Scammers Are Targeting Kids: Four Warning Patterns Every Family Should Teach

Scammers follow kids wherever they spend time online. Gaming chats, social media, and even text messages now carry fake trades, phishing links, and impersonation attempts. Most parents worry their child won’t recognize the danger. Here is the encouraging part: nearly every scam runs on the same handful of emotional tricks. Teach a child to spot the pattern, and they can recognize a scam they have never seen before. That matters, because the scams themselves keep changing.

Urgency is the biggest tell. Scammers push kids to act before they think: “Click now or your account is locked.” “Free Robux, today only.” “Verify your account or lose it.” Legitimate services almost never demand instant action. Teach your child to pause whenever a message feels urgent, and to check with a parent before clicking anything.

No real service asks for passwords or codes by message. If a “friend” suddenly asks for a login, a verification code, or money, assume the account may be hijacked. Contact that friend through another channel and confirm before doing anything.

Too good to be true is always a con. Easy money, free items, and surprise prizes are bait. A stranger offering $200 an hour to “click links” or a free game item in exchange for a login is running a scam. The rule is simple: if it sounds too good to be true, it is.

Even voices and faces can be faked now. New AI tools let scammers copy a loved one’s voice or image. The fix is an old family habit: agree on a private code word, and verify any surprising request by calling the person directly.

Verizon’s parenting team recently published a practical breakdown of the five scams that most often target kids, including how to respond if your child has already been targeted. Read the full article: How to protect kids online from 5 common internet scams.

If a stranger has pressured your child, asked for money or photos, or moved the conversation to a private app, don’t handle it alone. Use our anonymous Report a Predator tool, and consider installing the Report a Pedophile browser plugin to flag dangerous content as you browse.