You’re scrolling through Instagram when you see them: Nike Air Jordan 12 sneakers. You’ve been saving up for a pair for months. The caption reads: “Special sale! $100 today only. Hurry!”

    Just $100? They usually sell for around $200! You message the account. The seller says paying by app is fastest. You can already see the Jordans on your feet as you click to pay. 

    Then you wait—and wait. But the shoes never show up. What happened?

    It sounds like you got scammed. A scam is a trick that is meant to cheat someone out of something. Usually scammers want to steal your money. Sometimes they want to steal personal information. (Your address and other info can help them open a credit card in your name.) In 2021, online scammers stole more than $100 million from people under 20. 

    Luckily, there are ways to protect yourself. Keep reading to learn about three common online scams.

    You’re scrolling through Instagram. Then you see them: Nike Air Jordan 12 sneakers. You want a pair. The caption reads: “Special sale! $100 today only. Hurry!”

    Just $100? They usually cost about $200! You message the account. The seller says to pay by app. It’s fastest. You click to pay. 

    Then you wait. But the shoes never show up. What happened?

    It sounds like you got scammed. A scam is a trick. It is meant to cheat someone out of something. Usually scammers want to steal your money. Sometimes they want to steal personal information. (Your address is personal information. It can help scammers open a credit card in your name.) In 2021, online scammers stole more than $100 million from people under 20. 

    Luckily, you can protect yourself. Keep reading to learn about three common online scams.

    You’re scrolling through Instagram when you spot them: Nike Air Jordan 12 sneakers. You’ve been saving up for a pair for months. The caption reads: “Special sale! $100 today only. Hurry!”

    Just $100? The price is usually around $200! You immediately message the account, and the seller says paying by app is fastest. You imagine the Jordans on your feet as you click to pay. 

    Then you wait, and wait, and wait—but the shoes never show up. What happened?

    It sounds like you got scammed. A scam is a trick designed to cheat someone out of something. 

    Usually scammers are trying to steal your money, but sometimes they’re after personal information such as your address, which can help them open a credit card in your name. 

    In 2021, online scammers managed to steal more than $100 million from people under the age of 20. 

    Fortunately, there are ways to protect yourself. Keep reading to learn how to spot three common online scams.

    You’re most likely to see a scammer while shopping online. Scammers offer low prices. That gets your attention. They make sales feel urgent. They say items are selling out fast. 

    These sellers want you to pay using an app, such as Venmo, Zelle, or Cash App. These apps transfer money right away. That can make it harder to get your money back. 

    The item you buy might never arrive. Or you might get a fake version. Last year, Nike sued more than 600 websites. They were selling fake Nike sneakers. 

    Beat the scam! Don’t send money to strangers. Don’t rush to get a “great deal.” If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

    Shopping online is when you’re most likely to come across scammers. They often use low prices to grab your attention, and they can make everything feel urgent. They claim that items—such as PlayStations or Harry Styles tickets—are selling out quickly. 

    These sellers usually prefer that you pay using apps like Venmo, Zelle, or Cash App because these apps transfer money instantly. That can make it more difficult for you to get your money back. 

    In shopping scams, the items you buy often never arrive—but sometimes people receive a fake version instead. Last year, Nike sued more than 600 websites for selling fake Nike sneakers. 

    Beat the scam! Avoid sending money to strangers, and beware of anyone selling items at oddly low prices. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

    Online gaming platforms like Roblox and games like Fortnite are popular with criminals. The games are free. But you can buy things—like clothing for your avatar—while you’re playing. 

    Here’s one common way scammers trick players: They send a message offering special rewards. To get them, you just have to log into the game from a certain web address. Once you do, the scammers can get into your account.

    Video game accounts are often linked to a parent’s credit card or bank account. That means scammers can steal a lot of money quickly. 

    Beat the scam! Always log into games through their official sites or apps. And never share your password or other personal information with anyone.

    Online gaming platforms like Roblox are popular with criminals. Games like Fortnite are too. The games are free. But you can buy things while playing, such as clothing for your avatar.

    Here’s one way scammers trick players: They send you a message. The message offers rewards. To get them, you have to log into the game from a certain web address. After you log in, the scammers can get into your account.

    Video game accounts are often linked to a parent’s credit card or bank account. That allows scammers to steal a lot of money quickly. 

    Beat the scam! Log into a game only from its official site or app. Don’t share your password or other personal information.

    Online gaming platforms like Roblox and games like Fortnite are popular with criminals. The games are free, but you can buy things—such as clothing for your avatar—while you’re playing. 

    Here’s one common way scammers trick players: The scammer sends a message offering special rewards. To claim them, you simply have to log into the game from a web address sent in the message. If you do, the scammer can log into your account.

    Video game accounts are often linked to a parent’s credit card or bank account, which means scammers can steal a lot of money quickly. 

    Beat the scam! Always log into games through their official sites or apps, and never share your password or other personal information.

    It’s a dream come true. A cool clothing company messages you on TikTok. It wants you to represent its brand. This is your big chance! You could be the next big social media influencer! 

    But first, you have to be trained by the company. Just send $50 to get started.

    Don’t do it! The “influencer” trick is a popular way to steal money from teens. Scammers create accounts that look like company accounts. They offer a job or a brand partnership. Then they ask you to send money for training or a background check. What happens after you send the money? The scammer disappears. 

    Beat the scam! Real jobs do not make you pay them for training. Research any company that contacts you online. Google the brand’s name and the word scam. See what comes up. •

    It’s a dream come true: A cool clothing company messages you on TikTok, asking you to represent its brand. This is your chance to be the next big social media influencer! You can already imagine your future filled with millions of likes and followers. 

    But first . . . the company wants you to participate in a quick training session. Just send $50, and you can begin.

    Don’t do it! The “influencer” trick is a popular way to scam teens out of money. Scammers create accounts that make you believe they work for a company. They offer a job or brand partnership, and then they request money for training or a background check. After you send the money, the scammer disappears. 

    Beat the scam! Real jobs don’t make you pay fees upfront. Research any company that contacts you online. Google the brand’s name and the word scam, and see what comes up. •