Protect · Lesson 3 of 3

Scams, phishing & identity theft

Teens are prime targets: money-flip DMs, fake-check jobs, “your account is locked” texts. Learn the patterns once and they’re easy to spot forever.

1Learn

  1. Password hygieneUnique passwords for money apps — one reused password can unlock everything. A password manager helps.
  2. Identity theftSomeone uses your Social Security number to open accounts. You can freeze your credit for free at all three bureaus.

Walk away if you see

“Guaranteed” returns with zero risk · DMs offering to flip $50 into $500 · pressure to act NOW · payment by gift cards or crypto to a stranger · jobs that ask you to deposit a check and wire money back.

2Try it Activity

Scam or legit?

Five real-world messages.

Congrats! You won a $500 gift card. Click this link before it expires in 10 minutes!

Urgency + an unexpected prize + a link = classic phishing bait. Real prizes don’t expire in 10 minutes.

A text from your bank’s official number reminding you your card payment is due Friday — no link, no request for info.

A plain reminder with no link and no request for your password or account number is normal account activity.

“I turned $100 into $900 in a week trading. I’ll show you my method for a $50 fee.”

Guaranteed fast returns plus pay-to-learn-the-secret is a common social media scam pattern.

An email asks you to “verify your identity” by replying with your Social Security number and password.

Legitimate companies never ask you to email your SSN or password. This is phishing.

A job posting offers to mail you a check to deposit, then asks you to wire part of it back as a “processing fee.”

A classic fake-check scam — the check bounces after you’ve already wired away real money.

3Check

Remember

If it needs secrecy, speed, or gift cards, it’s almost never real. Real banks and the IRS don’t ask for passwords or gift cards over text.

Quick check

Someone DMs you offering to flip $200 into $800 in 48 hours. What is this?