Cyber crime and young people

Cyber Crime targeted at Young People involves illegal activities conducted online that specifically aim to exploit the vulnerabilities of children and teenagers. These crimes can include identity theft, online scams, cyberbullying, and exploitation. Young People are often targeted because they may be more trusting, less experienced with online safety, and more likely to share personal information on social media and other online platforms. 

Some of the most common ways in which scammers may choose to target Young People include: 

• Online Shopping Scams – teenagers may fall for misleading advertisements or messaging which promises products at low prices. After providing payment information, they never receive the purchased product, 
• Fake Contests – scammers encourage kids to enter fraudulent contests that require paying a fee or sharing personal information to claim a non-existent prize, 
• Online quizzes – seemingly harmless quizzes ask for personal information like birthdays or pet names, which can be used to guess passwords or security questions, 
• Talent Scouting Scams – teenagers may be lured by fake tale contests or casting calls, paying entry fees and sharing personal information and photos/videos, 
• Pop-Up Scams – younger users may click on pop-ups that download malware and protect young people from falling victim to Cyber Fraud