Teenagers targeted by scammers with tempting text offers
New research reveals that a quarter of British teens are falling victim to scam texts, with many lured in by enticing offers like fake job opportunities and exclusive deals.
Virgin Media O2 reports blocking a staggering 168 million suspected fraudulent texts in the past two years, highlighting the growing threat to young people online.
The study, conducted ahead of Safer Internet Day (February 11th), found that 2.2 million teenagers aged 13-16 have received scam texts, and a worrying 43% clicked on links that potentially downloaded harmful software. Despite most teens believing they can identify scams, almost half were fooled by a fake offer for a takeaway pizza.
Scammers are using increasingly sophisticated tactics to target young people, impersonating popular brands like TikTok and online gaming platforms. Examples of recent scam texts include fake job offers promising hundreds of pounds per day for watching TikTok videos, free account credits for online games, and messages about missed parcel deliveries.
Virgin Media O2 is urging parents and guardians to discuss the risks of scam texts with their children. They are also working with Internet Matters to provide resources and advice on how to spot and avoid online scams. Experts recommend checking the source of messages, being cautious with personal information and watching out for red flags like spelling errors and unrealistic offers.
“We know how convincing scammers’ messages can be,” says Murray Mackenzie, Director of Fraud Prevention at Virgin Media O2. “That’s why we’re doing all we can to stop scammers in their tracks by blocking millions of suspected fraudulent text messages and by arming parents and guardians with advice.”
“Currently, the government and key businesses, such as online platforms, banks and telecoms firms, operate in silos and do not share the data they have on how these fraudsters operate – making it much harder to stop scams reaching victims in the first place.
“To tackle fraud, the government must encourage key businesses to share data between sectors to stop scams spreading. Without greater action, fraud will continue to grow and millions more hard-working people will lose money to scammers.”
Internet Matters also stresses the importance of open communication between parents and children about online safety. “Simple actions such as verifying the source of messages and encouraging teens to ‘Stop! Think Fraud’ can make a world of difference,” says Ghislaine Bombusa, Content & Digital Director at Internet Matters.
Virgin Media O2 claims it is investing heavily in the fight against fraud, using AI-powered tools and caller identification services to protect customers. It is also encouraging customers to report suspected scams to help them identify and block fraudulent numbers.
Last year, O2 unveiled AI granny, Daisy, to waste scammers’ time. Trained using cutting-edge technology, and real scambaiter content, Daisy has been designed to keep scammers on the phone as long as possible. O2 customers can also report suspected fraudulent calls and texts for free to 7726.
Parents and guardians can get more support on how to talk to kids about fraud and scams here,
