romance scams
Love at First Byte
Professor Shelldon's charming online pen pal Coralina suddenly needs money for a plane ticket. Bubbles and Zola investigate the mystery and uncover the pattern behind online friendship and romance scams.
Today's rule: Never met in person? Never send money.
What kids learn
- Never met in person? Never send money
- Fake photo, no video, an emergency = scam
- Tell someone you trust
Quiz time
Can you get them all?
An online friend you've never met asks for money in an emergency. What do you do?
Which is a red flag for an online friend?
For parents & teachers
Talk about it together
- Talk with older relatives about online friends who end up asking for money.
- Explain reverse image searches and why scammers borrow photos.
- Teach children: online friends who ask for money, photos or secrets get reported to a grown-up.
- Agree that nobody sends money or gift cards to someone they've only met online.
Read more
Online Friends Who Ask for Money: Spotting the Pattern
Romance and friendship scams are slow. The scammer spends weeks being kind and attentive, then an emergency appears that only money can fix.
Read the full guide →
Phishmael & Friends







