Nearly Half of French-Speaking Belgian Teens Would Hide a Scam From Their Parents

Some 37% of Belgian teenagers aged 12 to 17 said they wouldn’t dare tell their parents if they fell victim to an online scam, according to a recent survey commissioned by payment service Bancontact. Among French-speaking teens, that figure rises to 45%.

Key takeaways

• In Belgium, 45% of French-speaking teens say they wouldn’t tell their parents if they were scammed online
• Scam awareness isn’t just about spotting suspicious links—it’s also about feeling safe enough to ask someone you trust for help
• Parents can make a real difference by responding calmly, agreeing on a plan, and making “tell me first” the family rule

A teenager clicks a link sent by a friend. It looks like a giveaway, a concert ticket offer, or a huge discount from a cherished creator. A few minutes later, they realize something was wrong.

What happens next can make all the difference.

Findings from Belgium highlight a worrying pattern: some teens say they would stay silent after falling victim to a scam. The study also found a familiar gap between confidence and behavior. While 67% of teenagers believe they can recognize scams, 63% admitted they had clicked a link and later realized they shouldn’t have.

 But when a young person doesn’t speak up, a small mistake can compound. A suspicious payment may be harder to reverse, an account may remain compromised, or personal information may be used in further attempts to deceive them.

Embarrassment can turn a mistake into a bigger incident. A teen who worries that a parent will be angry, take away their phone, or say “I told you so” may wait too long to mention a suspicious payment or compromised account.

That’s why parents should make the response clear before anything goes wrong:

“If something online feels wrong, or if you clicked something by accident, tell me. We will deal with it together.”

This doesn’t mean ignoring consequences or abandoning sensible boundaries. It means separating the problem from the person. People who try to deceive others depend on victims feeling rushed, ashamed and alone. A calm adult response takes away one of their biggest advantages.

How to make scam conversations easier at home

Avoid turning online safety into a lecture. Try to bring it up naturally when a suspicious text, fake giveaway, or viral shopping trend comes up in conversation. Then, agree on a couple of simple family rules:

• No legitimate bank, delivery company, or support agent needs a password, PIN, or one-time verification code
• A message from a friend can still be a scam if their account was hacked; verify the request through another contact method to confirm it really comes from your friend or family member
• Big discounts, prize alerts, and urgent countdowns deserve an extra check
• If a payment or link feels uncertain, stop and ask someone before acting
• If money, account details, or a password may have been shared, tell a trusted adult immediately

If your teen has already fallen victim, follow our step-by-step guide on what to do. The recommendations help limit the damage, secure your child’s accounts, and boost online safety.

You may also want to read:

• What to Do If Your Kid’s Phone Is Hacked: A Parent’s Step-by-Step Guide
• What to do if your child is being sextorted: A therapist’s guide for parents
• How cult-like online groups target children through gaming
• Your teen outgrew parental controls. Now what? How to keep teens safe online
• How to teach your child online safety without scaring them

Give your family the right tools to fight online scams

Young people need room to gain confidence online, including when they make their first payments, shop on social media, or use second-hand marketplaces.

Bitdefender Scamio can help families assess suspicious messages, links and QR codes before anyone clicks. Bitdefender Link Checker is another quick way to investigate a questionable URL.

If you want an extra layer of protection as your teen explores the digital space, check out our family-focused security solutions. You get award-winning anti-malware protection, plus Scam Protection to help detect phishing links, scam websites, malicious SMS messages, and other scam attempts before they reach you or trick your child into handing over sensitive information.