Online Scams and Social Engineering: A teacher’s perspective
Students regularly interact with online platforms where scams, data theft, and impersonation are meant to look friendly and inviting. Teachers are on the forefront of student digital behaviour, so classroom instruction matters. Cybersafety education equips students with practical skills to protect against online harm and threats. Focusing on online scams and social engineering, this post will explore how teachers can implement these practices through classroom learning.
online scams and social engineering
Online scams and social engineering are fraudulent attempts to steal personal information or money. Rather than large scale software hacking and breaking into systems, these methods rely on impersonation and manipulation of human emotions and behaviour.
What does Cybersafety mean in the classroom?
Cybersafety is the practice of protecting against online threats and risks. This includes protecting personal information, becoming aware of digital threats like scams, as well as basic understanding and implementation of online safety. In a classroom, it’s about the student’s decision making skills online. One simple choice a student makes can be the difference between being caught in a scam or not. Students should also be aware of and taught the consequences followed by an online scam. Serious impersonation and exploitation scams can cause major harm to young children.
why it is important
Digital security in the classroom is more important now than ever. As assignments move online and teaching tools become digitized, keeping kids educated on safe online use is key.
Younger audiences are heavily targeted for online scams. A 2023 Deloitte report states that Generation Z, born between 1995 – 2012, is three times more likely to fall for online scams than baby boomers. Many state that this is because of their increased online use, reaching at least 4 hours a day.
Students may be tech savvy, but they might often lack the skills to evaluate digital trust. The digital world is ever growing and the impact that education will have on younger generations is so important. Having children possibly exposed to harmful scams like extortion, could be prevented by providing the right resources. Implementing cybersafety teachings into classroom settings is just one step to creating safer online learning.
How Online scams and social engineering show up in the class room
Social Media
Gaming
digital Security
Digital Habits and Online culture
In this resource, you will explore what a digital footprint is, why it matters, and how to evaluate and manage your online presence with care. You will learn to distinguish between misinformation and disinformation, developing strategies to verify content and promote information integrity.
How Hackers trick gamers
Downloading new games, trying out mods, and snagging beta access is part of gaming culture. But scammers are in on the action too and gaming scams are on the rise with fake downloads, ‘free offers’, malware disguised as Mods, Cheats & Trainers, and shady P2E (Play-to-Earn) games to steal your accounts, personal info, and even your money.
Cyber security basics
In this resource, you will be introduced to the fundamentals of cybersecurity and the opportunities within the field. You will examine the CIA Triad of confidentiality, integrity, and availability, and how these principles guide businesses in protecting their systems and data. You will review the state of cybersecurity in schools, including the frequency of attacks and their impact.
what Teachers should look out for when collecting resources
When collecting resources, it’s important to consider where they come from, how they are beneficial to your needs, and what they can be used for.
Resources should help students:
- Identify common scam tactics
- Practice decision making through real world examples
- Apply lessons across different platforms (social media, games, email, etc.)
KnowledgeFlow offers many FREE resources for this specific topic. Check them out below!
The Cybersafety academy
Home to all of KnowledgeFlow’s online courses, our exclusive Cybersafety Academy website offers FREE courses for all ages and demographics. Several of these courses are specifically designed to address K-12 cybersafety learning and education.
Lesson Plans for your classroom
Check out our comprehensive collection of digital media literacy and cybersafety lesson plans created for K-12 educators, featuring a month’s supply of ready-to-use materials for effortless incorporation into your classroom schedule and curriculum.
Conclusion
Cybersafety is incredibly important within the classroom, and it is necessary for teachers to have access to the resources they need. Online scams and social engineering can be prevented if the students have the right resources.
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