How Scammers Target Youth

Spotting the Red Flags, Recognizing and Avoiding Fraud | Wescom Credit Union

From social media to gaming, scammers know exactly where to find young people – and how to fool them. Scammers use a variety of tricks to steal money, commit identity theft, and access financial accounts. But when you know how to spot scams, you have a better chance of staying safe. Here's what you need to know.

Types of Scams

Spending a lot of time online increases your chances of coming across scams. A few you might encounter include:

Shopping scams. Some deals seem too good to be true – because they are. You pay for the item, but they never send it.
Phony job postings. These scams promise easy money for little work or offer fake jobs that ask you to pay upfront or share financial info.
Impersonation scams. Scammers create fake social media accounts using stolen photos to pose as friends or famous influencers. They gain your trust to solicit money or personal details.

Tips to Avoid Scams

Scammers typically lure individuals with job postings that look legitimate. They often use phrases like “work from home,” “flexible hours,” and “earn up to $300 a day.” Here’s how the scam usually unfolds:

Minimize sharing. When you share personal details about yourself online, like family or school, scammers can use this information to target you with convincing scams.
Verify sources. If something seems off, contact the company using their official contact info. Do not use the contact information provided by the scammer.
Ignore suspicious links. Don't click on links from unknown emails or texts, as they could download malware which can track your device’s keystrokes.
Use secure networks. Avoid public Wi-Fi, or use a VPN to hide your web traffic from hackers. If you use an unsecured network, scammers can see your account login information for each website you visit.

Staying alert and taking a few extra precautions help keep your financial and personal information secure. For more tips or to report fraud related to your Wescom account, visit the Wescom Security Center at wescom.org/security-center.