SF supervisor hosts educational workshops as scams targeting teens on the rise

In San Francisco's Sunset District, workshops are being held to combat rising online scams affecting both seniors and teenagers. Last year, the area reported nearly 500 scams with losses totaling around $7 million. Supervisor Joel Engardio emphasized that while seniors are often victims of financial scams, teenagers face social media exploitation that can lead to emotional harm. Tai Morganson, an intern on Engardio's team, pointed out that scams targeting teens often revolve around employment and romance, where impersonators create false identities to extract personal details. The CyberTipline reported over 546,000 online enticement cases last year, underscoring the urgency of the issue.

Experts suggest open discussions with teens about online safety and maintaining private social media accounts. The next workshop for teenagers is scheduled for July 10 at the Chi Sing Community Center. These efforts aim to enhance awareness and protect vulnerable youth from online threats.