My neighbor's kid got a phishing email about a fake game code

I was helping my neighbor set up his new laptop when his son came in, really excited about a 'free V-Bucks' email he got. The kid is twelve. The email looked okay at first, but the sender address was a jumble of letters and the link was weird. We sat down and I showed him how to hover over the link to see the real website, which was nothing like Fortnite's. I explained that real companies won't ask for your password in an email. He got it pretty fast, which was cool. It made me realize we talk about this stuff a lot online, but showing a real example to someone just starting out is way better. What's a good, simple way you've found to explain this stuff to younger family members?

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3 Comments

carr.elliot6mo ago

Show them the actual email headers if you can. I point out the weird sender address and the 'reply-to' being different from the 'from' line. It makes it less like magic and more like a puzzle they can solve.

7

the_hayden6mo ago

Wait, you think explaining it is the best way? I just tell kids that if something is free online, it's probably a trick to take your stuff.

5

grantp286mo ago

Nah, that just makes them curious and they'll find a way around your rule. If you actually sit down and show them how a fake login page looks, or how a "free V-bucks" link actually works, it sticks. They need to see the why behind the rule, not just hear another thing adults say.

6