A 14-year-old committed suicide after following someone’s advice AI chatbot. Another family is suing the same thing – Character AI – after telling an autistic 14-year-old to kill his parents. An 11-year-old was also exposed to sexual content.
These stories are a stark reminder that young people are particularly at risk the internetbut AI isn’t the only thing they’re targeting.
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The good folks in the FBI’s criminal division say teens have lost 2,500% more money to scams in the last five years. Compare that to an 805% increase in seniors, which still isn’t great, but at least it’s not 2,500%.
So why teenagers? Because thieves have more opportunities than ever to target them. Talk to everyone around you who was born between 1996 and 2010 about this. It’s a big deal.
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The most common scams and tricks
Under the influence: Say a child in your family idolizes an online influencer. It’s so easy to imitate this person. All a fraudster All you have to do is set up a fake account that looks real, run a contest, and trick the “winners” into giving up their personal information (or more) to claim their (non-existent) prizes. Done and done.
This file photo shows someone checking their smartphone in Glenview, Illinois. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)
As a tip: Stick with “official” influencer accounts with a significant number of followers. A smaller account is almost always a scammer, not a secret account. And never give anyone financial information or money via DM.
“Hey, handsome”: This is a classic for a reason. Scammers grab pictures of attractive teenagers or 20-somethings and play digital Casanovas. They confess their love all too quickly – then comes the request for money, gifts or information.
As a tip: Try a reverse image search to see if these images show up elsewhere on the internet. If the person refuses a video call or a face-to-face meeting with you, that’s a bad sign.
RELATED: Deepfakes are so easy to make. Talk to your children.
“Send me a photo”: That’s the dangerous thing Intersection of smartphonesSexting and scammers. Someone shares sexy pictures and demands some in return. As soon as the victim sends a picture or video, everything changes.
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The person on the other end is now blackmailing you. Pay or they will share the content with everyone the victim knows. Think about how terrible that would be at any age, but especially as a teenager. I spoke to a family who lost their son to suicide after this happened to him. What a heartbreaking story and they are not alone; this happens far too often.
As a tip: Talk to your children about sending pictures to others online. Encourage them never to share anything obvious, even with someone they know personally and trust. It’s just not worth it.
“You won!”…Not”: This is aimed at younger teenagers. A thief tricks them into giving up credit card information or downloading malware under the guise of rewards for their favorite game.
Social media apps are shown on a smartphone. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
As a tip: That’s easy. Always buy apps or make in-app purchases via an official app store – no exchanges and nothing “private”.
So what can you do?
The internet is an incredible source of learning, creativity and fun, but let’s not sugarcoat it: there are dangers out there. Scammers and predators have become experts at manipulation, and children can easily fall victim. The most important thing you can do as a parent? Encourage open, honest communication.
When my son was younger, I shared age-appropriate stories about what he might encounter online. We talked about the risks in a way he could understand. He knew that if anything or anyone made him uncomfortable, he should come to me immediately, no questions asked.
DO THIS TO YOUR FAMILY VIDEOS BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE
That is the basis: trust. Children need to know that they won’t get in trouble for being deceived. Today’s online scammers are insidious and scammers know exactly how to gain a child’s trust. If your child is targeted, it is never their fault.
Here is my free technical security contract You can both sign if you’re not sure where to start the conversation about technical boundaries.
Action plan for parents
Remember when you had a fake driver’s license or told a little white lie to get what you wanted? Children can bypass parental controls and are smart enough to turn the birth year wheel when registering to bypass age restrictions.
A mother and teenage daughter are seen using a smartphone. (iStock)
RELATED: Best Apps and Gadgets to Monitor Your Child (Preschool to Teenage)
Set clear ground rules for screen time and device usage and keep the conversation going as they grow. A few simple steps:
- Do you have the passcode for your phone: You need access to everything at all times. Even if you don’t stop by often, they need to know you can.
- Set boundaries: Use built-in app controls to monitor time spent in apps and tools like content filters to limit exposure to inappropriate material.
- “Friend” or “Follow” them: Stay connected on social media to see their circle and interactions. Without open dialogue, they will find a way to get around you.
- Know the special settings: On Snapchat, Instagram and YouTube, you can do that Connect to your child’s account.
The best protection is to be the go-to source for help and advice for your child. Let your children know that you are there and ready to listen no matter what. This is the real safety net.
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