As students return to school, many with mobile devices to help them with their homework and stay in touch with family and friends, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) is reminding parents and guardians of the potential risks involved. As students’ usage of digital tools increases, discussing internet safety is more important than ever to keep them safe online and avoid being targets for online scammers.
BBB identifies five areas where students may be vulnerable: Creating accounts on websites without permission, contests and giveaways, phishing, apps, and file-sharing sites.
Social media platforms are full of strangers with potentially harmful intentions. Many sites collect and sell user data to advertisers without consent. Kids may create fake birthdates to bypass age restrictions. BBB says that it is crucial to monitor your child’s online activities and keep track of the social media sites and accounts they access.
Contests and giveaways are thinly disguised ways of collecting personal or financial information through entry forms that could lead to identity theft. Ensure your child doesn’t have access to banking or credit card information, and supervise the filling out of any forms.
`Kids often get junk mail just like adults, and since they may not have online experience, they may be more susceptible to clicking on links and answering questions they probably shouldn’t. While some emails may be legitimate, the last thing parents want, or need, is a $500 bill from a fraudulent website where a purchase may have been made – or worse, giving up personal information that can be tracked back to your home.
Users should also be aware that certain apps might collect and share personal information about your child or target your child with ads. Even free apps may include paid features, and children may not understand that some apps or game features cost money since they were labeled free to download. They may click on these so-called free games and cost parents or guardians a hefty bill at the end of the month.
Finally, many websites allow children to download free media. A child may not realize that these sites often come with the risk of downloading a virus, allowing identity thieves to access the gaming device, personal computer or cell phone that’s being used. From there, the cyberthief can track financial transactions and physical location or even tap into the household Wi-Fi without anyone knowing it.
Find more information at www.bbb.org/all/back-to-school and the National Cybersecurity Alliance offers tips and resources for residents of all ages at https://staysafeonline.org/resources.
