Scammers target teens with these nasty tricks - ORSOLTECH

A 14-year-old boy committed suicide after following someone's advice Artificial intelligence chatbot. Another family is suing the same family – an AI character – after it asked an autistic 14-year-old to kill his parents. She also exposed an 11-year-old child to sexual content.

These stories are powerful reminders that young people are especially vulnerable InternetBut artificial intelligence is not the only thing targeting them.

How to (gently) ask people not to post pictures of your children on social media

The fine folks at the FBI's crime division say teens have lost 2,500% more money to scams over the last five years. Compare that to an 805% increase for seniors, which still isn't much, but at least it's not 2,500%.

So why teenagers? Because thieves have more ways than ever to target them. Talk to anyone in your circle born between 1996 and 2010 about this. It's a big deal.

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The most famous scams and scams

Under the influence: Let's say one of the kids in your family has a crush on an online influencer. It is very easy to imitate this person. everyone a fraud What you need to do is create a fake account that looks real, run a contest and trick the “winners” into handing over their personal details (or more) to claim their (non-existent) prizes. Done and done.

This file image shows a person checking their smartphone

This file photo shows a person checking their smartphone in Glenview, Illinois. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)

For advice: Stick to “official” influencer accounts that have a large following. A smaller account is almost always a scam, not a secret account. And never give financial information or money to anyone via direct messages.

“Hello handsome”: This is a classic for a reason. Scammers take photos of an attractive teenager or 20-something and play digital Casanova. They quickly declare their love, and then comes the request for money, gifts, or information.

For advice: Try doing a reverse image search to see if those images show up elsewhere online. If the person refuses to make a video call or meet you in person, this is a bad sign.

Related: Deepfakes are very easy to create. Talk to your children.

“Send me a picture”: This is dangerous Smartphone intersectionText messages and scammers. Someone shares sexy photos and asks for some in return. Once the victim sends a photo or video, everything changes.

Artificial Intelligence Expert: Chat messages wish you knew soon

The person on the other end is now blackmailing them. Pay or they will share the content with everyone the victim knows. Think about how terrifying that is at any age, but especially as a teenager. I spoke to a family who lost their son to suicide After this happened to him. It's a heartbreaking story, and they're not alone; This is a very popular method.

For advice: Talk to your children about sending pictures to others online. Urge them to never share anything explicit, even with someone they know personally and trust. It's not worth it.

“I won!” … no”: This one is aimed at younger teens. The thief tricks them into revealing credit card details or downloading malware under the guise of rewards in their favorite game.

Social media applications are depicted on a smartphone. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

For advice: That's easy. You can only buy apps or make in-app purchases through an official app store – no deals, nothing “special.”

So, what can you do?

The Internet is a great source of learning, creativity and fun, but let's not overdo it: there are risks out there. Fraudsters and scammers have become experts at manipulation, and children can easily fall victim. The most important thing you can do as a parent? Promote open and honest communication.

When my son was younger, I shared age-appropriate stories about what he might encounter online. We talked about 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 it with family videos before it's too late

That's the key: trust. Children need to know that they will not get in trouble if they are tricked. Today's online predators are sneaky, and scammers know exactly how to gain a child's trust. If your child is targeted, it is never their fault.

This is my free technical safety contract You can both sign if you're not sure where to start the conversation about the limits of technology.

Action plan for parents

Do you remember when you had a fake driver's license or when you told a little white lie to get what you wanted? Children have ways to get around parental controls and are smart enough to spin the birth year wheel when registering to get around age restrictions.

A mother and her teenage daughter using a smartphone. (Istock)

Set clear ground rules for screen time and device use, and continue the conversation as it develops. Some simple steps to take:

Get the passcode on their phone: You need access to everything at any time. Even if you don't participate much, they need to know that you can.
demarcation: Use in-app controls to monitor the time they spend in apps and tools like content filters to limit their exposure to inappropriate material.
“Friend” or “Follow them”: Stay connected on social media to see their circle and interactions. Without an open dialogue, they will find ways around you.
Learn about special settings: on snapchat, Instagram and YouTube, you can Connect to your child's account.

The best protection is to be the source your child turns to for help and guidance. Let your kids know that you are there, ready to listen, no matter what. This is the real safety net.

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