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The document is a student activity packet focused on educating middle school students about various scams that target children and teens, including online shopping scams, phishing, and fake contests. It provides examples of common scams, protective measures, and activities to help students recognize and avoid these scams. The packet emphasizes the importance of safeguarding personal information and understanding the warning signs of scams.

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moodikar000
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37 views5 pages

7 3+sap

The document is a student activity packet focused on educating middle school students about various scams that target children and teens, including online shopping scams, phishing, and fake contests. It provides examples of common scams, protective measures, and activities to help students recognize and avoid these scams. The packet emphasizes the importance of safeguarding personal information and understanding the warning signs of scams.

Uploaded by

moodikar000
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Middle School Course

7.3 Scams
Student Activity Packet
Spanish version

Name: Date:

INTRO
TALK TO A PARTNER

1.​ You want to enter an online contest. You could win $1,000! To enter the contest the
website asks you to provide your full name, email address, social security number, and
birthdate. Do you still enter the contest?

Write your explanation in the box below. Then, discuss your reasoning with a partner.

LEARN IT
ARTICLE: Common Scams Targeting Children and Teens
There are many different types of scams today that target young people. Read this article to
learn about some of the most common scams. Then, answer the questions.

Common Scams Targeting Children and Teens

Many young people today spend a significant amount of time online, which makes them the perfect
target for online scammers. The whole goal of a scam is to steal your personal information, your
money, or both. Here are some of the most common scams young people should look out for.

1.​ Online Shopping Scams: These scams promise products or services for unbelievably low

www.ngpf.org​ ​ ​ ​ Last updated: 4/9/24


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prices - like $25 for an iPad. You provide your payment information, but the product never
arrives.

2.​ Fake Contests: You pay a fee to enter the contest and provide your personal information
after being told you’ve won…but the contest ends up being a fake.

3.​ Online Quizzes: You answer questions that are really about your personal information, which
can then be used to hack into your personal accounts.

4.​ Talent Scouting Scams: You pay an entry fee and provide your personal information and
even photos to join a talent contest or casting call.

5.​ Pop-Up Scams: While browsing a website, a pop up window comes up with a link. You click
the link and it downloads malware or spyware onto your device, which captures personal
information.

6.​ Money Transfer Scams: You receive a text from someone saying they accidentally sent you
money digitally (through an app like Venmo or Cash App) and they’re asking for the money
back. You send the money back but later realize that you never received their original
payment.

7.​ Online Gaming Scams: You share personal information to get free in-game currency, “skins”,
or other gaming features. You may also click on links that download malware or spyware.

8.​ Financial Aid Scams: While applying for scholarships, grants, or financial aid you provide
your banking information to pay an application and processing fee. Sometimes, you might
even receive a fake check but then be asked to send a part of the money back to pay taxes or
fees. By the time you’ve cashed the check and discovered it’s fake, you’ve already made a
payment.

9.​ Phishing Texts: You receive text messages urgently asking you to fix an issue in your social
media or banking accounts. You click the link in the text which downloads malware onto your
mobile device.

10.​“Free” Service Scams: You sign up for a service that claims to be free, but it really charges
you a regular fee.

11.​Explicit Image Scams: Scammers pose as friends or people who want to start a relationship
and ask young people to share explicit images. They then threaten to share the explicit
images unless the victim provides payment.

Protect Yourself:
●​ Be aware of the types of scams and their warning signs
●​ Shop only on trusted sites
●​ Do not click on links in emails, texts, or pop-ups
●​ Do not share your (or a family member’s) personal information (address, birthday, phone
numbers, etc.)
●​ Do not share passwords, even with friends
Source

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1.​ Why do you think it’s so important to educate yourself on the different types of scams?

2.​ What is one thing you can do better to protect your personal information?

VIDEO: What is phishing?

1.​ Pretend you are teaching your younger sibling about phishing. What would be your
kid-friendly definition?

2.​ What are some signs that an email is a phishing email?

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DO IT
ANALYZE: Phishing Clues
As you just learned, phishing is when scam artists send fake text, email, or pop-up messages
to get people to share their personal and financial information. Criminals use the information
to commit identity theft. Let’s learn more about how to identify a phishing message.

PART ONE: REVIEW - Phishing Clues

Review the phishing clues below. These clues help you identify phishing scams.

●​ Unexpected cash/prize
●​ Claims there is problem with your account
●​ Sense of urgency
●​ Misspellings/Grammatical errors
●​ Incorrect web address
●​ Message not addressed to you personally
●​ Unusual download extension

PART TWO: ANALYZE - Phishing Scams

As you’ve learned, it is important you know how to identify phishing scams. Follow your
teacher's directions to complete the activity using the list of phishing clues you reviewed in
Part One and the examples provided by your teacher.

1.​ Which phishing clues can you identify in Example #1 that confirm it is a scam? Explain.

2.​ Which phishing clues can you identify in Example #2 that confirm it is a scam? Explain.

3.​ Which phishing clues can you identify in Example #3 that confirm it is a scam? Explain.

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4.​ Which phishing clues can you identify in Example #4 that confirm it is a scam? Explain.

5.​ Which phishing clues can you identify in Example #5 that confirm it is a scam? Explain.

EXIT TICKET

1.​ In your own words, explain what a scam is.

2.​ Describe a type of scam that often targets young people.

3.​ What is one thing someone can do to protect their personal information?

www.ngpf.org​ ​ ​ ​ Last updated: 4/9/24


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