Too good to be true? Tackling online scams

Online scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated and young people are not immune to these threats, encountering phishing emails, fraudulent social media advertisements, and even manipulative interactions on messaging platforms. Our Safer Internet Week is designed to equip pupils with the analytical skills necessary to identify and mitigate these risks.

Rather than simply warning pupils about potential dangers, we actively engage them in developing the skills required to detect and respond to online scams. Our programme includes targeted activities for each age group, incorporating assemblies, interactive form-time discussions, and practical workshops for staff and pupils alike.

These sessions use real-world case studies provided by the UK Safer Internet Centre, the organisation behind Safer Internet Day. We explore the varied types of scams, from online shopping fraud to the increasingly prevalent issue of online sexual extortion (sextortion), equipping older pupils with the knowledge they need to protect themselves and how to seek support if needed.

A core message we emphasise is that online deception can happen to anyone. Scammers manipulate trust and curiosity, leveraging psychological tactics such as urgency, authority, and social proof to lure individuals into compromising situations. By fostering critical literacy and digital scepticism, we teach pupils to interrogate information, challenge assumptions, and adopt a healthy distrust of anything that appears “too good to be true.”

Top 5 tips for young people:

1. Think before you click – be cautious of links in emails, text messages, or chat popups, especially if they are unexpected, offer prizes or money or promote urgent action. If in doubt, don’t click the link and go directly to the official website in a new browser window.
2. Check the source – Scammers often impersonate well-known brands, companies, influencers or celebrities. They may even pretend to be a member of your family or a friend. Verify the sender’s details by carefully checking their number or email address and if something feels “off” speak to a trusted adult before responding.
3. Protect your personal information – never share passwords, bank details or other sensitive personal data online unless you are certain that it is to a safe and secure source. No trustworthy company would ever ask for sensitive details over email or social media.
4. Use security features – use strong unique passwords on your accounts. Password managers can help to keep them organised and secure. Also, consider enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) on important accounts and use built-in reporting tools to flag and report suspicious online activity.
5. Pay attention to red flags – poor spelling, urgent demands, offers that seem “too good to be true”, and requests for immediate payment in unusual ways such as cryptocurrency or gift cards are all warning signs of a scam.

Recognising that online safety is a shared responsibility, we actively engage parents and caregivers in this conversation. We encourage families to establish open, non-judgmental discussions about online experiences and reinforce the digital safety principles introduced in school. The UK Safer Internet Centre offers a wealth of guidance for parents, which we integrate into our communications throughout the week.

Safer Internet Week is not an isolated event for us – it is a catalyst for ongoing digital literacy education embedded within our dedicated Digital Curriculum Strategy. This strategy ensures that digital security and safety remain central to our educational framework, alongside core tenets such as digital health, identity, citizenship, scholarship, communication, collaboration, and emotional awareness. Through this structured approach, we foster digital confidence in our pupils so they can critically engage with online environments, make informed decisions and contribute positively to the virtual sphere.

This Safer Internet Day, we encourage everyone to take an active role in promoting online safety. Engage in conversations with children, colleagues, and friends. Share insights, challenge misinformation, and leverage the outstanding resources provided by the UK Safer Internet Centre. At Robert Gordon’s College, we are also committed to broadening access to digital literacy education. Through initiatives like RGC Online’s Higher Computing Science Course and Cyber Security module, we aim to reach learners across Scotland and empower them with the skills they need to thrive in the digital age. By fostering a collective culture of digital responsibility, we can create a safer and more resilient online environment for all.

Visit the UK Safer Internet Centre website to access expert resources on online safety. Initiate discussions about digital security and encourage critical engagement with online content. Online safety is a collective effort. Together, we can build a more secure and informed digital future.

Top 5 tips for educators, parents and guardians:

1. Showcase critical thinking – encourage young people to question information and recognise manipulation and social engineering tactics used in scams, such as urgency, emotional appearance or fake authority figures.
2. Use real-world examples – show current scam examples from social media, phishing emails and fake websites to help pupils recognise common patterns and tactics.
3. Model safe behaviour – demonstrate best practices such as checking website addresses before clicking and keeping passwords secure, reporting scams, so pupils can see online safety in the real world.
4. Promote digital literacy – help young people develop good habits like checking or verifying sources, and looking for security features on websites (e.g. HTTPS and a padlock icon in the address bar of secure websites).
5. Encourage open discussion – avoid victim-blaming those who fall for scams. It can happen to anyone, as scammers use increasingly sophisticated tactics. Creating safe spaces where young people can share their experiences or concerns about potential scams is important to reduce the stigma.