking sites
- Encourage them to use privacy settings on social networking pages
- Be wary of emails from unknown sources, they may contain a virus
Download the Parents' Guide to Social Networking from MakeITSecure.org (PDF, 2.73MB)