Easy Money Offers: How Teens Get Tricked Into Moving Scam Cash
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By Shoxan Ali
Scammers message teens on social media, games or chat apps with offers of quick cash for "just using your bank account" or receiving and forwarding a payment. The money is often stolen, and the teen becomes the link between the criminals and their victims. This can lead to frozen accounts, police questions and trouble getting banking services later, even if the teen did not realise it was illegal. Offers that sound like simple side jobs, fast earnings or "easy commissions" are a major warning sign.
Solutions
Never let anyone use your bank account, payment app or card, even for a "fee" or "commission." Treat any job that needs no skills, pays fast and starts with a private message as suspicious. Do not accept money from strangers and send it on. Stop, keep the messages and tell a trusted adult. Block and report the sender on the platform, and report it to your bank if your account was involved. Talk with family about how legitimate jobs work: real employers do not ask you to move money through your personal account.
Gaming Account Takeovers: How Hackers Steal Your Profile and Items
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By Shoxan Ali
Hackers target gaming accounts because skins, in-game currency and rare items can be resold, and a hijacked profile can be used to scam your friends. They often get in through reused passwords leaked from other sites, fake login pages, or "trade" and "support" messages that trick players into handing over codes. Once inside, they may change the email and password so the real owner is locked out.
Solutions
Use a unique, long password for every gaming account, and never reuse the one from your email. Turn on two-factor authentication for your game platform, console and email using an authenticator app where possible. Never share login details, verification codes or recovery links with anyone, even someone claiming to be support or a friend. Open game launchers and stores only from official apps or typed-in addresses, not links sent in chat or DMs. If you notice anything odd, change your password right away, sign out of all devices and tell a parent or trusted adult.
Free Skins and Fake Giveaways: The Mobile Game Scam Targeting Teens
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By Shoxan Ali
Scammers post "free skins", game currency or gift card giveaways on social media, in game chats and in messages that look like they come from friends. To claim the prize, you are asked to log in on a fake page, enter a code, download an app or share personal details. The real goal is to steal your account, your payment details or your contacts, and sometimes to use your hacked account to trick your friends too.
Solutions
Treat any offer of free currency, skins or prizes as suspicious, especially if it pushes you to act fast. Only log in through the official game app or website, never through a link sent in a chat or comment. Turn on two-factor authentication for your game, email and social media accounts. Never share passwords, login codes or payment details, even with someone who seems to be a friend. Tell a parent, guardian or teacher if you clicked something, then change your password and report the scam to the platform.
Spotting Phishing Texts: Fake Messages That Land on Your Phone
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By Shoxan Ali
Phishing texts (also called smishing) are SMS or chat messages that pretend to come from a delivery service, bank, game, social app or even a friend. They push you to tap a link, share a code or "verify" your account, which can hand attackers your passwords or money. Teens are often targeted because they use many apps and tend to act fast on messages. Checking texts together with a parent, guardian or friend makes it much easier to spot the warning signs.
Solutions
Stop and check for pressure: urgent threats, "act now" deadlines and surprise prizes are classic red flags. Never tap links or share codes from unexpected texts; open the official app or type the website address yourself. Show suspicious messages to a trusted adult or friend before replying, and talk through the warning signs together. Block and report the sender using your phone's or messaging app's report feature, then delete the message. If you already clicked or shared details, change your passwords right away, turn on two-factor authentication and tell an adult.
Oversharing Location & Daily Routines
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By Shoxan Ali
Children post photos with location tags, share their school name, or post daily routines on social media. This information can be used by stalkers, bullies, or predators to track movements and predict where the child will be. Even private accounts are vulnerable if followers include people not personally known.
Solutions
Disable location tagging on all social media posts. Do not share school names, uniforms, or daily schedules publicly. Review follower lists and remove anyone not personally known. Set Snapchat Map to "Ghost Mode" or "My Friends Only" – never "Everyone."
Excessive Screen Time & Digital Addiction
Medium
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By Shoxan Ali
Children spending 3+ hours daily on social media and gaming show higher rates of anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders. The dopamine-driven design of apps creates compulsive checking behavior. Children lose interest in offline activities, struggle with boredom, and experience withdrawal symptoms when devices are removed. Family time and face-to-face social skills decline.
Solutions
Set daily screen time limits using built-in tools (Apple Screen Time, Google Family Link, Microsoft Family). Create device-free zones (dining table, bedrooms) and device-free times (meals, one hour before bed). Model healthy screen habits as parents. Replace screen time with outdoor activities, board games, and reading physical books.
Phishing Attacks Targeting Children
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By Shoxan Ali
Fake messages claiming to be from platforms like Roblox, Instagram, or Discord tell children their account will be deleted unless they click a link and log in. The link leads to a fake login page that captures the child's username and password. Phishing links spread through YouTube comments, Discord DMs, and fake emails. Children are especially vulnerable because they trust messages that look official.
Solutions
Teach children to never click links in unexpected messages. Always type the website address directly into the browser. Check the URL before entering any password. Enable 2FA so stolen passwords alone cannot access accounts.
Account Hacking & Identity Theft
Critical
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By Shoxan Ali
Hackers gain access to a child's social media, email, or gaming accounts through weak passwords or phishing. Once inside, they steal personal information, change passwords to lock out the child, use the account to scam friends, or sell the account to others. In severe cases, they access linked banking information or use stolen identity to open fraudulent accounts.
Solutions
Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on every account. Use a password manager to create unique, strong passwords for each account. Never share passwords with friends. If hacked, reset password immediately and log out of all devices.
