It is important to look at more than websites critically, look closely at emails, ads, and even phone calls. Consider some of these scenarios and share your thoughts.

1. You are looking for an apartment. You see an ad on craigslist for a place in a nice neighborhood with a surprisingly low rent. You call the number and the person says she can’t come to show you the apartment, but you can go over and look in the windows. She says there are many interested people and if you want the place, you should send her the $1,000 security deposit right away.

2. You get an email saying you have won a $10,000 lottery prize. It includes a link to a website. You go to the site, which looks very professional. Your name is listed there with some other people. The directions at the website say that in order to claim your prize, you need to send them your bank account number through the webpage so they can charge a small processing fee and deposit your prize.

3. You are looking for a new pair of sneakers. The ones you want sell at WalMart for $224.95 but you found them on a website, Sneakers4Less, for $99.95. The website says you need to mail a check to them and then they will send you the sneakers.

4. You get a phone call saying you didn’t do your taxes right last year and you owe the IRS $1,000. They say there are police ready to come to your house right now to arrest you. If you don’t want to be arrested, you need to go to WalMart and buy Green Dot Pre-Paid VISA cards for $1,000 and then call back and give the IRS agent the card numbers.

How can you tell if these are tricks?

1. How could you double-check the information?

2. In what ways do the offers seem too good to be true?

3. There are many reasons to trust a source: someone you know and trust says it’s good, you’ve worked with them before, it’s a well-known business, etc. What are other good reasons to trust a source of information?

4. Do any of the "reasons to trust" apply in this situation?

5. If something goes wrong, how could you fix it?

6. What is one other way you could evaluate whether this information is true?

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