Phishing
Also known as:
- scams
- cyber attack
- phishing scam
- phishing attack
- phishing attempt
What is Risk ?
Digital risk factors associated with their interests and activities
Phishing is when people are tricked into giving away personal information.
A phishing attack is usually done in an email, although it can also be a:
- text message
- social media message or post
- phone call
- website pop-up
Risks and motivations
Risks
Identity theft
Personal information is gathered and used in fraudulent ways. For example, using somebody’s stolen identity for financial gain, or to damage someone’s reputation by impersonating them online.
Losing money
Phishing attacks can be used to gather financial information like credit card details. Stolen data can be used to take out loans, spend money, and access virtual accounts.
Exploitation
Someone who has experienced data theft can be at risk of exploitation. For example, they may be coerced into sharing explicit images of themselves, or into sending money to a cybercriminal.
Anxiety and distress
Having your personal details stolen can be distressing and traumatic.
Motivations
Young people can be vulnerable to phishing because they might:
- think they can spot signs of potential scams, and will not fall for them
- use digital platforms and devices more than other age groups
- feel pressure to respond messages that appear to come from authority figures
- have already taken part in risk-taking online behaviours, like using a Tor browser
- use older devices or not update operating systems
What you can do
Young people can miss signals or respond inappropriately to phishing attempts. They might not want to admit they have been attacked. Normalising conversations about phishing and other forms of online harm will help.
Discussions with a young person might include helping them to:
- check any communication if they are unsure about it
- not clicking links or opening attachments if they don’t recognise the sender
- report and blocking accounts on social media platforms
- set up privacy settings, spam filters, and antivirus software
- seek help as soon as possible if they have responded to a phishing attempt
Some young people may try to phish for the purpose of hacking.
If you think that a young person is at risk, follow your safeguarding procedure and read our safeguarding guidance.
Support
Loss of sensitive or personal information can be very distressing. Recovery from phishing harms can depend on the severity.
Young people might be able to update their security settings or run software to scan devices for viruses.
They can contact relevant organisations for advice. For example, telling their bank their details have been stolen.
Read more about phishing
Share your experience of phishing
You can tell us about:
- other terms you might have heard
- conversations you’ve had with young people
- a related platform or app
- another related risk or harm