LISA ROTHFIELD-KIRSCHNER

Author of How We Got Cyber Smart | Amazon Bestseller

Olivia and Jack avoid online shopping scams

Twins Olivia and Jack recently celebrated their birthday. Usually, they receive lots of presents and have fun anticipating what they will receive before tearing off all the wrapping paper and screaming with excitement. However, this year they asked for people to give them birthday money instead of gifts so they could each buy one big Lego set: something they have been looking forward to all year.

They plan to buy the Lego sets online but are concerned about the dangers of online shopping after watching a segment on the children’s news program at school. The segment reported many people online try to trick unsuspecting shoppers into parting with their money or personal information through different types of scams. Scammers do this in a variety of ways including phishing, fake websites, fake email, and fake social media accounts.

Phishing scams occur when someone tries to trick you into giving away your personal information such as your name, address, phone number or credit card number. They might send you an email or a message that looks like it is from a legitimate company or organisation. Once they have your information, they can pretend to be you when contacting your bank, or use your identity to take out a loan in your name.

Fake websites look like those of legitimate organisations but are actually imitations controlled by a scammer. They might have the same logo or design as the real website, but they will ask you for your personal information or credit card number. For example, someone could set up a fake website pretending to sell Lego. Once you place the order, they charge your credit card and take the money but you never receive the goods.

Fake emails look as if they are from a legitimate company or organisation but are sent my scammers or cybercriminals. They might ask you to click on a link or download an attachment that will infect your computer or device with a virus or malware so they can take control of it. Once they have control, they can demand you pay a ransom to regain control.

Fake social media accounts emulate those of legitimate companies or organisations. They might ask you to click on a link that will send you to a fake website.

Olivia and Jack searched online for their special Lego sets and found a website selling the exact sets they wanted for half price. They eagerly clicked on the shopping site’s link and were about to place their orders when their mum noticed something was wrong. The website's URL did not start with "https" and it did not have a lock symbol in the address bar. She said, “this means the communication between us and the website is not encrypted so scammers can see what information is sent to the website over the internet, such as names and credit card numbers, so it’s not secure.”

Olivia and Jack were disappointed but knew if they gave their details to that website the Lego would never come and they would likely lose their money. They agreed the website was not safe to use, so they quickly closed the tab. After this online shopping experience, Olivia and Jack learnt some valuable lessons. They sat down with their parents to discuss their experiences and compiled a list of the top tips for parents when letting their children do online shopping.

Olivia and Jack's top tips to ensure safe online shopping experiences.

• Teach children about online scams. Educate your children about the different types of scams they might encounter while shopping online.

• Supervise and guide. You should always be involved when your children are shopping online. You should help them navigate through websites and make sure they understand the potential risks.

• Teach scepticism. Teach your children to be sceptical of deals that seem too good to be true. Encourage them to research the product or seller and read reviews from trusted sources before making a purchase. Warn them about counterfeit products and overly attractive deals that might be scams.

• Keep personal information private. Instruct your children never to share personal information such as their address or phone number, unless a trusted adult is present and approves.

• Check for secure websites. Teach your children to look for the lock icon in the address bar and the https:// prefix before entering any personal or payment information.

• Beware of phishing attempts. Instruct your children never to click on suspicious pop-ups or provide personal information to unknown sources. Remind them that legitimate companies will never ask for sensitive details through unsolicited emails www.linkedin.com/company/how-we-got-cyber-smart facebook.com/howwegotcybersmart twitter.com/howwegotcybers1

• Stay vigilant. Encourage your children to stay vigilant and to involve an adult if they encounter anything suspicious. Teach them the importance of reporting scams and suspicious activities to parents or guardians.

Armed with this knowledge, Olivia and Jack felt empowered to protect themselves. They learnt to be cautious of suspicious emails and to never share personal information online. They also learnt to look for secure websites with a lock icon in the address bar before purchasing.