Spotting Scams and “Phishing”

The internet is a wonderful place to learn and play, but there are some people who use it to try and trick others. These are called scams.

What is Phishing?

Phishing is a type of scam where someone sends you an email or a message that looks like it’s from a real company, like your bank or a popular game. They’re trying to “fish” for your personal information, like your password or your real name!

How to Spot a Scam

Scams can be hard to spot, but there are some common warning signs:

• Urgent Messages: They might say your account will be deleted if you don’t click a link right now.
• Spelling Mistakes: Many scams have bad spelling or grammar that a real company wouldn’t have.
• Strange Links: If you hover your mouse over a link, look at the address that appears. If it looks different than the real company’s website, it’s probably a scam!

What to Do

If you think you’ve found a scam, don’t click on any links and don’t reply to the message. Instead, tell a parent or teacher right away. They can help you figure out if it’s a real message or a trick!

Did you know?

• The name “Phishing”: The name comes from the idea of “fishing” for information. The “ph” is a way to show that it’s a computer-related term, like “phone” or “photo.”
• Millions of Attacks: Every day, millions of phishing emails are sent out to people all over the world!
• It’s Not Personal: Most scammers don’t even know who they’re sending their messages to. They just send them to thousands of people at once and hope that a few people will be tricked!

Check Your Knowledge

1. What is “phishing”?
2. What are three warning signs that a message might be a scam?
3. What should you do if you receive an email that looks like a scam?
4. Why do scammers use “urgent” messages to try and trick people?
5. True or False: Scammers always know exactly who they are sending their messages to.