The 18 and under age group is a
vulnerable target for email attacks by way of phishing. Cyber security is not
viewed seriously by the younger generation since they tend to think that adults
should handle financial responsibilities of greater stakes. Unfortunately,
teenagers are as vulnerable a target as adults. In fact, it is much easier to
send scam emails of the following nature to adolescents:
●
Students living abroad may be sent fake emails
stating their parents are in trouble and there will be a demand for money to
reach out to them. When students receive money by wire from their parents,
giving away their bank credentials will result in major financial crimes
● A number fake educational institutions, online
training centers, personality development centers prey on students by sending
attractive email offers and robbing students of their educational allowances
given by parents
● Emails send attractive messages from eligible
singles for dating and romance. Any information of a confidential nature is
used for harassment and cyberbullying.
Reporting scam emails is the only way to stay safe from cyber criminals. Ways in which students can report scam
emails are as under:
● Reporting scam emails to parents is the first
prudent step. Many teenagers do not do this owing to generation gap or
ignorance of the aftermath of such emails.
● Reporting scam emails to the respective universities
and educational institutions is recommended. Many universities are gearing up
their efforts in the direction of cyber safety for their students. For example phishing@umn.edu is the email id for
reporting scam emails to the University of Minnesota. The user names of
university accounts and passwords must never be divulged. In case students
observe that their accounts have been hacked into, they must report it
immediately.
● Reporting scam emails must be done in case they
are of a phishing nature with demands to share documents, share online library
access or click on suspicious links.
For the benefit of foreign students,
the embassies of respective nations offer effective support against phishing
attacks.
●
Students who have given away their passport and
visa details on emails that can be used for identity attacks, must report scam
emails immediately to the embassy
● The US Department of State and the UKCISA (The
UK Council for International Student Affairs) and many other organizations in
different states can be approached for reporting scam emails.
Teenagers are active users of social
media networks though there is a stipulated age limit to open accounts. Many
students use fraudulent means to enter social media networks, only to fall prey
to attacks from scam emails.
●
Teenagers can report fake dating websites and
threatening messages, if any received from by way of scam emails to Action
Fraud in UK.
●
Cyber bullying and harassment can begin with
sending obscene visuals in the form of scam emails. Teenagers must be
conversant with various tools for reporting scam emails to internet service
providers and to software experts, when scam emails are used for conducting
virus attacks on their PCs and laptops.
