Cyber Basics — Stay Safer Online

Course overview

Criminals don't need to be geniuses. They need you to be rushed, scared, or excited for ten seconds. This workshop teaches the habits that stop most attacks on regular people — and a calm plan for what to do if something already happened.

You'll leave able to

Spot phishing emails, texts (smishing) and calls (vishing) — including AI voice clones.
Create strong passphrases and use a password manager.
Turn on MFA and passkeys for email, banking and social media.
Update devices and back up what matters.
Lock down social media and home Wi-Fi.
Follow a step-by-step recovery plan if you're hacked or scammed.

Session plan

Session	Theme	Hands-on
1	Spot the trick — phishing, scams, AI fakes	"Real or Scam?" card game
2	Lock the doors — passwords, passkeys, MFA, updates	Turn on MFA on your own email, live
3	Protect your stuff & bounce back — privacy, Wi-Fi, backups, recovery	Build your personal recovery card

Session 1 — Spot the trick

1.1 The scam formula

Scam formula

Urgency + Emotion + Unusual payment = STOP.

Ingredient	Sounds like
Urgency	"Act within 24 hours or your account will be closed."
Emotion	Fear ("warrant for your arrest"), love ("Grandma, I'm in trouble"), greed ("you've won"), shame
Secrecy	"Don't tell anyone." "Don't hang up."
Unusual payment	Gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, payment apps to strangers, cash couriers, gold bars

Dope Translation: Every scam is a hustle with the same three moves: rush you, rattle you, and get paid in a way you can't take back. Real banks, real government, real family — none of them need gift cards.

1.2 Phishing, smishing, vishing

Red flags: - Sender address doesn't match the company (support@paypa1-secure.co). - Links that don't go where they say — on a computer, hover; on a phone, press and hold to preview. - Requests for passwords, codes, PINs, or ID numbers. - Package-delivery, toll-road, bank-fraud, and "your account is locked" texts. - Any one-time code you didn't request — someone is trying to log in as you. Never read a code to anyone.

The golden rule: Don't use the contact info in the message. Go to the real app, website, or the number on the back of your card.

1.3 Common scams right now

Scam	How it works	Defense
Grandparent / voice-clone	AI copies a relative's voice from social media clips	Family code word; call back on a known number
Government impostor	"IRS / Social Security / police — pay now or be arrested"	Agencies don't demand gift cards or threaten arrest by phone
Tech support	Pop-up says your computer is infected, call this number	Close the browser (force quit); never let strangers remote in
Romance	Online sweetheart who can't meet, then needs money	Never send money to someone you haven't met in person
Investment / crypto	Guaranteed returns, "AI trading," new friend who's a crypto expert	Guaranteed = scam; check Investor.gov
Job scams	Easy remote job, they send you a check, you send some back	Real employers don't pay you to buy equipment from them
Toll / package texts	"Unpaid toll" or "delivery failed" with a link	Check the real E-ZPass / USPS / UPS site yourself
QR code scams	Fake QR stickers on parking meters or flyers	Type the official website yourself

Activity — Real or Scam? (30 min)

Tables get 12 printed message cards (emails, texts, call scripts). Sort into Real, Scam, Check first. Each table explains one card's red flags. (Facilitator key in the notes.)

Your next step

Try it first. Move forward with confidence.

Set by host organization · free at many partner sites

Choose a class or cohort that fits your starting point.

Community workshop at rec centers, senior centers, libraries, churches, schools · live virtual

Ask about enrollment Already enrolled? Check your course access

This page includes the course overview, one sample lesson and up to three practice questions. Remaining lessons, labs, capstone and the full practice bank are reserved for enrolled learners. Microsoft exam fees are separate where shown. Cohort dates and included support are confirmed before enrollment.