Online Safety- Safer Internet Day 2025 Theme: Too good to be true? Protecting yourself and others from scams online

Written By Rachael Bishop

 Safer Internet Day is the UK’s biggest celebration of online safety with a theme of focusing on the issue of scams online and for young people, how to protect themselves and others, as well as what support is available to them. However, we also know that adults are also vulnerable to online scams, and we must be aware of how to identify and report such concerns, especially for those we feel are most at risk.

Young people may be particularly susceptible to scams due to lack of experience or overly trusting behaviours with online interactions that can be formed via social media and gaming for example. The upsurge of social media influence and exposure to online transactions can prove as a challenge for a young person to distinguish between legitimate and fraudulent opportunities.

Isolation, loneliness, and lack of digital skills can also be a key factor for adults who find themselves in challenging situations or having been scammed out of significant amounts of money.

The impact for any person no matter their age can be significantly detrimental to a person's financial situation and also their mental health and wellbeing. The prevalence of scamming is shocking and also astonishing to see that so many people are affected in so many ways and of course this can also cause a ripple effect as it can affect family members and communities.

 

Dealing with a growing threat:

In today’s landscape, scammers and criminal gangs or organisations are extremely sophisticated and organised in how they target people with scams. By using a variety of software systems, platforms such as social media, gaming platforms, and even ad hoc websites, they are able to gain the trust of someone or trick them into complying with something they want simply by asking for information, befriending a person, or sharing an article or a link.

According to Ofcom:

  • 35% of young people, including 50% of over-16s, have experienced a scam online. 

  • 14% of young people have experienced fraud or identity theft.

  • 20% of those who experienced a scam say they needed help or support to deal with it.

  • 28% of those who experienced fraud or identity theft needed help or support.

  • Nearly 43 million UK adult internet users have encountered suspected scams online.

  • Among victims who lost money, one in five were left over £1,000 out of pocket.

  • Majority of online users think tech firms have responsibility to act to tackle problem.

When considering the statistics, it has never been more important to prioritise our own online safety presence and to ensure we educate ourselves and others around the risks of online scamming whether we are doing this from a family perspective or from a professional capacity.

There are many different types of online scams and approaches that can include:

  • Phishing – Where fraudulent emails and messages are sent with the purpose to steal personal information. This could present on any social media site or in an email, phone call, or a text message.

  • Misinformation and Disinformation - Misinformation is false, inaccurate, or misleading information. Examples of misinformation are false rumours, gossip, and misleading use of facts. Disinformation is a subset of misinformation that is deliberately deceptive. News parody or satire can become misinformation if they are believed to be credible or communicated as if they are true. Misinformation and disinformation have often been associated with the concept of fake news, which some scholars define as "fabricated information that mimics news media content in form." (Lazer et al., 2018).

  • Online Shopping Scams – Fake e-commerce websites that sell counterfeit or non-existent products such as making purchases from fake e-commerce websites, signing up for fraudulent vouchers or creating an account for a fake site, being persuaded to download and use shopping apps, or registering for fake brand newsletters.

  • Romance and Catfishing Scams – Predators can target individuals; they could use AI software or a be a person sitting behind a computer or an organised crime network with the purpose of manipulating people into sharing personal or financial details or supporting them financially.

  • Get-Rich-Quick Schemes – Fake investment opportunities could include cryptocurrency scams, and influencer endorsements promoting unrealistic financial gains or attempting to gain access or persuade a transfer to a fraudulent account.

 

A Call to Action is needed to both empower and protect young people and adults at risk:

Young people are especially vulnerable to online scams due to their exposure to technology and possessing talents and abilities to easily navigate the digital world. We can all try to educate children and young people as educators, practitioners, parents, friends and family members, however when we are not present, we must understand that there will always be hidden agendas and insidious tendencies from those who hide behind seemingly harmless links, posts, and messages. The current landscape of online scamming continues to grow as fraudsters and abusers become increasingly sophisticated.

When we consider the risk to adults, we must understand that all adults can be affected by scams either personally, or also via the workplace. How many times do we receive a scam via email that looks exactly like a manager’s email address or requests things that feel are business as usual. Again, the scope increases when we come to terms with additional factors such as befriending someone, mate crime, or romance scams. Too often we think about older people and our loved ones however scams can affect anyone of any age regardless of vulnerability due to the sophisticated nature of the scammer.

 

Here are some considerations for support and education for both children and adults:

1.     Online Reputation

What we post online can define what people see and think about us but also provide scammers with more information about us and our lives. Our opinions and views can be shared at the touch of a button as most people treat their social media accounts as purely social outlets, casually updating statuses, and posting photos and sharing locations, with little expectation of scrutiny or observation from friends or followers, or criminals. The idea that these actions could seriously limit educational or professional prospects or give free information to someone who will target us rarely stops people sharing, however. Therefore, it is crucial to always adopt a ‘think before you post’ approach and utilise privacy settings. Content that is posted online can last forever and can be shared publicly by anyone. Think about how the post or the like or the share comes across or who might be able to see it. Be careful to read articles fully before you share them also.

2.     Digital Footprint

Whenever we use the internet, we leave behind a trail of information known as our digital footprint. This grows in many ways – for example, posting on social media, subscribing to a newsletter, leaving an online review, or even shopping online and sometimes, it’s not always obvious that we are contributing to a digital footprint. For example, websites can track your activity by installing cookies on your device, and apps can collate your data without you knowing it. Now think about criminals with sophisticated software, they can do the same.

Once we allow an organisation or person to access our information, they could sell or share your data with third parties or worse still, we could be scammed, or our personal information could be compromised as part of a data breach.

3.     Set your privacy settings

Knowing what public shares means, is just as important as knowing what should be private. When posting on any platform or visiting websites, make sure the privacy settings suit your needs.

4.     Online Gaming

Gaming is hugely popular, and many criminals will target young people or adults with loot boxes, free cheat codes and other sophisticated ways to scam a person.

5.     Verify before you click or act

Recheck any email addresses of senders, look for mistakes and misspelling, check secure website connections and reputable sites and also research everything before paying for something- reviews and scams are often posted on forums so be sure to check.

6.     Education is key!

It has never been more important to educate ourselves and others. Research and think, check and check again before doing anything remember. Use the links below.

Useful Resource links

The digital world will always offer limitless opportunities, but it also presents significant risks. It is our collective duty to ensure that both young people and adults at risk are equipped to identify and avoid online scams because as we know, awareness is always the first step toward protection.

Contact us today for a free consultation to discuss online safety services and training.

 

 

Rachael Bishop
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