Think it through together · A little story
A girl gets an unfamiliar message saying, “Look at your photo.” The robot suggests not clicking right away. A link might take her somewhere completely different.
Lay out the process
- Check the sourceIs it genuine and trustworthy?
- Check the purposeWhy was it sent?
- Verify independentlyUse a known way to check
- Then decideWhether you need to open it
An unfamiliar link may lead to a scam page, a download, or other unsuitable content.
A familiar person’s account could also be hacked. If a message sounds unusual, suddenly asks you to sign in, or tells you to download something, verify it another way.
If you are unsure, ask a parent to look with you. You do not have to click immediately out of politeness or curiosity.
Your turn to try
A friend’s familiar profile picture sends a strange download link. Is the familiar picture enough to make it safe?
Have you thought it through? Open for an explanation
No. The account or message may have a problem. Verify it using another contact method you already know.
Take away one discovery
An unfamiliar link may lead to a scam page, a download, or other unsuitable content.
Try covering the diagram above and explaining each step to someone in your family. If one step is hard to explain, go back and look at that card again.