Protect your kids from scams
The world is a big and beautiful place. Unfortunately, it is also filled with unethical people trying to take advantage of the innocent and the naive at every turn. Your kids may be too young to have been scammed yet, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t old enough to start protecting themselves. Teach them about scams and scammers and then bring it all home for them with this short, interactive activity. This activity will help you protect your kids from scams.
What is a scammer?
To talk to your kids about scammers, gently explain that some people will always try to cheat others out of their money or personal information. Let them know that they do not have to give out personal information.
Your child may have been hustled on the playground when a dominant child promised to give them a toy for a set amount of money and then took their money but “forgot” the toy at home the next day. And the next day. And the next. Or, a classmate may have marketed a toy as genuine when it was just a bootleg version of the real one. Online scams are another area where your kids may have encountered fraud. Make sure they know the risks and have tools to help them be safe online.
The five rules
To begin the activity, help familiarize your children with these five rules:
- Do Not Agree to give anyone money for a toy or candy until you see the object for sale.
- Never give money for something until you’ve received the item.
- Do Not give anyone your personal information, whether online or in person, without your parents’ permission.
- Never download anything onto your phone or computer without your parent’s permission.
- Do Not give something of yours to another person without the payment upfront.
A quick game to teach them about scammers
Once your kids have the rules down pat, begin role-playing with them. Act out a scenario where you play the initiator of a business deal or act like someone using a phone or computer. Be sure to verbalize loudly what you are typing or downloading. When your child suspects a scam, they need to shout, “scam alert!”
When your child has successfully spotted all your “scams,” switch roles and let them be the dominant actor in the scenarios with you acting as the scam-spotter. Your child will now be ready to face those trying to take advantage of them.
While these tools seem simple, they can make a big difference. By giving your kids tools for standing up to scammers, you are protecting them from fraud. And you are teaching them not to scam other people. Like this post? Check out our other posts on our MoneySmart Blog
