Safer Internet Day

This Safer Internet Day we are starting a conversation about how to spot, respond to and report all types of scams online. Scams can take many forms and could target anyone, including young people. While your 3 to 7-year-old may not yet be ready to use the internet independently, you can use these suggestions to start good online habits now that will help keep them safe in the future.

Enjoy going online together

Spending time online together with family is an important learning experience for the youngest internet users. Not only will you both enjoy the quality time together, but you can supervise their usage and guide them to make the safest choices.

Talk about their online experiences

Help give your child the language to explain what they’re experiencing online by starting conversations about the internet and technology as early as possible. Talking regularly about what they love doing online, as well as any worries they may have, will help establish this habit and mean they’re more likely to come to you for help as they get older.

Make use of settings, especially relating to online purchases

Parental controls and other safety settings can help protect your child from online harms, including scams. (See the UK Safer Internet Centre's ‘Protecting young people from inappropriate online content’) To avoid any nasty surprises on your bank statement, make sure in-app purchases or new downloads require a passcode, and don’t set card details to autofill on devices your child has access to.

Explain that not everything online is true

If your child is too young to understand what fraud is, you can still lay the groundwork to help them stay safe online as they grow. Start simple and talk about the difference between real and make believe. Help them recognise that not everything online is true and that some things they see or hear could be stories, jokes or tricks.

Make sure they know they can always come to you

The most important thing for your child to know is that you are always there to support them, online and offline. Encourage them to talk to you if anything they experience makes them feel worried or upset. Show them they can trust you to stay calm, listen and help make things better.

You can use these suggestions to help you stay safe from scams online and enjoy your time learning, playing and chatting with others.

Look for signs that something online cannot be trusted

Ever seen something online that seems too good to be true? This probably means it can’t be trusted. If someone messages you out of the blue, or is asking for money or personal information, they may be trying to scam you.

Look out for these warning signs and ask a trusted adult if you think you’ve spotted a scam online.

Use a secure password

Your password is like the key to your front door, you shouldn’t share it with other people. Make sure to use a password that is hard to guess. It shouldn’t contain any personal information and is best when it’s a mixture of letters, numbers and symbols.

Combining random words can help make more memorable passwords if you’re worried about forgetting it.

Think carefully about when and where you share your personal information

Personal information is all the details that could help someone work out who you are and includes your name, address, school, passwords and more. Sometimes you have to share your personal information, like when you’re setting up a new online account, but some people will also try to steal these details.

Never share your personal information with other players or users online, and don’t enter your details on websites or forms without speaking to a trusted adult first.

Not everyone online can be trusted, including in games

You may enjoy playing games online with other people, but remember that not everyone you chat with can be trusted. If you only know someone from the internet, make sure your chat stays on safe topics, like the game you’re playing together. If someone asks you to chat with them privately or on a different app, be careful as this could be a sign they’re trying to trick you.

If a player offers you an amazing trade, but won’t use the trade tool in the game, they may be trying to steal from you. Only trade in games using the official trading tools.

Ask for help, including if you want to make an online purchase

Being targeted by a scam is never your fault and it’s always okay to ask for help. Speak to trusted adults like your parents, carers, grandparents, teachers or club leaders if something goes wrong online or if you see something that you’re not sure about.

Remember, if you want to buy something online, you should always ask first to make sure you have permission and the money to do so.

Scams to look out for

Unofficial game trades

Playing games online is lots of fun and one of the best ways to relax and spend time with friends. Young people often tell us how they like saving up or competing for the best items, skins and upgrades.

Trading with other players can be a helpful way to collect items you don’t already have or to progress in the game, but not every trade works out well! If you’re offered a trade, think about whether it’s a fair swap and how you’ll feel afterwards. Once the trade is made, you can’t take it back and you don’t want to be left feeling cheated.

Always make trades using the official in-game tools or functions. This means that you can see exactly what you’re trading and that both players in the trade have to stick to what they agreed.

If someone wants to trust trade with you, or asks you to trade outside of the game, this can be a sign of a scam. They may steal your item and not give you anything in return. It’s always safest not to trade in this way.

Phishing

A little bit like fishing, phishing is when a scammer ‘hooks’ somebody in by pretending to be a company or organisation.

Have you ever had an email or text message that says it’s from a well-known company, but looks a bit weird? Maybe the email address is wrong, or you spot a spelling mistake in the message. These are phishing messages.

Phishing messages are trying to collect your personal information, like passwords, phone numbers, email addresses or bank details. They might ask you directly for this information or they might ask you to click a link. The link will take you to a fake website or download a virus on to your device.

Phishing can happen through phone calls, emails, texts, messages in games, social media or fake websites. If you spot something you think might be phishing, tell a trusted adult and together you can report it.

Forward phishing emails to report@phishing.gov.uk

Forward phishing texts to 7726.

You can use these suggestions to help you stay safe from scams and enjoy your time online.

Protect your accounts with strong and separate passwords

Your password is like the key to your front door but for your online accounts. Use passwords that are hard to guess and never share them with other people. They shouldn’t contain any personal information and are best when they’re a mixture of letters, numbers and symbols.

Most importantly, make sure you use a different password on each account you use, so that if one gets breached the others aren’t also at risk.

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 by using marketplace and second-hand apps that offer buyer protection. Look out for scams by checking reviews of the seller for verification. Always make payments through the same app and not via bank transfer (which 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.

Look for clues that someone or something may not be genuine online

Scammers use different tactics to target their victims, but there are some clues to look out for. Hard-to-find tickets or an amazing deal may 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.

Ultimately, if you’re contacted out of the blue or someone is asking you for money, or to share personal information (including pin numbers, passwords or one-time security codes) there’s a good chance you’re being targeted by a scammer.

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. While 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 a trusted adult, often the best thing to do is make a report.

If you’ve been scammed you can report it to Action Fraud online or by calling 0300 123 2040.

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.

Scams to look out for

Fake giveaways and ticket scams

Fake giveaways online will try to trick victims into giving up personal information or money. If you’re entering a giveaway online, it’s safest to stick to official brand accounts and verified users. Carefully consider what they’re asking for in return for entry and a chance to win a prize. Is it worth it?

If you’re contacted as the winner of a giveaway, check the account messaging you is the same one that hosted the competition and never pay for a prize or postage. A real giveaway won’t ask you to send them money and should only need the personal information required to transfer you the prize (for example an email or postage address).

Scammers also target music fans with fake tickets. These may be advertised in social media posts or even comments under content that fans of a band or artist might enjoy. Ticket scammers normally claim to have hard-to-find tickets at reasonable prices, often last-minute. If you’re buying tickets, it’s safest to do so through official resale apps that offer buyer protection. Avoid sending bank transfers in exchange for tickets and if someone’s putting you under pressure to buy, it’s probably a scam.

Phishing and smishing

Phishing is when a scammer ‘hooks’ somebody in by pretending to be a company or organisation. Smishing is the same idea but using SMS text messaging.

You may well have seen phishing before. Perhaps you received an email from a well-known company, but it looked a bit weird? Maybe the email address was wrong or you spotted a spelling mistake in the message. These are phishing messages.

Phishing messages are trying to collect your personal information, like passwords, phone numbers, email addresses or bank details. They might ask you directly for this information or they might ask you to click a link. The link will take you to a fake website or download malware or a virus on to your device.

Phishing can happen through phone calls, emails, texts, messages in games, social media or fake websites. If you spot something you think might be phishing, don’t click on it or reply. Instead, report it.

Forward phishing emails to report@phishing.gov.uk

Forward phishing texts to 7726

Online financial 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. One growing form of sextortion can also be described as a scam, where online criminals hope to trick their victims into paying money.

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.

You can use these suggestions 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 2-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. Always make payments through the app itself and not via bank transfer (which 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. While 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.

If you’ve been scammed you can report it to Action Fraud online or by calling 0300 123 2040.

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.

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 that their old one is broken, but it’s important to confirm this as it’s a common tactic for scammers. Consider agreeing on a family safe word or phrase, so you can check potential impersonation scams by asking for the safe word. If it’s a scammer, they won't know it.

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 is it 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.

This Safer Internet Day we are starting a conversation about how to spot, respond to and report all types of scams online. Scams can take many forms and may target anyone, including young people. You can use these suggestions to keep you and your loved ones safe online.

Enjoy going online together and talk regularly about your family’s online lives

The internet is amazing and can help us all to access information and entertainment. Spend time online with your child to understand how they are using technology and talk together about the good and the bad parts of being online. Talk about your own experiences and find other opportunities to get the conversation started, for example following stories in the news. Make sure your child knows they can talk to you about anything that they see or experience online.

Take online security measures seriously

The internet can be a tool used by criminals to target their victims. The Stop! Think Fraud website’s 'Protecting against online fraud' includes a few simple steps that can help keep you and your accounts secure, for example using strong and separate passwords for online accounts and setting up 2-step verification (2SV) where it’s available. The UK Safer Internet Centre’s ‘Protecting young people from inappropriate content’ shows how you may also be able to set parental controls to prevent unwanted online purchases and limit children’s access to harmful content.

Look out for warning signs that someone or something online cannot be trusted.

‘It just seems too good to be true!’ Other common signs of a scam include contact that you weren’t expecting or being asked for money or personal information (think: bank or contact details, passwords, or phone numbers). Scammers use other tactics to manipulate their victims into paying, like playing with your emotions, or building a sense of urgency so you are rushed into making a decision. If you aren’t sure it’s reliable, don’t risk it.

Remember that anyone can be a victim of a scam

Scammers are good at what they do and will target anyone. We all need to stay vigilant and support those who are most vulnerable, including children and the elderly, by helping them recognise what to look out for. If anyone in your family has been scammed, talk openly about it. There should be no shame in being victim to a scam and it’s never your fault.

Know where to get help if something goes wrong

If you or someone you know has been the victim of a scam online, you’re not on your own. Help is available and you are not to blame for what has happened. You can report fraud and cyber crime online to Action Fraud or by telephoning 0300 123 2040. You may also be able to report via social media, if the scam has taken place there, or to another relevant organisation, like your bank if you think your account is at risk.

Remember, if you or anyone else is in immediate danger, call 999 immediately. 

Date: Tuesday 6 February 2024

Theme: Inspiring change? Making a difference, managing influence and navigating change online

Activities: For Safer Internet Day 2024 we developed a bespoke assembly to help you kickstart conversations about safe, positive and responsible use of technology in your school. Throughout Safer Internet Day week we hosted a series of interactive virtual events for schools with our expert partners including Estyn, Childnet, SWGfL, North Wales Police and Adobe.

Date: Tuesday 7 February 2023

Theme: Making space for conversations about life online

Activities: The Welsh Government, in collaboration with the Welsh Rugby Union, ran a film competition which invited children and young people to create a short film that communicates their views, opinions or stories of using social media, gaming or apps. In their own words, we wanted to hear about the benefits and the concerns they experience using these apps. The winners were announced at a celebration event for finalists at the Principality Stadium, Cardiff, on Safer Internet Day:

• Primary Winner: Ysgol Bro Teifi
• Secondary Winner: Ysgol Nantgwyn
• Primary Runner Up: Ysgol Dyffryn Cledlyn
• Secondary Runner Up: Haverfordwest High VC School
• Highly Commended: Griffithstown Primary School
• Highly Commended: Cadle Primary School
• Highly Commended: Ysgol Y Deri – ‘Class 5FN does gaming’
• Highly Commended: Ysgol Y Deri – ‘The need for speed’

Date: Tuesday 8 February 2022

Theme: All fun and games? Exploring respect and relationships online

Activities: The Welsh Government, in partnership with the BBFC, ran a film competition which aimed to encourage children and young people to express their creativity and share their understanding of showing respect online. The winners of the competition were announced by the Minister for Education and Welsh Language, Jeremy Miles MS, on Safer Internet Day:

• Primary Winner: Ysgol Dyffryn Cledlyn
• Secondary Winner: Ysgol Ty Coch
• Runner up: Ysgol Bro Pedr
• Highly commended: Cadoxton Primary School
• Highly commended: Ysgol Bro Teifi

Date: Tuesday 9 February 2021

Theme: An internet we trust: exploring reliability in the online world

Activities: The Welsh Government, in partnership with the UK Safer Internet Centre, ran a ‘Tackling misinformation digital storytelling’ competition calling on children and young people to use their creativity either through film, a written story or by recording an audio clip to explain what misinformation is, why it might be a problem, how we can recognise it and what we can do to protect ourselves and stop its spread. The winners of the competition were announced in a virtual event on Safer Internet Day.