Queensland kids at risk of screentime scams
As Queensland kids head back to school, new RACQ Bank research exposes a concerning divide in digital safety with 45% of parents revealing they had not discussed scams with their under-12s, despite more than half (57%) allowing unsupervised screentime.
Concerningly, this lack of education has resulted in real-world consequences, with almost 30% of parents reporting they had intercepted a scam while their child was online and 6% falling victim during their child’s screen time.
Despite these risks, almost one in five parents (17%) don’t use any parental controls on devices and 21% are unsure what to do if their child is scammed.
RACQ Bank Head of Operations and Financial Crimes Sarah Richardson said the findings highlighted the urgent need for parents and guardians to take an active role in educating kids about online threats.
“We live in a digital world where children rely on online tools for learning and socialising,” Ms Richardson said.
“Unfortunately, this also makes them vulnerable to scams, and the research shows scammers are targeting younger Australians today more than ever.”
According to ScamWatch, under-18s in Australia had already lost over $154,000 to scams in 2025, with 694 reported incidents.
Online shopping, phishing, and fake job offers are the top scam types, with social media, text messages, and emails being the most common contact methods.
RACQ Bank is urging parents to act by starting conversations about scams and online safety, using parental controls on devices and staying informed about the latest scam tactics and how to respond.
“We know parents are doing their best, but concerningly scammers are becoming more frequent and increasingly sophisticated,” Ms Richardson said.
“It’s really important to talk to your kids about what scams look like, how to spot suspicious messages and what to do if something doesn’t feel right.”
Encouragingly, the survey showed growing support for early scam education, with 38% of parents believing it should begin by the age of 10, and one in four saying it should start before the age of 8.
“Stay engaged by asking your kids what they’re doing online, who they’re talking to and what apps they’re using. Make sure you’re also keeping up with the latest scam tactics and what to do if something goes wrong by using resources like ScamWatch,” Ms Richardson said.
“We also urge parents to explore the parental control settings on their devices and apps. These tools are there to help protect your children and they’re easier to use than many people think.”
For more information on how to protect your family from scams, visit our scams webpage.
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