Play, pause, ask. Helping kids deal with online scams in games

At a glance

• Know the signs of a gaming scam. Fake giveaways, promises of free money like Robux or rare items and requests for login details can signal a scam—even when they come from an online “friend.”
• Teach kids to pause and ask. Before opening an unfamiliar link or sharing information, encourage your child to check with you. Keep passwords and verification codes private.
• Respond quickly and without blame. If your child reports a scam, reassure them that telling you was the right move. Secure the account, check for unauthorized purchases and report what happened.

Online scams aren’t just targeting adults. Increasingly, they’re targeting kids, too. Kids spend hours online, often with access to in-game currency or their parents’ credit cards. From fake rewards to stolen accounts, online threats are evolving fast. Parents need to know what to be mindful of and how to help their kids stay safe.

Even the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau—a federal agency better known for policing credit cards and banks—has issued a public warning about online scams in video games. Their message? Kids and parents are getting hit with fraud on gaming platforms more often than you’d think.

These scams have happened in real time with my own kids, and it’s surprisingly easy to fall for them. So let’s break down how they work and what you can do to help your kids stay ahead of them.

Types of online scams targeting kids

These are some examples of scams your child may encounter:

• The online friend. A kid meets someone in-game who seems like a friend. That “friend” shares a too-good-to-be-true offer—like free Robux or an exclusive item. The child trusts them and ends up sharing personal info or login credentials.
• Direct messages and fake links. These messages promise rewards in exchange for small actions—such as selecting a link, completing a survey or entering a password. But the links often steal personal information or install malware.
• Fake giveaways on social media. Platforms like TikTok, YouTube and Snapchat are full of “giveaways.” Influencers—or bots pretending to be them—offer rare items or “exclusive” perks in exchange for account info. Kids sign up, and suddenly their account is gone.

How parents can help kids play it safe with online scams

Here are a few ways to help kids stay in the game and away from trouble:

• Teach skepticism. Tell your kids that if it seems too good to be true, it probably is, especially if it comes to free Robux or rare in-game items.
• Talk regularly about scams. Bring up examples from games they’re playing and ask if they’ve encountered anything recently. Make it part of regular chats during dinner or after games.
• Practice critical thinking together. Encourage them to ask: “Who’s offering this, and what are they getting in return?”
• Use parental controls. Use built-in parental controls on devices, games and social media to filter risky content. Tools like let you monitor online and phone activity and limit access, adding another layer of protection.

How to protect your kids’ personal information online

A crucial aspect of online safety is protecting personal information: 

• Never share personal information like your child’s real name, school, home address or passwords.
• Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) whenever possible for an extra layer of protection.
• Avoid saving credit card info in games.
• Keep logins private. Don’t share them with anyone. Parents can keep the passwords to themselves until their child is old enough to understand how to keep them secure.

What to do if your kid gets tricked by an online scam

Just like adults, kids sometimes make mistakes online. If your child says they believe they were scammed, let them know that telling you was the right thing to do. Getting help from a parent right away can limit their exposure to harm.

Here’s what you might do next:

• Change passwords. If your child shared login information, change the account password right away—and update it anywhere else the same password is used.
• Secure and monitor the account. Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA), if available, and check the account for changes to things like profile information, security settings and account recovery.
• Check for purchases. Look for unrecognized transactions on any payment methods associated with the account.
• Report what happened. Use in-game reporting tools to flag suspicious accounts and share details about the incident.
• Talk about it. Go over what made the scam believable to help your child recognize warning signs next time.

Keep kids curious and cautious.

The rise of online scams targeting kids is a serious concern. You can’t protect them from every trick, but you can give them a way to respond when things don’t add up. Remind them to pause before they act, and make sure they know they can come to you when they’re unsure or need help.

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