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Staying safe online flashcards

Spot scams, protect your accounts and money, and keep your family safe online.

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Beginner friendly, starts from zero
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Staying safe onlineStart from zero · 1 of 11

Why do criminals target ordinary people online?

Because it is cheap and easy to send millions of fake messages. If only a few people reply, criminals profit. You are not too unimportant to be targeted; everyone is.

are a numbers game.
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What you will learn

  1. Start from zero

    • Why it matters3 cards
    • Key words8 cards

  2. Core basics

    • Spotting scams5 cards
    • Passwords and logins4 cards
    • Paying safely3 cards
    • Keeping devices safe3 cards
    • Privacy basics3 cards

  3. Next steps

    • Calls and messages4 cards
    • Account security4 cards
    • Money and banking3 cards
    • Home network2 cards
    • Family safety3 cards
    • Social media2 cards

  4. Go deeper

    • Advanced threats5 cards
    • Spotting fakes2 cards
    • Protecting identity4 cards
    • Strong habits4 cards
    • Reporting and recovery3 cards

Final test and certificate

10 questions drawn fresh from the whole topic, about 15 minutes. Sign in, score 80% or more and get a free certificate with your name and a public check link anyone can open, such as an employer or a teacher. Not signed in? Try a practice test from the cards.

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About these cards

  • Reviewed 26 October 2026
  • CoversNIST SP 800-63B-4 (2025)Current Android and iOS security settingsGuidance as of October 2026
How these cards are made

Staying safe online at a glance

Staying safe online means a few strong habits that stop scams, protect your accounts and money, and keep your personal life private.

Like locking your home: a good lock (strong password), a second lock (two-step login), a peephole (checking who is at the door) and not handing your keys to strangers, however friendly they sound.

Words you will meet

Scam
A trick to make you give money, passwords or personal details
Phishing
A fake message or website pretending to be a real company to steal your details
Password manager
A safe app that creates and remembers a different strong password for every site
Two-step login
A second check after your password, like a code or a tap on your phone
OTP
A one-time code sent to you; whoever has it can get in or pay
Malware
Harmful software that spies, steals or locks your files
Passkey
A new way to sign in with your fingerprint or face instead of a password
Privacy settings
The controls that decide who can see your posts, photos and details

The steps

  1. 1. Start from zero (11 cards): Why people are targeted, what scammers want, and the words you need before Core basics.
  2. 2. Core basics (18 cards): Spotting scams, strong passwords and logins, paying safely, device safety and privacy.
  3. 3. Next steps (18 cards): Phone and message scams, account security, banking, home network, family and social media.
  4. 4. Go deeper (18 cards): Ransomware, QR and deepfake scams, spotting fakes, identity protection, habits and recovery.
All 11 cards in Start from zero
Why do criminals target ordinary people online?
Because it is cheap and easy to send millions of fake messages. If only a few people reply, criminals profit. You are not too unimportant to be targeted; everyone is.
What do online scammers usually want?
Money, your passwords and one-time codes, your personal details (to borrow in your name), or access to your phone or computer. Every scam aims at one of these.
What is a scam, and how do most scams feel?
A trick to get money or details. Most create a strong feeling: fear ("your account is blocked"), urgency ("within 2 hours"), greed ("you won a prize") or love. A strong push to act now is the warning sign.
What is phishing?
A fake email, text, or website that copies a real bank, delivery firm or government office to make you type your details or click a bad link. Text-message versions are often called smishing.
What is an OTP, and why must you never share it?
A one-time code sent by your bank or app to confirm it is really you. Anyone who has it can log in or pay as you. No real bank, company or official will ever ask you for it.
What is a password manager?
A secure app that creates a strong, different password for every website and remembers them all, so you only remember one main password. Phones and browsers include one.
What is two-step login?
After your password, a second check: a code from an app, a tap on your phone or a fingerprint. Even if someone steals your password, they still cannot get in.
What is a passkey?
A newer way to sign in using your phone's fingerprint, face or PIN instead of a password. There is nothing to type, so nothing to steal with a fake website.
What is malware?
Harmful software that sneaks onto a phone or computer to spy, steal passwords, show ads or lock your files for money. It often hides in fake apps, attachments and pirated downloads.
What are privacy settings?
Controls in each app that decide who sees your posts, photos, phone number and location. Setting them to friends only or private keeps strangers and scammers from learning about you.
What do you need to start, and what will you be able to do?
Just your phone or computer and the apps you already use. By the end you will spot scams fast, lock down your accounts and know exactly what to do if something goes wrong.
Staying safe online cheatsheet

Red flags

  • "Act now or lose your account" Urgency means stop
  • Asks for OTP, PIN or password Always a scam
  • Link in unexpected message Do not tap; go to the official app
  • Pay to receive money or a job Scam
  • Install this app so I can help Remote access trap
  • Too good to be true It is

Account protection

  • Password manager Unique password for every site
  • 15+ characters Length beats symbols
  • Passkey Phishing-proof sign-in
  • Authenticator app Safer than SMS codes
  • Main email first It resets everything else
  • Backup codes Store them safely offline

Payments

  • UPI PIN Only to send, never to receive
  • Transaction alerts Know every payment at once
  • Daily limits Cap the damage
  • Card on delivery or credit card Easier to dispute
  • Official apps only For banking and payments

If something goes wrong

  • Call your bank Block card and account
  • 1930 / cybercrime.gov.in India cybercrime reporting
  • reportfraud.ftc.gov US fraud reporting
  • 7726 UK: forward scam texts
  • Screenshots and ids Keep evidence
  • Change passwords Starting with email

Devices and home

  • Auto updates on Phone, computer, apps, router
  • Screen lock 6-digit PIN or biometrics
  • Find My Device / Find My Locate or wipe a lost phone
  • Router admin password Change from the default
  • WPA3 or WPA2 Wi-Fi encryption
  • Guest network For smart devices and visitors
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