Business programme
Start-Up, Scale-Up by Lloyds Bank Academy
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Learn for yourself
Money, digital, career skills
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Money skills
Learn for yourself
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Learn for business
To help start up and grow
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Strategy and operations
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Marketing, website and digital
Learn for your business
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Help others learn
Money and digital skills
Help others learn
Get started with online safety
Learn the benefits and basics of staying safe online, so you can protect yourself and the people you love.
Introduction to 'Get started with online safety'
Being online lets you do so much. It can help you stay in touch with people, learn new skills, keep up to date with the latest news. Need to buy a last-minute birthday gift? Online shopping can help you out. Planning a day out? With an app, you can check the weather.
At some point though, everyone worries about the risks of being online. You’re not alone. As with anything in life, any new experience can bring potential risks. So it’s good to know what these are and reduce them where you can.
The good news is there are plenty of ways to enjoy being online and keep safe too. In this lesson, we'll help you keep safe online to protect yourself, your friends and family.
What you'll learn
- What being safe online means.
- How to spot the main risks.
- Some key terms in online safety.
How long it takes
8 minutes
Online benefits and risks
Chapter 1
How long it takes
3 minutes
What are the benefits of being online?
Before we cover the risks, let’s talk about some of the benefits of being online. The web can be an amazing resource. It helps people to socialise, save money, organise their life and much more. In fact, almost two thirds of people in the UK (PDF, 4.2MB) said the benefits of being online outweigh the risks. This sends a really positive message about why being online can be good if you do it safely.
A recent study (PDF, 10.1MB) showed that:
95%
Of UK adults are online.
85%
Use online messaging services to stay in touch.
75%
Say online shopping helps them save money.
What are the potential risks of being online?
There have always been people who try to steal other people’s money and personal details. They did this even before the internet. The web just gave these people new ways to do it.
Watch the video to learn more about staying safe online.
Let’s look at some of the words we use to talk about these online risks.
Fraud
‘Fraud' is when a person tricks someone else, to cheat them out of something. It’s often about money.
People across all age groups can experience fraud. In fact, those most vulnerable are in their 30s.
Scams
A 'scam' is just another name for fraud. You’ll often hear people use both terms.
If a person has been ‘scammed’, it means someone has tricked them out of their money and/or personal details.
Scammers
'Scammers' are the criminals who run these scams. Sometimes we call them 'fraudsters'.
They try to trick people into giving them their money and/or personal details.
Protecting your personal details
As we said, scammers are usually after one of two things – money or personal details. People often worry most about their money, but you need to look after your personal details too.
With your personal details, scammers could:
Take out debts like credit cards or subscriptions in your name.
Gain access to your personal finances.
Create fake social media accounts.
Before handing over money or personal details online, it’s always a good idea to:
Stop
Always take a moment to stop and think before you do anything with your finances or personal details.
Challenge
If the request seems too good to be true, it’s OK to ignore it. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you.
Protect
Contact your bank straight away if you think you've fallen for a scam and go to Report Fraud.
Test your knowledge
Try again - that's not quite right!
An example of a scam is if someone deceived Sarah into sending them her bank details.
That's right!
'Scams' are just another name for the types of fraud, and they can impact anyone.
What we'll cover next
In Chapter 2, you’ll learn how scams work and the different types of online scams.
Identifying scams
Chapter 2
How long it takes
3 minutes
How scams work
Some scam messages go out to thousands of people at once. Often, they ask you to follow a link. They may ask you to enter your personal details like bank details, passwords or PIN numbers.
Once they have this information, it’s theirs to use. They could access your bank account, open new accounts or take out debts (like loans or credit cards) in your name.
Types of scams
Scams can appear in many different ways. In this section, you’ll hear more about the most common types of scams you may come across.
Scam messages
Here, the scammer pretends to be someone else in an email or message.
The message asks you to do something like follow a link, so they can access your data.
They may ask you to enter your personal details.
Examples include:
- A message from a delivery company with a link to track a parcel you’re not expecting.
- A message from a company saying you owe them money that needs to be paid.
- A message from a company saying they owe you money. They ask you for your bank details so they can send it across.
- A message about a limited time offer that you can only get by following a link. If you can’t find the offer elsewhere on the web, it may be a scam.
- A ‘friend’ asking for money urgently. This may seem genuine, but someone could have hacked your friend’s account. Always double check through a second source you trust.
- A family member saying they’ve lost their phone and asking you to contact them on a new number. This is a common scam. Always try them on their old number or use another way to check it’s really them.
Dating scams
Scam messages don’t always come from companies. Have you heard of ‘Romance scams’? The scammer pretends to be someone else who is interested in you romantically. They often use fake pictures to hide who they really are.
Once they feel you trust them, they may ask for money or get you to buy things for them. Then they end the relationship or just disappear.
Purchase scams
Another common type of scam happens when you’re shopping online. The aim of this scam is to get you to pay for an item that doesn't exist. You may never receive it, or it might not be what you expect. For example, you may order a mobile phone and just receive a box with a picture of the phone on it, but nothing inside.
In these types of scams, the goods often seem much cheaper than you can find anywhere else. They may also be sold out or hard to get.
Whatever form the scam takes, you need to be careful when shopping online. If you’re buying from a well-known company, they’re unlikely to ask you to pay directly into their account. Usually, they take the payment directly from your debit or credit card online.
Be aware
It's important to know that the website you're visiting is secure. If you can, only visit websites of sellers you trust.
'Ransom' scams that stop you using your device
Some scams lead to the scammer having access to your device. Then they can take control of your files and data and hold them ‘ransom’. This means they stop you from using the files and data. They’ll charge you a fee to access them again.
Do not pay this fee. The scammer will likely take your money without giving back your files.
If this happens, make sure you contact Report Fraud.
Job scams
Most of these start by tempting you with low-effort, high-reward job opportunities. You could get a text, message or email about these. Sometimes, scammers post these fake roles on social media or job sites. When you respond, they may ask for an upfront fee, or for you to give them personal information like your National Insurance number or bank details.
Think that job advert might be fake? Here’s what to look for:
Vague job description
What does the job involve? Sketchy information or strangely-worded job titles may mean it’s a scam. Be alert to ads which have vague tasks or say ‘no experience necessary’, especially if the salary is high.
Genuine recruiters will always give you more details when you ask for them.
Unusually high salary for the work
If you see a job ad that offers big money for little effort, it’s likely to be a scam. If you see an email, text, message or social media post with these claims, be wary.
Always do your research – who is offering this work?
Minimal contact details
What contact information does the job ad give? It’s always a good idea to search online for the name of the recruiter or employer.
Check their website and look for reviews.Do other, trusted sites mention them?
Early requests for personal information
You can expect an employer to ask for these details once they’ve made you a job offer. Never give out sensitive information during the early stages of job application or at interview.
A request for payment
Genuine recruiters will never ask for money for you to apply for a role or to access work. Be wary of paying upfront for training or equipment.
If you’re asked for payment, it’s most likely a scam.
Be aware
Some scammers create fake job ads by impersonating real companies.
If you know the brand, you can visit their website to check contact details and research the role.
How to protect yourself
Chapter 3
How long it takes
2 minutes
Common scam themes
Spotting scam messages, text messages and phone calls can be tricky.
To help you, here are some common themes that may indicate you’ve been the target of a scam.
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Who sent this message? Some scammers pretend to be a well-known organisation. For example, your bank, the police or even government agencies. They do this to make you think the message is important and official. This means you’re much more likely to believe them and do what they ask.
Think about whether you’re expecting to hear from them. If in doubt, check using a phone number or contact details you trust.
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Does the message have clear mistakes? This may be a sign it’s a scam.
It’s very rare that genuine emails have these kinds of errors. So if you see them, it’s best to be cautious and not respond.
Although thanks to the use of artificial intelligence (AI), scammers are able to make their messages much more sophisticated and less likely to contain these errors.
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Does the message ask you to do something quickly?
For instance, offers that end soon, or threats if you don’t respond quickly.
This can make you panic and follow the link or send personal details without stopping to think about it.
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Is this product or service too good to be true?
Some types of scams may offer you things at unbeatable value. Others say you’ve won some kind of prize.
If this happens, the chances are it’s a scam. Be wary of these messages.
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Is the message relevant? Scammers can also exploit current events or news items to make you think they are genuine.
Say you get an email asking for money to help victims of a recent earthquake. This could be a scam, especially if it’s from an organisation you don’t know. It’s always good to check. Even if you do recognise it, search their name to find their website, then see if you can find this appeal there.
Remember
If you get a call or message out of the blue from someone unexpected, the chances are it's a scam and you should ignore it.
Think it’s a scam call affecting your bank account? Hang up, and call 159. You’ll be put through to your bank’s fraud team.
What to do if you think you've been scammed
Contact Report Fraud
Use their online service or call them on 0300 123 2040.
In Scotland, contact Police Scotland on 101.
Emails and texts
You can forward suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk.
Send any suspicious texts to 7726.
Take steps to stop more damage
If the scam affects your bank account, contact your bank straight away. Call 159 to connect to your bank’s fraud team.
Think someone has one of your passwords? Change it.
Want to learn more?
Stay safe online
Build your digital confidence
Lloyds Bank Academy is committed to providing information in a way that is accessible and useful for our users. This information, however, is not in any way intended to amount to authority or advice on which reliance should be placed. You should seek professional advice as appropriate and required. Any sites, products or services named in this module are just examples of what's available. Lloyds Bank does not endorse the services they provide. The information in this module was last updated on 11th February 2026.