Scams & SchemesCommon Sense Media

Vocabulary Scam Identity

Theft– an attempt to trick someone, usually with the intention of stealing money or private information

- a type of crime in which your private information is stolen and used for criminal activity

Vocabulary Vulnerable

Phishing

– in a position that makes it easier for you to be harmed or attacked

– when people send you phony emails, pop-up messages, social media messages, texts, calls, or links to fake websites in order to hook you into giving out your personal information.

Think About? Do you know someone

who has been scammed?

What happened

What is the purpose of a scam?

What tricks do people use to carry out a scam?

Can people get scammed on the Internet?

How?

What is Identity Theft? People who scam

don’t always go for money, they use a variety of strategies to get private information.

Private info used to get access to bank & credit card accounts or other personal accounts

Even “re-create” someone’s identity & produce false documents

Kinds of personal info thieves look for Full name Date of birth &

location Driver’s license or

passport number Social security

number

Passwords Account #’s & the

companies where you have accounts

Current & previous addresses & phone numbers

Teen’s Vulnerable Look for “clean” SS

numbers – haven’t been used

to get credit yet Thieves may sell or

use them Being a victim can

ruin your financial future

If using parents’ info & cards online putting them at risk

Can take months, even years to recover your identity & may be expensive

How to catch a phish? Be skeptical about

online requests for personal info

Be skeptical about online messages from friends that seem out of character (account hacked)

Clues to Spotting A Scam Email Need to verify

account information

Sense of urgency Spelling errors Too good to be

true

Generic greeting Accounts in

trouble link in email or

attachment

Protecting Yourself Online

Avoid opening the message or email

Don’t click on any links or download attachments. Might contain viruses or spyware

Don’t reply

Mark as “junk mail” or “spam”

If concerned about an account contact customer service by phone.

Consumer Fraud Reporting http://

www.consumerfraudreporting.org/phishing_examples.php

www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/22/facebook-scams-hacks-attacks_n_864906.html#s281483&title=Fake_Page_Spam

Wrap Up What kinds of

information do identity thieves look for – and why?

How do thieves try to get at your information?

What can you do to avoid falling for scams?

Helpful websites Forward spam emails to spam@uce.gov

Stolen Identities www.ftc.gov/idtheft