How do I teach my child to spot social engineering?

Explain that scammers play on emotion: urgency ("act now"), authority ("this is the moderator"), flattery, or free gifts. The simplest defence is to pause and verify through a separate, trusted channel before sharing anything or clicking. Agree a family rule that no real friend, brand, or official will ever rush them into handing over passwords or codes.

What tricks do scammers use on children specifically?

Common ones include pretending to be a friend whose account was hacked, posing as game moderators or tech support, offering free in-game items in exchange for a login or code, and creating fake giveaways. They rely on excitement and trust. Encourage children to slow down and check with you whenever something feels urgent or too good to be true.

Tech and online

Social engineering

Psychological manipulation used to trick people into revealing confidential information or taking actions that compromise their security.

Social engineering is psychological manipulation that tricks someone into revealing confidential information or taking an unsafe action, by exploiting trust, urgency, fear, or the promise of a reward rather than by hacking technology.

In plain English

Psychological manipulation used to trick people into revealing confidential information or taking actions that compromise their security.

Why it matters

Social engineering targets people, not technology. Examples include pretending to be a friend, authority figure, or tech support. Children are particularly vulnerable to urgency, flattery, and free-gift hooks. Pausing and verifying is the simplest defence.

Risks and topics

scams targeting children

Sources

Social engineering: a guide— National Cyber Security Centre

Frequently Asked Questions

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.

Last reviewed: 2026-05-17

← Back to glossary