My cousin's kid got a weird text and it freaked me out

Honestly, last month my 12-year-old cousin got a text saying his game account was locked and needed a password reset. He almost clicked the link right away. I was over at their place in Springfield and had to explain it was a phishing attempt. The sender's address was a jumble of letters, not the real company. Has anyone else had to walk a younger family member through spotting a scam like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

jana67227d ago

Tell the kid it's a scam and watch their face fall because they think you just ruined their chance at free V-Bucks. Had to explain to my nephew that no, Microsoft will not text you from a Gmail address to give you a free Xbox. The disappointment was almost funnier than the scam.

dereks1127d ago

Honestly, that moment when the hope just drains from their face is something else. Tbh I'm curious, did your nephew get mad at you for telling him, or did he actually get why it was a scam after you explained? Feels like that's the real test of whether the lesson sticks or if they just think you're the bad guy blocking their free stuff.

miastone27d ago

Yeah it's that same look people get when they realize a shortcut they were counting on just doesn't exist. You see it with get-rich-quick schemes for adults too, not just kids and free V-Bucks. The initial anger is just part of the process, they have to mourn the easy win they imagined. If the explanation sticks, it's because they finally see the pattern, not just the one scam.