A New Social Media Scam is Targeting Students: Here is how you can help them protect their privacy
Be sure to check out the suggested Huddle question at the bottom of this article to discuss this important topic with your students in class, if you feel it is appropriate.
In an emerging criminal trend, a 17-year-old Chinese student in Utah recently fell victim to what authorities are calling an “elaborate cyber kidnapping” scheme. Cyber scammers convinced his family that he was abducted, using strategies that encouraged family members to make ransom payments. Although the student was found unharmed in a remote mountain area, this virtual kidnapping sheds light on the growing challenge of online scams, especially those targeting students.
As students are often the target of online scams, educators should be aware of new and common online scams so that they can empower students to protect their privacy. The incident underscores the need for educators to equip their students with the knowledge and skills to navigate social media safely. By protecting their privacy, students safeguard their well-being. Here is what educators need to know about this cyber kidnapping trend.
What is Cyber Kidnapping?
Cyber kidnapping originally started as phone calls targeting people who speak Spanish as their first language in Houston and Los Angeles. The scammers would try to convince the recipient that their child was kidnapped, using pre-recorded voices of individuals yelling for help. While most did not fall for the trap, these calls and messages became more advanced.
Instead of using pre-recorded voices, these scammers started using AI to mimic the voice of a parent’s child, making their scheme all the more believable. With these advancements, more people around the country in targeted cities started receiving these calls, not just native Spanish speakers.
These more recent cyber kidnapping attempts are more advanced, often targeting students who may not know how to recognize such scams. In the case of 17-year-old Kai Zhuang, the student was manipulated into isolating himself to protect his family. Riverdale Police Chief Casey Warren stated that Kai’s high school contacted the police, reporting him missing. The school shared that his family in China had received photographic evidence suggesting that he was kidnapped. His family in China received calls and photos that their son had been abducted and transferred a significant amount in ransom, fearing for his safety.
Anurag Gurtu, CPO at a cybersecurity company called StrikeReady, told Cybernews that cybercriminals will “typically call the victim, sometimes using spoofed numbers, claiming to have kidnapped a family member, and might use background noises to create a sense of urgency and realism.”
Warren added that “exchange students, particularly from China, are often targeted in virtual kidnapping cases.” The FBI has urged exchange students across the United States to be vigilant of these scams and not to comply or send money under any circumstances.
Not only does the impact of cyber kidnapping on students go beyond the immediate threat – but it can lead to emotional distress, fear, and a breach of trust in online interactions. These factors can make it harder for students to participate in everyday activities, focus in class, and keep up with work, making it important for students and educators to be aware and equipped to avoid these scams.
Tips From the Washington Post on Avoiding Cyber Kidnapping Scams
As cyber kidnapping scams become more frequent, police departments around the U.S. are working to help students and families across the country protect themselves. The Washington Post shared some advice from the Virginia police department on how students and parents can protect themselves against these scams, such as by looking at area codes and requesting the caller call you back from your child’s cell phone.
For educators, sharing these tips with their students can help them protect themselves from cyber kidnapping schemes and safeguard their privacy.
How You Can Empower Your Students to Protect Their Privacy
With the rise of online scams, it’s a team effort between parents/guardians and educators to equip students with the skills to protect themselves against virtual scams, such as cyber kidnapping. Cyber scams and threats like these are meant to generate fear in students, making it harder for them to participate in virtual spaces without anxiety. The stress created by cyber scams can limit students’ ability to connect with peers and engage in educational activities.
By empowering students to make smart, responsible choices online that help them protect their privacy, we can help students avoid scams and navigate social media with confidence. Begin empowering your students to protect their privacy with these tips:
- Share the Virginia Police Department’s advice to avoid cyber kidnapping: When educating your students on cyber kidnapping, make sure to empower your students instead of fear-mongering. Knowledge is power, and with the tools in our toolbox, students can feel more confident when navigating social media and tech.
- Huddle with your students on avoiding scams: Ask them if they’ve ever encountered a scam on social media, and ask how they dealt with it. Urge them not to share personal information with strangers or to post private information on their feeds.
- Remind students to reach out to a trusted adult if they believe they’ve been scammed: Whether it’s a trusted teacher, counselor, family member, officer, or another adult, they can help students overcome the stress involved with online scams and help guide them in the future to protect their privacy.
Social media and tech are important in our everyday lives, and it’s not going away. That said, students need to be empowered to protect themselves online to navigate social media safely and make the most of technology. The Social Institute offers many resources to empower students to protect their privacy online, such as the #WinAtSocial lesson on knowing when to put your guard up with strangers and hackers.
For more resources on how to help students protect their privacy, check out our cybersecurity expert tips on how students can safeguard their data and personal information.
#WinAtSocial Huddle Question
Huddle with your students
While social media is a great place to connect with others, find entertainment, and learn more about the world, we must be wary of scammers on social media. If you get a D.M., text, or call from a stranger, what are some warning signs that they might be part of a scam? What do you do once you identify that they are scammers?
The Social Institute (TSI) is the leader in empowering students by understanding students. Through #WinAtSocial, our gamified, peer-to-peer learning platform, we equip students, educators, and families to navigate their social world – in the classroom and beyond, online and offline – in healthy, high-character ways. Our unique, student-respected approach empowers and equips, rather than scares and restricts. We incorporate timely topics about social media, tech use, and current events that are impacting student well-being and learning. #WinAtSocial Lessons teach life skills for the modern day, capture student voice, and provide school leaders with actionable insights. Through these insights, students play an essential role in school efforts to support their own health, happiness, and future success as we enable high-impact teaching, meaningful family conversations, and a healthy school culture.