988 (Jenny Kane/AP)
TULSA, Okla. — Kids are getting into the swing of a new school year and many of them are plugged in with Chromebooks, iPads and smartphones. But all that technology could make them an easy target for scammers.
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) said to make sure your child knows not to create an account on any website without your permission. Many sites are designed to collect and sell user information that advertisers use for targeted marketing.
The first step is knowing what your child is doing online and keeping track of all social media sites and accounts they have access to.
“Spend some time with your child’s device, the school devices are going to be pretty secure and locked down, where you’re going want to really worry are your own personal devices, make sure those have filters and programs to keep your kids on safe websites, safe applications, there are applications that will not let your children download anything onto their tablet or their smartphone without your permission,” said Amie Mitchell with the BBB.
Mitchell said certain apps might collect and share personal information. Even free apps can contain paid features and children may not understand these cost money. She also warns many contests are really just ways of collecting personal information that a scammer could use to commit identity theft.
“Kids are very susceptible to this, especially when it could be free. ‘Mom and dad don’t have to pay for it, I could just win for everybody.’ Talk to them about what it takes to win a contest and the likelihood of winning that contest…free or could win doesn’t always mean the best deal, so talk to your kids about the safety,” said Mitchell.
Because kids don’t have as much online experience, they are even more likely to fall for phishing by clicking on links or answering questions that they shouldn’t.
“On any kind of game that your child is playing or social media, chat can pop up from all kinds of strangers that may be adults looking for information that you don’t want them to have,” said Mitchell.
Parents are advised to teach their kids to not share their location. They’re also advised to disable location tracking on their family’s devices if it isn’t needed. Nearly every app, from fast food to games, automatically tracks location.
The BBB said to remember what’s posted online can last a lifetime, so teach your kids that any information they share online can be easily copied and is almost impossible to remove.
For more back to school guidance, visit the BBB’s website.
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