Teaching Students How to Avoid Online Fraud
by Chris Gustafson
Minimal talking and eyes intent on computer screens make it clear that your students are deeply engaged in online research. You walk along behind the row of computers, impressed with your students' sophisticated use of databases and keyword searching, until you see Jordan frantically clicking on a pop-up ad.
"Focus on your work, Jordan," you admonish, but he is undeterred: "I have to click this link; it's a chance to win an iPod!"
The effectiveness of the filtering software used by school districts ebbs and flows. Sometimes pop-ups and online ads are rare; at other times they're out of control. When pop-ups do appear, it's often the most easily distracted students who abandon academic tasks online to play putt-putt golf or shoot free-throws on a pop-up ad. When asked why they respond to the ads, students say:
- "It's fun!"
- "I can't help getting sucked in."
- "You won't let us play games, so I'm playing the ad."
- "I might really win something."
Protecting Your Students from Online Fraud
The essence of online fraud is convincing people that an offer that's too good to be true is the real thing, starting with that ever-so-desirable free iPod. But some of those offers are designed to download spyware or to trick people into providing personal information that criminals can use to steal identities. For your students, the result could be a bad credit history that may not show up until they try to rent their first apartment, buy their first car, or apply for a college loan.
How can you help students recognize and avoid online fraud at school?
- Start by making sure students understand that advertising is all over the Internet, and it's their job to be cautious consumers of information. If you're teaching effective searching using a search engine, make sure students realize that sponsored links are like TV commercials. They are not necessarily bad, but they are trying to sell something.
- A surprising number of students don't know what .com (or dot-com) means. It's not unusual to see a student making up a Web address by typing their research topic into the address box and adding .com. When asked about the meaning of .com, the most frequent explanation is, "Dot-com means it's on the computer." Give students a clear understanding of the role that business and commerce play on the Internet. Use this teachable moment to explain other domain names, such as .org (dot-org) and .gov (dot-gov).
- Make sure that your school Internet use agreement asks students not to post any personal information online, including their credit card numbers. Reinforce the importance of having parents monitor online purchases. Today students as young as middle school may have their own credit or debit accounts.
- Many schools include media literacy in their social studies or language arts curriculum. Include Internet advertising and fraud as part of the instruction.
Teaching Your Students to Be Smart Consumers
Your students also have unfiltered online lives. How can you help students avoid online fraud outside of school?
- Highlight news stories about Internet fraud. Focus on higher level thinking skills by having students analyze one of those familiar Nigerian confidence scams. What are the warning signs that this offer isn't on the level?
- Create a bulletin board where students can print out examples of phishing and fraudulent offers from their non-school e-mail accounts. Have a monthly vote for the scam most likely to fool the most people. Make sure to block out e-mail and Web addresses for the scams.
- Ask students to create an online ad campaign for a product or service. As part of the assignment, have them explain how they would assure potential customers that their offer was legitimate and not fraudulent.
Thoughtful, targeted lessons can help students be wise online consumers rather than easy prey for online fraud.
