Teenagers at risk: what online schemes are fixed in the Brest region and how to protect children

The Internet has become a familiar part of teenagers’ lives, but along with its opportunities, it also brings risks that are often underestimated. In the digital environment, they communicate, play, shop, make acquaintances – and this is where they increasingly face deception, pressure and attempts to involve them in dangerous schemes. Statistics and real cases show that cybercrime involving minors is becoming not an exception, but a steady trend requiring adult attention. About how exactly such schemes work and why teenagers are at risk, told the acting head of the operational and analytical work of the UPC KM Department of Internal Affairs of the Brest Regional Executive Committee Lieutenant Colonel of the police Artem Gulyuk, writes sb.by.

- Since the beginning of the year, 87 criminal cases have been registered in the Brest region, where minors became victims. Over the same period last year, there were 39 such facts, and the increase more than doubles the size of the problem. Behind each figure is a specific teenager who has faced pressure, cheating or lost money.

According to him, the increase in the number of such crimes is due to the fact that criminals are increasingly going where teenagers feel as free as possible: in games, social networks and instant messengers. In these spaces, intruders don’t look like criminals, but like a “new acquaintance,” a “buyer,” a “game administrator,” or a person who allegedly wants to help. Financial losses in such situations are often significant.

- One of the most significant cases occurred in September 2026. 17-year-old resident of Brest gave fraudsters about 55 thousand rubles — parental savings. The scheme was built on fear: the teenager was convinced that his parents allegedly faced criminal liability, and the money needed to be urgently “saved”. Pressure, hasty demands and lack of time to verify information are classic signs of fraud. When a person is forced to make a decision “right now,” it is almost always an attempt at deception.

- To date, 11 minors aged 14 to 17 years have been brought to criminal responsibility in the area of combating cybercrime. A teenager often feels that he is not committing a crime, but simply “works hard”: he accepts a transfer to a card, withdraws money, transfers it to another person, draws up a bank account or provides his account. A small amount is promised for this, creating the illusion that someone else is at risk. But it is the teenager who leaves “traces” and becomes a participant in the criminal case, he explained.

A separate group of risks is associated with blackmail. Everything starts harmlessly: trusting communication, sharing photos, personal confessions. Then the tone of the interlocutor changes dramatically – there are threats to send materials to parents, friends or publish them online. Another option is hacking the account and access to correspondence and photos.

- Sometimes teenagers themselves perceive blackmail as a “joke” or an attempt to assert themselves, but for the law it is not a game. The main rule for the victim is not to pay. One translation will not stop the criminal, but, on the contrary, will confirm that the person can be pressured further. In case of threats and extortion, you need to save correspondence, take screenshots and ask for help, including to the police at 102, said Artem Gulyuk.

Most often in such situations are teenagers 15-17 years old - both victims and those who are involved in illegal schemes. At this age, they are quite independent, but still do not always distinguish where the usual communication ends and the attempt to cheat begins. It is this inexperience that makes teenagers a convenient target for attackers.

The schemes of deception change, but the principle remains the same: first, the attacker arouses the interest or trust of the teenager, and then gets to his data or money. This can look like a “help,” a “gift,” an in-game bonus offer, or a message on behalf of a friend. Often everything is built on a gradual rapprochement: a person gains trust, and then asks for money, photos or personal data.

- Parents should pay attention to a set of sudden changes: secrecy with the phone, the emergence of new messengers, the constant deletion of correspondence, nervous reactions to questions, unexpected money or expensive things. It is important not to start the conversation with accusations – if a child is afraid to tell his parents, it becomes easier for the offender to control him. When it comes to extortion, threats or theft of money, it is important not to delete correspondence: screenshots, links and account data can become evidence. And the main thing is the family principle: a child should know for sure that if something terrible happened on the Internet, he can come to his parents first, even if he made a mistake. Trust is something that can really stop the crime, said the police officer. Police warns of new fraud scheme - scammers promise payments for the Day of Elderly Persons Photo courtesy of Brest Regional Executive Committee

Photo on the announcement: archive "SB"