Keep your Kid’s Phones Safe
It is a big decision to get your kids a cell phone. They may be excited to talk to friends and play games. Parents often put special controls on kid’s phones to keep them from accessing inappropriate internet content. You may also want to program the contacts with phone numbers from friends or family. It is important to teach kids not to answer the phone if they receive a call from a phone number that is not on this list. If a lot of unknown calls begin to show up, it is necessary to find out who is calling.
Safety First
Unknown calls are usually telemarketers, bill collectors, or scammers. There is no reason for these types of callers to be contacting children. Sometimes, businesses hold on to phone numbers for a long time. Your child’s phone number may have belonged to someone else at one point in time. Find out who is calling with a reverse phone lookup. This helps give you accurate information about the source so you can keep your child safe.
You can determine if it is a simple problem, such as a wrong number or something more problematic. Scammers may talk your child into giving away personal information, like a debit card number. Talk to your child about the dangers of dishonest callers and show them how to block unwanted calls.
Look up the Numbers
It is simple to look up unknown phone numbers. You do not have to answer them to find out where they are coming from. You can often find out a little information from your voicemail, as well. These can be vague, however. Enter the number into a reverse phone lookup site to find out if the call is a business, individual, or known spam. Sometimes you get a name and find out if the call is coming from a landline or cell phone. Other times, you get a description, such as “individual” or “business”. You can also get a spam risk assessment.
Talk to your Child
Help your child learn how to handle unknown phone numbers. It is best to tach kids of all ages to simply avoid the call. If they do not answer, there is no exposure to dangerous individuals. A scammer may realize they are talking to a child and ask them to find your social security or bank information. Young children are especially naïve about these situations. Teach them to let the voicemail pick up the call, instead. They should also tell a parent about the call so they can look it up on a reverse phone number site.
It is helpful for kids to have a phone for many reasons. Parents can call keep track of where they are, and kids can call for emergency help. When unwanted calls begin to be a problem, however, it can put both the parents and kids in danger. Scammers may be after personal or financial information. Put parental controls on the phone, check the calls regularly, and teach your kids about phone safety. Take the time to look up questionable phone calls on a reverse phone website, as well.
