Keeping Kids and Teens Safe from Summer Scams

Summer is a welcome break from routines - later bedtimes, fewer responsibilities, and a lot more time spent online. Whether it is gaming, scrolling social media, or searching for a summer job, kids and teens are more connected than ever. Unfortunately, fraudsters know this too. They often use summer to target young people with scams that look harmless, fun, or profitable on the surface.

Most scams aimed at kids and teens don’t look scary. They look like free game rewards, giveaways, or easy ways to make money. That’s what makes them so effective.

One of the most common places scams appear is in online games. Fraudsters may promise free in-game currency, rare items, or secret upgrades. Sometimes they ask for login information to “unlock” features, or they send links that lead to fake login pages or malware. It’s important for kids to remember that legitimate games will never ask for passwords and that free rewards from strangers are almost always a trap.

Social media is another major hotspot. Teens may receive messages about fake giveaways, get contacted by accounts pretending to be influencers, or even see messages that appear to come from friends asking for money. Fraudsters often create a sense of urgency, pressure teens to act quickly, or encourage them to keep the situation secret. Any message that feels rushed or overly dramatic is worth slowing down and questioning.

Gift card scams are especially common with teens because they’re easy to explain and hard to trace. A fraudster may claim a friend needs help or that payment is needed quickly and ask for gift cards or gift card numbers. A good rule for everyone to know is simple: no real business, charity, or person will ever request payment using gift cards.
Summer also brings excitement about earning money, which opens the door to job and side hustle scams. Fake job offers may ask for upfront fees, request banking information before hiring, or use overpayment schemes where a check is sent and money is requested back. Any job that asks for money or personal financial information upfront is not legitimate.

Parents play a huge role in prevention, and that doesn’t mean hovering or spying. The most effective protection starts with open, regular conversations. Talking about scams in a calm and simple way without lectures or blame will make it easier for kids to speak up when something doesn’t feel right.

A helpful habit to teach is the “Pause Rule.” Before clicking a link, sharing information, or sending money, pause for a moment. Think about whether it makes sense. Then verify it with a parent or trusted adult. Fraudsters depend on urgency, slowing things down strips them of that power.

Monitoring is also an important part of staying safe. Reviewing privacy settings together, limiting who can contact your child online, and using parental controls or monitoring tools thoughtfully can help catch a scam early. Keeping an eye on debit card activity, setting spending limits, and enabling transaction alerts through online banking are simple steps that add another layer of protection.

No matter the platform or the scam, the warning signs tend to be the same: requests for passwords or codes, pressure to act fast, secrecy, and unusual payment methods like gift cards, payment apps, or cryptocurrency. If something feels off, it probably is.

Summer should be about fun, freedom, and building independence not dealing with fraud. With awareness, open communication, and a few smart safeguards in place, families can enjoy the season with confidence. Teaching kids how to spot scams today helps protect them long after summer ends.

And one last reminder. It’s not just kids and teens who are targeted by these scams. Adults of all ages can be caught off guard, including our own parents and older loved ones. Many of the same tricks that work on teens also work on older adults, especially when fraudsters create urgency or impersonate someone they trust. Keeping these red flags top of mind across generations can help protect everyone in the family, not just the kids.