Kids and Computer Security

Phishing is when scam artists send fake text, email, or pop-up messages to get people to share their personal and financial information. Criminals use the information to commit identity theft.

Here are tips you can share with your kids to help them avoid a phishing scam:

• Don’t reply to text, email, or pop-up messages that ask for personal or financial information, and don’t follow any links in the message.
• Be cautious about opening any attachment or downloading any files from emails you receive, regardless of who sent them. Unexpected files may contain malware.

Get your kids involved, so they can develop their scam “antennas” and careful internet habits. Look for “teachable moments” — if you get a phishing message, show it to your kids. A demonstration can help them recognize a potential phishing scam and help them understand that messages on the internet aren’t always what they seem.

consumer.ftc.gov/articles

July 7, 2024