How to Protect Your Family Members from Scam Websites

If it feels like scam websites popped out of nowhere and multiplied overnight… you’re not imagining it. Over the past few years—especially after everyone shifted more of their life online—fake websites have become more convincing, more frequent, and unfortunately, more successful.
I hear it from families all the time: “But it looked real… how was I supposed to know?”
And that’s exactly the problem. Scam sites today don’t always look like those old, messy pages with flashing ads. Some look cleaner than real businesses. Others copy well-known brands. A few even pretend to be local shops here in Cyprus.

The good news? Once you know what to look for—and once your family knows how to browse with a bit of healthy suspicion—you can avoid almost all of them.

Let’s break it down by age group first, because everyone in the household uses the internet differently.

Helping Children Stay Safe Online

Kids click on things out of curiosity, not caution. A colourful game ad or a cartoon character waving on a page is pretty much irresistible.

Tip: Teach them the “Ask Before Tap” rule.
Example: If they find a new game website promising “free coins” or “unlock all levels now,” they should ask an adult before clicking anything. Kids usually understand rules better when they feel simple, so keep it short: “If you didn’t visit it on purpose, don’t tap it.”

Guiding Teens (Who Think They Know Everything Already)

Teens are trickier. They’re more tech-savvy than adults sometimes—but that confidence is exactly what scammers love.

Tip: Talk to them about fake online stores and “limited offer” deals.
Example: A teen sees a pair of branded sneakers for €20 on a random Instagram link. It looks real at first glance, but the site name is something odd like shoezz-fast-sale-shop.net. Explain that real brands simply don’t work this way, and that a too-good-to-be-true price almost always is.

Protecting Adults from Everyday Online Risks

Most adults don’t fall for cartoonish scams anymore. What gets them are realistic ones—fake banking pages, fake Eshop Cyprus clones, quick-loan websites, or phishing sites pretending to be courier services.

Tip: Double-check URL spelling and avoid clicking links from texts or emails unless you’re absolutely certain.
Example: You receive an SMS “from DHL” saying your parcel is waiting and you must pay €1.95. The link goes to something like dhl-pay-confirm247.com. Real companies don’t use these types of payment links.

Helping Elderly Family Members Navigate the Web

Elderly users often trust anything that looks official—logos, uniforms, and long text paragraphs create a false sense of legitimacy.

Tip: Set a simple rule: “Never enter card numbers or passwords without calling a family member first.”
Example: A scam website claiming to be CYTA support might pop up with a message saying, “Your modem is infected—pay €3 to secure your line.” Most of these pages use fear to push immediate payments.

Common Scam Websites People in Cyprus (and Everywhere) Encounter

Even though scams evolve quickly, a few patterns keep showing up:

• Fake online shops selling electronics or branded clothes at impossible prices.
• Courier scams pretending to be ACS, DHL, or Cyprus Post, asking you to “release your package.”
• Holiday rental scams, often using beautiful images stolen from real listings.
• Fake government or banking portals—a growing problem—aimed at stealing login credentials.

Most of these don’t target Cyprus specifically; they just localise enough details (currency, shipping text, familiar names) to feel believable.

How to Recognise a Scam Website (Red Flags & Quick Examples)

1. Strange or misspelled URLs

A small typo can mean a completely different site.
Example: Instead of cypruspost.post, you might see cypruspost-secure-pay.com. Looks legit for half a second… and that’s the goal.

2. Poor layout or broken design

Some scam sites try to look modern but feel slightly “off”—odd spacing, low-quality logos, weird English.
Example: A store selling laptops but half the menu options lead to blank pages.

3. Unbelievable discounts

A €900 phone for €80? No chance.
Example: “Today Only – iPhone 15 Pro €99!” Sorry, but Apple barely discounts older models, let alone brand new ones.

4. Missing HTTPS / SSL certificate

If the address bar doesn’t show a lock icon, avoid typing anything sensitive.
Example: A page asking for your credit card details but the URL starts with http:// instead of https://.

5. Suspicious or limited payment options

Scam sites often accept strange methods—like only prepaid cards or only bank transfers.
Example: You try to buy gym equipment and the site refuses PayPal or card payments but insists on “instant SEPA transfer.”

Practical Prevention Tips for Better Family Online Security

Use Browser Protections

Most modern browsers (Chrome, Edge, Safari) warn you when a site seems suspicious.
Example: If a big red warning pops up telling you the site might be dangerous, don’t try to “bypass” it.

Install Security Tools

A good cybersecurity solution, especially for families, filters dangerous pages before anyone even sees them.
Example: If your daughter accidentally clicks a fake Roblox page, the security software blocks it instantly.

Enable Parental Controls for Kids

Parental controls aren’t about spying—they’re simply guardrails.
Example: Restrict young kids from visiting new websites unless they’re on a safe list.

Use Strong, Unique Passwords

If a scam site does manage to capture a password, at least it won’t unlock every other account.
Example: A password manager can create something like R2@mP!7fW9 and remember it for you.

Teach General Online Awareness

Sometimes the most powerful tool is simply slowing down for 10 seconds and asking, “Does this look normal?”
Example: If an online shop has no contact page, no return policy, and only three product photos, something is wrong.

Closing Thoughts

Scam websites aren’t going away anytime soon. If anything, they’re becoming more polished and more targeted. But with the right habits—and a bit of shared family awareness—you can dramatically improve your household’s online safety. It’s not about fear; it’s about staying one step ahead.

If you’d like help securing your home devices, setting up safe browsing tools, or improving your overall cybersecurity, reach out to BestNet Services. We’re here to make your digital life safer, simpler, and stress-free.