Money, Scams, and Financial Safety Online
A conversation guide for talking to children about online scams, financial safety, and recognising too-good-to-be-true offers.
From fake giveaway links on social media to phishing emails and in-game purchase scams, children are exposed to a wide range of financial trickery online. This conversation helps them recognise the warning signs and understand why they should never share personal or payment details.
When to have this conversation
When your child begins using the internet independently, particularly if they play online games with in-app purchases or use social media. For ages 10 and above.
Before you start
- • Check whether your child has access to any accounts with saved payment information.
- • Think of a few real-world examples of scams your child might encounter — gaming currency offers, fake celebrity giveaways, or phishing messages.
- • Review in-app purchase settings on your child's devices before the conversation.
Conversation by age group
"Can we have a quick chat about something I have been reading about — scams that target young people online?"
parent
"Have you ever seen something online that promised free V-Bucks, Robux, or gift cards? Those are almost always scams designed to steal your information."
Use specific examples from platforms your child actually uses.
child
"But some of them look really real."
parent
"That is exactly the problem — scammers are very good at making things look genuine. The golden rule is: if something sounds too good to be true, it almost certainly is."
parent
"Never click on links that promise free things, never enter our address or card details anywhere without checking with me first, and never share passwords with anyone — not even friends."
Tips for this age
- • Make it practical: show them a real example of a scam email or fake giveaway post.
- • Explain that telling you about a suspicious link is always the right thing to do.
"I want to talk about something that catches more people out than you might think — online scams."
parent
"Scams are not just something that happens to older people. Young people get targeted through social media, gaming, and fake online shops. Have you ever come across anything that seemed suspicious?"
child
"Maybe. Sometimes there are ads that look a bit dodgy."
parent
"Good instinct. The key warning signs are: urgent language like 'act now', requests for personal information, links from people you do not know, and offers that seem too generous. If in doubt, do not click — check with me first."
Tips for this age
- • Discuss phishing messages and how to spot fake URLs.
- • If your child has their own bank account or payment app, talk about protecting those credentials.
Follow-up actions
- → Set up purchase approval requirements on your child's devices and app stores.
- → Agree that your child will check with you before entering any personal or payment information online.
Related safety topics
This is practical educational content to support families. For case-specific concerns about a child's safety, contact the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 or your local safeguarding team.