SAFER INTERNET DAY 2025

Too good to be true? Protecting yourself and others from scams online

Safer Internet Day

11th February 2025

Top Tips

Tips for 14-18s

Use these tips to help you stay safe from scams online and enjoy your time online.

Protect your accounts with strong and separate passwords and 2SV

Don’t share passwords with other people and ensure they are hard to guess. Passwords shouldn’t contain any personal information and are best when they’re a mixture of letters, numbers and symbols. Most importantly, make sure each account you use has a separate password so that if one gets breached, the others aren’t also at risk.
You should also set up two step verification (2SV) for your accounts where it’s available. This means for some actions like changing your password or logging in on a new device, you will need to prove it’s you. You are sent a code to another device you’re already logged in on, which prevents scammers from gaining access with a password alone.

Carefully consider online purchases, including the reliability of the seller

If you’re looking to buy something online, think carefully about whether it’s worth the money. It’s safest to buy from known retailers or using marketplace and second-hand apps that offer buyer protection. Look out for scams by checking reviews of the seller, and always make payment through the app itself, and not via bank transfer, as this offers the least protection.
Bargain prices can be too good to be true and limited offers may be trying to rush you into spending money quickly, so if you can, take your time and look to see what’s available elsewhere first.

Stay up to date with common and emerging types of scams

Scams are evolving all the time and scammers are always looking for new ways to target their victims, but there are some clues to look out for. Hard to find tickets or an amazing deal may well be too good to be true, and anything pressuring you to make a decision quickly could also be a scam. You might spot scammers pretending to be someone trustworthy or using your emotions against you. Sometimes fear, guilt, or even love can pressure victims into making decisions without thinking them through.
With developments in generative AI, it may be trickier to spot when emails, websites and logos have been faked, so if you’re in any doubt, don’t click. Stay up to date with common and emerging scams by talking with friends and family about what they’ve seen. You can also seek out advice online from Action Fraud, Stop! Think Fraud and more.

If you think you have fallen victim to a scam, including sextortion, remember that it’s not your fault.

If you are tricked by a scam online, it is never your fault. Whilst some scams may seem easy to spot, scammers are good at what they do and use different methods to target people and make them more vulnerable. Don’t be ashamed to speak up and get help. You are not alone, and support is available.
It’s never too late to speak to an adult about what’s happened or if you prefer, you could contact Childline online or by calling 0800 1111.

Reporting scams can help keep you and others safe

As well as speaking to an adult, often the best thing to do is make a report.
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, if you’ve been scammed you can report it to Action Fraud online or by calling 0300 123 2040. In Scotland, fraud can be reported to Police Scotland by calling 101.
You may also need to report to your bank or take another action like blocking your card.
If you’ve received a suspicious email, you can forward it to report@phishing.gov.uk
To report a suspicious text, forward it to 7726 and to report a call, use the same number but text the word ‘Call’ and the number the call was from.
Suspicious or fake websites can be reported online to the National Cyber Security Centre, and fake adverts can be reported online to the Advertising Standards Authority.
If you’ve spotted a scam on social media or an online marketplace, you can also report it directly via the app.

Our top scams to look out for

Impersonation scams

An impersonation scam is when a criminal manipulates their victim into sharing money or personal information by pretending to be someone else. Sometimes, the scammer may pretend to be a family member, celebrity or part of an organisation to gain their victim’s trust.
If you receive a message from a number you don’t recognise claiming to be a relative, don’t respond to the message and instead contact your family member directly. The message may claim that they’ve got a new phone, or their old one is broken, but it’s important to confirm this as it’s a common tactic for scammers.
In phishing attempts, scammers may include logos or branding of companies that you’ll recognise but look for signs that all might not be as it seems. Does the email address look different? Is the account username a little off? Is a message addressing you as ‘valued customer’ instead of by name? Or asking you for personal information or money? If yes, it could be a scam.

Romance scams, including online financial sextortion

A romance scam is when a criminal tricks someone into sending them money after building up a false romantic relationship with them. Romance scammers often use fake profiles and identities to scam people online. You may have heard this referred to as catfishing.
A growing trend in romance scams is known as ‘sextortion’. Sextortion is a type of blackmail when someone threatens to share nudes of someone unless the victim pays money or agrees to do something else, such as share more images.  
Sextortion is a crime and can be committed by individuals or by a group of people working together. If you are targeted by sextortion, you are not alone and it’s not your fault. Take screenshots of any messages or information you have been sent and don’t delete the chat. Stop communication and report it. Tell a trusted adult and report to your local police or CEOP.
It can be difficult to talk about sextortion, but speaking to someone can help. You could ask a friend to support you when talking to an adult.
For more information about sextortion visit the Childnet website.

Money mules

Money muling is when criminals use people’s bank accounts to transfer money they have gotten illegally. Those involved in money muling receive the money into their bank accounts and then either withdraw or transfer it on, usually receiving a percentage as payment.
Criminals often target students and the promise of a quick way to make money can seem tempting. However, money muling is a form of money laundering and is illegal. Often the money could be linked to organised crime, and if you are caught you could get a criminal record.
Sometimes, criminals will also try to befriend their victims and then trick them into transferring money as a favour. Victims may not realise they’re participating in a serious crime.
If you think you’re being targeted by this, don’t agree to the transfer and report it to the police by calling 101 or 999 in an emergency.