What is an impersonation scam?
Some people online pretend to be someone they are not. They might say they are from your bank, your energy company, the police, or even a family member or friend. They do this to trick people into sending them money or sharing private information.
These scammers often make their messages sound urgent so you act quickly without thinking. They want you to panic and trust them.
Why is this important for children to understand?
Scammers do not only target adults. Young people can also be contacted online or byphone. Sometimes they might be asked to help someone in need or told that afamily member is in trouble. These tricks are designed to confuse or scarechildren into helping, especially if they believe the message is from someonethey care about.
What should you and your child look out for?
These are some of the signs that a message or phone call might be a scam:
- Someone asks for money and says it is an emergency
- A message says it is from a bank or the police and tells you to move your money
- You are told not to speak to anyone else about the message
- You are asked to act quickly without time to think
- You are asked to pay using gift cards or through unusual apps
- Someone tells you to install a special program or app to help
If any of these things happen, remind your child to stop and speak to you straight away.
What can you tell your child to do?
- Take a moment - Tell them it is okay to pause and think. Scammers want people to actquickly, so slowing down is a good first step.
- Check with someone you trust - Let your child know they should always come to you oranother adult they trust if they are unsure. They should never keep secrets about money or messages.
- Never send money to someone they do not know - Make sure your child understands they should never send money or give out bank details. Even if a message says it is urgent, it could still be fake.
- Do not click on strange links - Encourage your child to ask before clicking on links or downloading anything.
- Use strong passwords and keep them private - Talk about creating good passwords and never sharing them, not even with friends.
What if a scam has already happened?
- If you or your child has already replied to a scam or sent money:
- Tellyour bank what happened straight away
- Keep any messages, names or phone numbers from the scam
- Reportthe scam to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040 or visiting actionfraud.police.uk
- Reassure your child that they are not in trouble and they did the right thing by telling you.
A note about new rules in the UK
There are now rules that mean many banks must refund people who are scammed, up to £85,000. But only if the scam is reported quickly and the person did what they could to avoid being tricked. So talking about this together is one of the best ways to protect your family.
