How to Detect and Avoid Scams Targeting Young People

At Mazuma Credit Union, the security of our Members’ financial information and accounts is our top priority. As your trusted financial partner, we closely monitor the evolving risks our Members face in today’s digital world – from phishing and social engineering scams to identity fraud, cybersecurity threats, and beyond. We proactively share information to empower our Members to identify and avoid potential threats that can compromise the security of their data.

Teens and young adults are often at the forefront of digital trends. While this keeps them in-the-know, it also exposes them to the new frauds and scams that seem to follow every innovation.

As explored in The Financial Brand, fraud is becoming increasingly social. Today’s criminals are going where teens and young adults already spend their time: social media, text, and peer‑to‑peer payment apps. Scammers are impersonating influencers, friends, family members, and even romantic interests to build trust and pressure victims into acting fast.

Younger people, especially Gen Z, are being targeted not because they’re careless, but because they’re navigating new financial tools without as much experience.

Why Young People Are Vulnerable to Scams

There are several key factors that put teens and young adults at high risk:

• Instant payments that are hard or impossible to reverse
• Social pressure from peers, online relationships, or impersonated accounts
• Trust-based manipulation, especially on familiar platforms that feel safe
• Limited experience spotting financial fraud red flags

Fraudsters understand how young people communicate, the platforms they trust, and how to create a sense of urgency - all of which can lead to costly mistakes.

Common Scams Targeting Young People

Understanding the most common scams is the best way to detect and avoid them. Here are a few to be aware of:

• Imposter and Influencer Scams
  Scammers pose as well-known influencers, brands, or even friends, claiming the victim has won a prize or needs to act quickly to avoid a problem. Their goal is usually to collect money or account information.
• Peer‑to‑Peer Payment Scams
  Fraudsters may pretend to send money by mistake and ask for it back, or pressure someone to send funds immediately for an “urgent” situation. Once the money is sent, it’s often gone for good.
• Romance and Sextortion Scams
  These scams start with friendly or romantic conversations online, then escalate to requests for money or threats involving personal photos. The financial damage adds up quickly, and the emotional impact can be very serious.

How To Protect Yourself

While fraud tactics are evolving, a few habits make a big difference:

• Pause before sending money, especially if you’re being pressured to act fast
• Never share login or verification codes, even if the request seems urgent
• Verify independently by contacting the person or business another way
• Talk about scams openly to remove stigma and increase knowledge
• Report suspicious activity immediately to your financial institution

By understanding how modern scams work - and why young people are often targeted - individuals and families can create strong lifelong habits and financial confidence.

Remember: 

Mazuma Credit Union will never call, text, or email you asking for personally identifiable information (social security numbers, secure access codes, passwords/pin numbers, card numbers, or account numbers), ask you to provide us your card, or instruct you to send money through a third-party vendor (PayPal, Venmo, etc.).  

If you are unsure whether an email, phone call, or text message is from Mazuma, please call us directly at 913-574-5000 so that we can assist you.

If you suspect a scam, report it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.ic3.gov.

Check out Mazuma’s Member Security Center for more information!

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