Sensible Guide

Off the Phone and On the Soccer Field: My Cure for Digital Disconnection

November 7, 2025 by Elaha Qudratulla

Kids crave connection. Face-to-face interaction and emotional closeness are vital for healthy development—particularly for adolescents.[1] Screen time offers shallow connections and distracts kids from those unpleasant cravings. It also keeps kids so busy that they don’t seek the connection they so desperately need. What if they didn’t have to be so lonely? What if there was a way they could be off their screens, doing something good for their health, and making friends at the same time? For me, that was playing sports.

The Seed Was Planted

As a child, I was most excited to hang out with my friends, be on my phone, watch TV, or eat sweets, in that order. That was until I joined a team sport.

It all started when my mother asked me if I wanted to join the local soccer team. I was nine years old and against the idea because I didn’t want it to cut into cartoon time on the weekends, and had we gone through the Screen Safety Essentials Course, we wouldn’t have worried so much about the impact of screens on us. But she insisted. I only agreed because my favorite cousins were on the team.

I learned from the first practice that I loved the intense physical activity of soccer, and after a while, I began to really get the hang of it. I felt proud and accomplished. I made great friends on the team. We loved team bonding activities and even began to hang out outside of practice. I loved it so much, I gave it my all and looked forward to it all week.

By high school, I had won medals and genuinely felt like I was good at the sport. I received praise and encouragement for all of my efforts and hard work. It also inspired me to work hard in other aspects of my life. I tried harder in school, was friendlier with classmates, more obedient in class, and more eager to participate in the learning process. According to Project Play, high school athletes are more likely to further their education and even receive higher grades in college.[2] I started seeing everything in the world as a skill waiting to be attained, something that required courage, effort, and training.

Having that view of the world helped me when I sprained my ankle right before the start of my freshman season. While recovering, I could have easily scrolled through Snapchat and Instagram endlessly. But I wanted to make sure I continued to build the bond with my teammates for when I returned. It taught me to wait my turn, keep a positive attitude, remain patient, and support others as they shine. As soon as I recovered, my teammates were more than happy to catch me up to speed, and I rebuilt my strength.

Core Memories That Last

One of my most memorable moments taught me something I will never forget. It was my junior year; we were tied 0-0, with a minute left in the game. My team was exhausted, but as captain, I knew this is where my job was most important. I dribbled the ball up the center, dodging two midfielders and one defender, set it up for my left forward, and yelled, “SHOOT!” She shot and sent it straight into the upper right corner of the goal. Everyone who was there to support us was on their feet, our coaches were throwing their clipboards in the air and hugging each other, and our teammates ran to us for a celebratory hug and a jump around. We spent the last 15 seconds of that game with tears in our eyes and joy in our hearts. We had just beaten a 40-year record for our school!

This is when I realized this would have a lifelong impact on me. It was one of those moments that I’ll look back on happily. It was a lifetime of preparation to become someone people could rely on when things got tough and hope felt lost. It was the moment I truly understood what being a leader meant to me and the impact it had on others.

I hugged and thanked my mother for signing me up for soccer at nine years old. She introduced me to the first love of my life, and I would forever be grateful for that. From then on, I never doubted my abilities to get something done, never lost confidence in myself, and never hurt someone without apologizing or broke something without trying to replace it.

The Impact of The Beautiful Game

Project Play reports that sports, in particular, can positively impact aspects of personal development among young people, keep them away from harmful substances, and encourage cognitive, educational, and mental health benefits.[2] I believe my experience of playing soccer was so much more than just a fun sport or a way to stay active, although both are tried and true. It was a refinement of my character, it was a positive shift in how I viewed the world and myself in it, it was what taught me that rejection was just redirection, and it was a way to build and maintain connections with people I am still close to, at 27 years old.

Why Everyone Should Play Sports

Participation in sports can protect against the development of mental health disorders.[4] These benefits include lowering stress levels, rates of anxiety and depression.[5]Lifelong participation in sports leads to improved mental health outcomes and even immediate psychological benefits which continue long after participation is over with. The improve self-confidence, encourage creativity, and nurture a higher self-esteem. Statistically, adolescents who play sports are eight times more likely to be physically active at age 24.[3]

Thanks to CSUCI intern, Elaha Qudratulla, for sharing an important story about how beneficial playing sports were for her then and how it still helps her today.

I’m the mom psychologist who will help you GetKidsInternetSafe.

Onward to More Awesome Parenting,

Tracy S. Bennett, Ph.D.
Mom, Clinical Psychologist, CSUCI Adjunct Faculty
GetKidsInternetSafe.com

Works Cited:

[1] https://www.uvpediatrics.com/topics/alone-together-how-smartphones-and-social-media-contribute-to-social-deprivation-in-youth

[2] https://projectplay.org/youth-sports/facts/benefits

[3] https://odphp.health.gov/sites/default/files/2020-09/YSS_Report_OnePager_2020-08-31_web.pdf

[4] https://baca.org/blog/does-playing-organized-youth-sports-have-an-impact-on-adult-mental-health/

[5] https://pce.sandiego.edu/child-development-through-sports/

Photos Cited:

[Header] Eva Wahyuni on UnSplash

[2] Olivia Hibbins on UnSplash

[3] Elaha Qudratulla

[4] Jeffrey F Lin on UnSplash

[5] Elaha Qudratulla

https://unsplash.com/

Likes and Lies: The Hidden Dangers of Your Child’s Feed

July 10, 2025 by Elaha Qudratulla

Your child’s social media feed knows more about them than you do. It knows when they’re sad, when they’re bored, and exactly what will keep them doom-scrolling. What started as a tool to share selfies is now a billion-dollar system designed to study their every click. It used to be strangers in parks, but now, it’s the threat in your child’s pocket. Instagram and Snapchat look like fun and harmless apps, but their design is all but innocent. Behind every selfie and snap streak is an algorithm trained to hijack your child’s attention, exploit their self-esteem, and guide their decisions. Today, this function serves as a 24/7 behavioral lab where your child is the test dummy. Every tap and swipe are testing what makes influences them or makes them click and buy.[1]

Before the Storm: When Social Media Felt Safe

When Instagram launched in 2010, its focus was to bring users together, show off talent, share good news, and discover something new. Snapchat followed shortly after, allowing people to share moments in real time, making it feel like you can never be too far away to keep up a connection.[2] For a while, both platforms served as exciting digital spaces for teens to express themselves, keep up with friends, and build their identity during a critical stage of development. That was before the algorithms took over.

Your Child, The Algorithms’ Prey

With time, social media platforms changed and added features to collect more user data and became more addictive. For example, Instagram is no longer a walled garden where users only view the content they search for. Now your child is offered content that their algorithm thinks will keep them hooked on scrolling.

According to the Google Dictionary, an algorithm is a process of calculations, which is usually followed by a computer, to generate problem-solving operations.[3]

Similar to gambling, teens get hooked not by the actual content, but by the mere possibility of upcoming content that can spike their interest for a few seconds longer.[4] Teenage brains are especially vulnerable to dopamine-driven design. Each like or snap streak triggers a small release of dopamine (the brain’s reward chemical).

These dopamine hits reinforce behavior, which grows the addiction to likes, snaps, and screen time. Studies show that likes on social media activate the brain’s reward center the same way winning money or eating chocolate does. The effect is often strongest in adolescents.[5] Check out a similar article on What “Going Viral” Does to Your Brain and Self-Esteem.

Snapchat’s “discover” and “spotlight” tabs work similarly, offering endless videos of curated, attention-grabbing content. These algorithms are powered by machine learning models trained on user data, so that every like, pause, screenshot, and swipe is noted and catered to. Eventually, all of this info is used to create a feed of things your child’s eyes and attention will be glued to for hours on end.

Also, Snapchat’s infamous “Snapsteaks” turn communication into an obligation. Teens often feel pressure to maintain streaks daily, even with people they barely know, just to avoid losing their digital relationships.

Social media has always been performative to some degree. But algorithms now reward exaggerated, filtered, and fake versions of life. Filters that alter facial features and bodies have made it harder for teens to see the difference between real and edited images. The compare and despair dynamic can lead to poor self-image and increasing dissatisfaction among vulnerable kids and teens. External validation through repeated use of social media is linked to increased anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem in adolescents.[6] Check out this GKIS article on how Beauty Filters Don’t Embrace Brown Beauty: The Rise of Colorism.

Take Back the Power

As tempting as it is to ban the use of these apps altogether, it can backfire. Overly punitive responses can promote child secrecy and risky behavior, especially as teens are coming into their own and learning to be more and more independent. Get ahead of it and be their ally by educating them about the hidden risks. Tackle this problem together by taking The GKIS Social Media Readiness Course. Our online course was created for tweens and teens to help them learn safer social media habits and practice better emotional wellness. With these skills, when they come in contact with harmful social media content, they will have their shields up.

Thanks to CSUCI intern, Elaha Qudratulla, for researching and co-writing this article. Check out more of her work here on GKIS:

The Hidden Dangers of Online Grooming: I Was Only 13

Netflix Documentary, Bad Influencer, Exposes Parent Producer Abusing Child Influencers

I’m the mom psychologist who will help you GetKidsInternetSafe.

Onward to More Awesome Parenting,

Tracy S. Bennett, Ph.D.
Mom, Clinical Psychologist, CSUCI Adjunct Faculty
GetKidsInternetSafe.com

Works Cited

[1]https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sociology/articles/10.3389/fsoc.2020.599270/full

[2]https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2015.1084349

[3]https://www.google.com/search?q=definition+of+an+algorithm&rlz=1C1GCEU_enUS947US947&oq=definition+of+an+algorithm+&aqs=chrome..69i57j0i512j0i22i30l8.10231j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

[4]https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2015.09.004

[5]https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12838

[6]https://doi.org/10.1080/02673843.2019.1590851

Photos Cited

[Header] Gaspar Uhas on Unsplash

[2] Karsten Winegeart on Unsplash

[3] Soheb Zaidi on Unsplash

[4] Adrian Swancar on Unsplash

[5] Jeffery Kennan on Unsplash

https://unsplash.com/

The GKIS Sensible Parent’s Guide to Greenlight Debit Card for Kids

April 10, 2023 by katherinecarroll

Since the onset of Covid-19, many establishments have become credit card-only and no longer take cash. With this change, getting a cash allowance for doing chores or mowing the lawn is slowly becoming a thing of the past. However, it is still possible for parents to reward their children and teach financial literacy with debit cards specifically made for children. Greenlight advertises itself as a tool to help empower parents to raise financially-smart children, if you are interested in a tool to help empower you to raise digitally-smart children, check out our GKIS Screen Safety Toolkit.

What is Greenlight?

Greenlight is a debit card and money app for families that is managed by parents or legal guardians.[1] Parents are able to load money onto their child’s card and manage where, when, and how much their child spends.[1] Greenlight was first founded in 2014 and is worth 2.3 billion dollars.[2] CEO Tim Sheehan says that through Greenlight, he is teaching children financial literacy worldwide through the tools provided in his application.[2]

According to CNET, Greenlight is one of the most popular debit card apps for kids and the best choice for kids’ debit cards out of five similar cards.[3] Greenlight accumulated 10,000 users within its first five months of operation and has more than four million accounts today.[4] The Greenlight website mentions that three out of four teens do not feel knowledgeable about their personal finance, and that they were created with the mission of changing that.[5]

Features of Greenlight Debit Cards

One of the reasons Greenlight is the most popular choice among competitors is that there are a number of features that their competitors do not have.

Greenlight has three different plans that parents can choose from, each at a different monthly rate. The least expensive plan provides debit cards for up to five children and offers an educational app, core financial tools, parental controls, a one percent savings reward, fun money skill games, credit for parents, and a “lite” version of investing for parents.[6] The next plan has investing for parents, investing for kids, a two percent saving reward, one percent cash back, greenlight black card, priority customer support, and three-times protection (identity theft, purchase, and phone protection).[6] The final plan has all the aforementioned benefits plus a five percent savings reward, family location sharing, SOS alerts, and crash detection.[6]

Greenlight provides an app for both parents and kids. It is one app but allows for two different experiences.[7] Parents are able to turn cards on or off from the app, get real-time spending notifications, instantly transfer money, and control where their kids spend their money.[7] Kids using the app are able to “Level Up”, a game that teaches kids financial literacy and allows them to learn skills from budgeting to investing.[8] The games provided are full of minigames, videos, and questions that allow for learning to occur.[8]

Benefits

Financial literacy is the ability to comprehend and use various financial skills like budgeting and investing.[9] By creating strong financial literacy skills early in life, children can learn valuable life skills that will benefit them in the future. These skills include knowing how to save for retirement, purchase a home, select insurance, create budgets, invest, buy a car, save for big expenses, use credit cards, and reduce unnecessary expenses.[10]

Financial literacy empowers children and equips them with the knowledge needed to navigate unique financial situations they will undoubtedly encounter in the future. According to a national survey, of 1203 college undergraduate participants, 46.1% of respondents have credit card debt with 27% exceeding $2000.[11] More than 79% of respondents also did not know that a credit score measures your risk to banks and can have a negative impact on future financial endeavors.[11] Through financial literacy, your children can avoid these mistakes and understand how to properly manage their funds which will allow them to avoid getting into debt at a young age.

Risks & How to Mitigate Them

As with any online financial transaction, there are always risks to placing your money in the hands of a virtual bank. However, according to the Greenlight website their debit cards are federally insured for up to $250,000 and come with Mastercard’s Zero Liability Protection.[12]

Allowing your child financial freedom can be worrisome for some parents who are unsure where their child may be spending their savings. Luckily, the parental controls in the app also allow parents to know where their child is spending their money and what they are spending it on. Communicating with your child beforehand about where they can use their money helps to avoid being caught off guard if their card gets declined for a certain purchase. We can help facilitate this healthy conversation with your child through our GKIS Connected Family Screen Agreement.

Like what you read? Check out our GKIS articles “The GKIS Sensible Parent’s Guide to Venmo” and “The GKIS Sensible Parent’s Guide to Facebook Messenger Kids”.

Thanks to CSUCI intern, Katherine Carroll for researching Greenlight debit cards for kids.

I’m the mom psychologist who will help you GetKidsInternetSafe.

Onward to More Awesome Parenting,

Tracy S. Bennett, Ph.D.
Mom, Clinical Psychologist, CSUCI Adjunct Faculty
GetKidsInternetSafe.com

Works Cited

[1] Greenlight: Our Mission. (2023). Greenlight. https://greenlight.com/mission

[2] Greenlight, the Debit Card and Money App for Families. (2023). Morgan Stanley. https://www.morganstanley.com/what-we-do/wealth-management/cashplus/greenlight

[3] Best Debit Cards for Kids and Teens in March 2023: GoHenry, BusyKid and More. (2023). CNET. https://www.cnet.com/personal-finance/credit-cards/debit-cards-for-kids-and-teens/

[4] Greenlight: In the News. (2023). Greenlight. https://greenlight.com/press

[5] Greenlight: Financial Literacy for Kids and Teens. (2023). Greenlight. https://greenlight.com/financial-literacy-for-kids-and-teens

[6] Greenlight: Greenlight Plans. (2023). Greenlight. https://greenlight.com/plans

[7] Greenlight: The Debit Card That Has Their Back And Yours. (2023). Greenlight. https://greenlight.com/debit-card

[8] Greenlight: The Game-Changing Money Game. (2023). Greenlight. https://greenlight.com/level-up-financial-literacy-game

[9] Fernando, J. (2022) Financial Literacy: What It Is, and Why It Is So Important. Investopedia. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/financial-literacy.asp#:~:text=A%20strong%20foundation%20of%20financial,debt%2C%20and%20track%20personal%20spending.

[10] Rose, S. (2021) What Are the Benefits of Financial Literacy? OppU. https://www.opploans.com/oppu/articles/what-are-the-benefits-of-being-financially-literate/

[11] Harzog, B. (2022) Survey: 46% of College Students With Credit Cards Have Debt. U.S. News & World Report. https://money.usnews.com/credit-cards/articles/survey-46-of-students-with-credit-cards-have-debt

[12] Greenlight: Question We’d Ask If We Were Parents (We Are). (2023). Greenlight. https://greenlight.com/faq

Photo Credits

Photo by Sasun Bughdaryan (https://unsplash.com/photos/EmGF98ckNSU)

Photo by Giovanni Gagliardi (https://unsplash.com/photos/b1omwFGldMU)

Photo by Tred Earth (https://unsplash.com/photos/PG78hq3Gzq8)

Photo by Alexander Mils (https://unsplash.com/photos/lCPhGxs7pww)

An Obsession with Lifelike Automatons and Dolls

May 13, 2022 by michael.watson507@myci.csuci.edu

Did you know that a robot has been given legal citizenship and personhood? People are obsessed with lifelike robots and dolls. What makes us so fascinated with objects that resemble us? In this GKIS article, we will be exploring several types of lifelike automatons and dolls as well as the psychology behind our obsession with them. If you are unsure of how to protect your tweens’ and teens’ growing reliance on technology and obsession with online presence, Dr. Bennett’s Social Media Readiness Online Course will give you the answers you are looking for and help you to navigate through these ever-changing waters!

What is the difference between an automaton and a doll?

While some may use the words interchangeably, there is a huge difference between an automaton and a doll. Most importantly, automatons are mechanized robots, while dolls do not move by themselves. Another important difference is the trend to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into lifelike automatons. Artificial intelligence is a program that allows a computer to mimic the human mind, which allows it to make changes to itself. The advancement of artificial intelligence has stoked new interest and debate about morality and personhood. After all, the more advanced artificial intelligence gets, the more these robots resemble actual humans. It may not be too far off until we see a robot that possesses an actual consciousness.

Sophia

Sophia is one of the most famous lifelike robots in the world. She is an ultra-realistic humanoid robot with advanced artificial intelligence. She can hold conversations with people and has been on several press tours and has done numerous interviews where she converses with people and discusses what it is like to be her. She has even been on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. Honestly, it is pretty trippy to watch.

While the fact that she can hold intelligible conversations with people is impressive, it is even more monumental that she has citizenship. In 2017, Saudi Arabia gave Sophia citizenship, making her the first AI to be given legal personhood and human rights.[1] While this may be more of a marketing strategy for Hanson Robotics and positive publicity for Saudi Arabia, the fact remains that a robot has been given legal autonomy.

Erica

Lifelike robots are also being considered as labor options. Erica is a robot developed by roboticist, Hiroshi Ishiguro. She has lifelike skin, hair, and facial expressions. Like Sophia, she also utilizes AI to hold conversations, read, and recognize human faces. She currently has her own YouTube channel and appears on television in Japan as a news anchor.[2] While she can not move her limbs, she can move her neck and waist to turn toward people. Erica’s lifelike facial movements and ability to read and recite the news have given her a bit of celebrity status in Japan.

Sex Robots

Did you know there is a huge market for sex robots? Sex robots are lifelike, anatomically correct androids that are built for pleasure. These robots can be ordered to look and sound however the buyer wants. They can also be programmed to say specific phrases and respond in specific ways. They can also run different scenarios to simulate realistic experiences. Unfortunately, rape scenarios are available. If you are curious about sex robots, look out for my upcoming article here on GKIS.

Reborn Dolls

Reborn dolls are lifelike dolls made by artists, that usually resemble babies or toddlers. These dolls are extremely realistic and have garnered an entire subculture of fans who are dedicated to them. While they do not move, speak, or communicate in any way, the people that own them treat them as if they were real children.

Some people use these dolls for therapeutic purposes. There have been instances where mothers who have lost their babies have had lifelike dolls made in their child’s likeness to deal with their grief. They have also been used to deal with infertility, miscarriages, and depression.

Super Dollfie

Volks is an action figure/doll company that makes anatomically correct, hyper-realistic figures. If you are having a hard time imagining this, think Barbie with all the naughty bits. These figures are highly sought after by collectors and go for exorbitant prices. They are extremely customizable, and you can even buy clothing for them that is more finely detailed than most of the stuff in the average person’s closet. The attention to detail on these things is insane. All the clothing, hair, and body parts can be changed out to make the doll look however you want it to.

Possible Reasons Why People are Obsessed with Lifelike Robots and Dolls

People are curious by nature
People get lonely
People look for connection and meaning everywhere
There is no risk of rejection
Some people have social anxiety

Staying Informed and Keeping Your Family Safe

Dr. B is in a unique position to help you to learn more about the potential dangers that your family could face when engaging with the internet and technology. As a practicing psychologist, university professor, and mother, she can help you and your family safely traverse the digital world we live in.

In Dr. B’s book, Screen Time in the Mean Time, she discusses and attacks the issue of raising a family while safely integrating technology rather than fearing it. Also, you can download the free GKIS Connected Family Agreement simply by creating a GKIS account on our website home page. If you are looking for other fun and informative stories, check out the GKIS Blog. For other useful tips about how to make the internet a safer place for your family, you can get parenting and family coaching information, support, and other valuable information from the GKIS Screen Safety Essentials Course.

Thanks to CSUCI intern, Michael Watson for researching lifelike automatons and dolls.

I’m the mom psychologist who will help you GetKidsInternetSafe.

Onward to More Awesome Parenting,

Tracy S. Bennett, Ph.D.
Mom, Clinical Psychologist, CSUCI Adjunct Faculty
GetKidsInternetSafe.com

Works Cited

[1] Reynolds, E. (2018). The agony of Sophia, the world’s first robot citizen condemned to a lifeless career in marketing. Wired. https://www.wired.co.uk/article/sophia-robot-citizen-womens-rights-detriot-become-human-hanson-robotics

[2] Specktor, B. (2018). Meet Erica, Japan’s next robot news anchor. Live Science. https://www.livescience.com/61575-erica-robot-replace-japanese-news-anchor.html

Photo Credits

Photo by Compare Fibre (https://unsplash.com/photos/IaX5aH9spPk)

Photo by Possessed Photography (https://unsplash.com/photos/YKW0JjP7rlU)

Photo by Sigrid Wu (https://unsplash.com/photos/KSTM340nmyA)

Photo by Arteum.ro (https://unsplash.com/photos/7H41oiADqqg)

Thanks to Kent Williams for the beautiful painting used for the thumbnail. (https://www.kentwilliams.com/paintings/2018/8/16/2018/8/16/m-w)

Scammers Target the Elderly: How to Avoid Being Scammed

April 4, 2022 by Ashley Salazar

Scams can cause extreme financial and emotional distress to victims and their families. With technology, scammers have become more creative in accessing their victims by offering quick clicks and false credibility. Even young teens that navigate effortlessly online have a hard time distinguishing legitimate situations from scams. To help you and your family avoid becoming the victims of a scammer, I interviewed “William”^* who shared his mother’s story. She was an educated professional that fell victim to multiple scams over five years. You won’t want to miss the true story about what happened to her. If your family hasn’t taken steps for increased awareness and cybersecurity, you’ll want to check out our Cybersecurity & Red Flags supplement. The perfect compliment to our free Connected Family Agreement, you can take the extra steps you need to protect your loved ones right now. Our guide offers tips to avoid hacking, scamming, malware, and phishing and is a must-have for today’s modern family. Today’s GKIS article shares the story of an elderly woman victimized by scammers, the types of scams to look out for, and tips on how to avoid becoming a victim yourself.[1]

*Names were changed to protect the privacy of the victims.

What are scams?

A scam is a dishonest scheme to cheat someone or steal money. With the help of technology, scammers have been able to target their victims in more creative, easier, and faster ways than ever before. According to an FBI report, 2020 scams resulted in a loss of over 4.2 billion dollars. With more baby boomers retiring and the pandemic resulting in more at-hone isolation, I suspect those losses rose in the last few years.[1,2]

Who Scammers Target

Although anyone can become a scam victim, research has shown that scammers tend to target kids, teens, and the elderly. A study conducted by the University of Iowa confirmed that a certain area of the prefrontal cortex of the brain is responsible for processing information and solving problems – tasks that help people consider whether information is true or not. Young people tend to be vulnerable to scams because this part of the brain is still developing, and older individuals are vulnerable when they demonstrate poor technological fluency, are isolated, or suffer from a decline in problem solving ability.[3]

The Story of William and His Mom

William is a middle-aged man who generously shared his story with us about his elderly mother, Mrs. Thorn, who was scammed out of tens of thousands of dollars over a five-year period. Despite his best efforts to protect and rescue her from the scammers, he struggled to keep her safe. Once one scammer got ahold of her and convinced her to send money, many other scammers started approaching her too. William suspects that the scams were somehow linked as if they shared her information with others. Below are some of the scams she fell victim to.

Different Types of Scams

Charity Scams

William described his mother as a generous individual. She was a nurse in Japan during the 1950s, and, after she retired, she continued helping others by volunteering at church and other organizations. As she got older, she would receive postcards in the mail from different charities, a common scam targeted at elders. Although her income from social security and savings was not a lot, she began “donating” money to those she perceived as less fortunate than herself.

Piecing together what happened with his mom’s checking and bank documents, William found that she initially sent small amounts of money ranging from $5-10. Once the scammers had her on the hook, however, they would groom her for larger and larger “charitable” donations.[4]

Lottery/Sweepstakes Scams

Another scam that William’s mother fell victim to was the lottery/sweepstakes scam, which also commonly targets elders. These types of scams claim that the victim has won a large amount of money or other prizes such as a new car. Once the victim is excited and eager to collect their prize, scammers require that they pay a fee or taxes. As the scammer reaches out with details, the victim often adopts an illusion of intimacy, meaning they feel they have a personal, caring relationship with the scammer. This false intimacy pulls the victim in deeper, often eliciting more and more personal information from the victim.

William confirmed that Mrs. Thorn spoke to the scammers about his efforts to block their access and protect her safety. Mrs. Thorn’s scammers not only instructed her not to tell anyone because it could be a nice surprise for her family, but they also offered specific suggestions on how to work around the safeguards her son put in place. They seemed to play on her wishes for independence and worked to create and escalate conflict between her and her son.

Our GKIS Connected Family Course can help you close screen risk gaps and improve family cooperation and closeness. If you have school-age children at home or love somebody who does, check it out. Not only does the course offer amazing safety home setup tips, but it helps parents create fun dialogues for better, healthier parent-child relationships.[4]

Government Impersonation Scams

William noticed that some of the scams his mom was involved with may be linked with others. For instance, to pay the taxes of her “prize,” the scammer would set Mrs. Thorn up to talk to an “IRS agent.” These types of scams are known as government impersonation scams which are types of very popular imposter scams. According to the FBI, government impersonation scams typically involve the scammer impersonating a government official who threatens to arrest or prosecute victims unless they pay a fee. William shared that they even tried to trick him with false threats of prosecution and arrest unless he agreed to cooperate.

Dr. Bennett shared that immigrants can easily be targeted with this type of scam as well. She shared a story of a colleague who was a Chinese immigrant who worked as a software engineer. This victim’s scammer posed as a member of the Chinese government and threatened the safety of her family if she didn’t pay overdue fines. The scammer demanded that she not tell her friends and family and immediately pay. She lost over $150,000 that was never recovered before she realized she’d been scammed.[4]

Phone Scams

William explains that although his mother’s scams initially started by mail, they soon turned into phone calls. He allowed me access to his mother’s journal which included notes on the people she spoke to and what they had asked her to do. Her notes reveal that she would talk to the same people over and over and eventually trusted them more than her own family and friends. The scammers were very persuasive and would instruct her how to wire funds to unfamiliar places and people, even going so far as giving her directions to wiring locations that her son had not blocked yet. William spent countless hours visiting banks, local wiring locations, and friends begging them to not help his mom transfer money or provide transportation. Although he spoke to his mom many times, he found that the scammers would get to her anyway with relentless pressure and creative arguments.

Scammers have no limits.

It was not until William caught his mom almost wire transferring $200,000 that he finally got the information he needed to gain conservatorship over Mrs. Thorn. By then, the scammers had even instructed her to how to send money from q reverse mortgage loan on her home to complete the transaction!

William said the scammers had no shame and would even help her find ways to continue participating in the scams even after he took steps to stop them. He shared that they would pressure her with false deadlines and threats, making her so anxious that she would rush into performing workaround instructions. Her journal reflects moments of intense anxiety as she tried to complete the complex transactions.

To emphasize how far scammers would go, he shared that, after he lowered his mom’s allowance to $25 a week and there was not much to get from her anymore, they still tried one last thing – the 976 phone scam. According to William, this is a scam where you call back a number with an area code of 976 and get charged a huge per-minute fee. The longer the scammer keeps the victim on the phone confused and anxious, the more money the scammer gets.

Avoid Being Next

William shared that his mom was scammed out of about $70,000 before it stopped. If it was not for her son’s compassionate and tireless commitment to protect her, it could have been far more. Other popular scams include shopping scams and job opportunity scams. If you are worried that bad actors can access your family members, check out our Screen Safety Toolkit. Our resource guide is perfect for those that need smart tech tools for filtering, monitoring, and management.

Tips to Outsmart the Scammers

Contact your phone carrier and internet service provider to research helpful tools for blocking unwanted and unknown calls, texts, and emails.
Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Don’t act immediately, take a moment to research the situation and talk to someone who you trust.
Don’t give out personal information like your name, date of birth, social security number, address, or usernames or passwords. Legitimate organizations will not text, call, or email you to obtain private information.
Don’t complete forms from an email link. Instead, go directly to the website of the company you are dealing with and complete the business from there.
Call the company directly to confirm the request was legitimate before you offer information or complete forms. The IRS communicates through US mail, not by telephone or email. Call 800-366-4484 to report IRS-related phishing attempts and fraud.
Be sure to keep up with device updates for security patches, delete unused and unwanted apps, and change your passwords frequently.
Review your credit card statements regularly to catch unauthorized charges and periodically review your credit report.
Consider freezing your social security number for new financial transactions with Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion to escape identity theft.
Use your telephone services provider’s spam filters and add your phone number to the National Do Not Call Registry.
Lastly, Google “scams” or a quote from any communication that may be a scam to learn more about the common scams that may target you.

Scams are no joke. Once you become a victim, serious damage can occur that can take years and years to repair. Check out our other GKIS article Child Identity Theft is on the Rise. Protect Your Family Against Cybercrime, to learn more about how fraudulent purchases made with your private information can change your life

Here are some other related articles offered on our GKIS website for more information on hacking, scamming, malware, and phishing. Learn more about the dangers of online to be prepared for anything that comes your way.

Virtual Kidnapping, A Parent’s Worst Nightmare. How to Protect Yourself and Your Family.

Child Identity Theft is on the Rise. Protect Your Family Against Cybercrime

YouTube Celebrity Scams

Hackers Can Access Your Computer’s Webcam Without Your Knowledge

The Good, the Bad, the Ugly of Craigslist

Kids Commonly Contact Predators on Video Chat

If you are a victim of a scam, contact your local law enforcement and visit expert online resources such as

https://www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety

https://www.fbi.gov/tips

https://www.fbi.gov/fbi-kids

https://www.identitytheft.gov/#/

https://www.missingkids.org/HOME

Thanks to CSUCI intern, Ashley Salazar for researching scams that are targeting the elder community and co-authoring this article.

I’m the mom psychologist who will help you GetKidsInternetSafe.

Onward to More Awesome Parenting,

Tracy S. Bennett, Ph.D.
Mom, Clinical Psychologist, CSUCI Adjunct Faculty
GetKidsInternetSafe.com

Works Cited

[1] O’ Brien, S. (2021) Tech-savvy teens falling prey to online scams faster than their grandparents. CNBC Personal Finance. https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/10/tech-savvy-teens-falling-prey-to-online-scams-faster-than-their-grandparents.html

[2] FBI National Office. (2021) FBI Releases the Internet Crime Complaint Center 2020 Internet Crime Report, Including COVID-19 Scam Statistics. FBI.

https://www.fbi.gov/news/pressrel/press-releases/fbi-releases-the-internet-crime-complaint-center-2020-internet-crime-report-including-covid-19-scam-statistics#:~:text=The%20FBI’s%20Internet%20Crime%20Complaint,reported%20losses%20exceeding%20%244.2%20billion.

[3] Health 24. (2012) Why older people are more gullible. Health 24. https://www.news24.com/health24/Mental-Health/Brain/News/Why-older-people-are-more-gullible-20130210

[4] FBI (n.d.) Scams and Safety: Elder Fraud. FBI. https://www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/elder-fraud

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GKIS Guide to Teletherapy Services

November 22, 2021 by Mackenzie Morrow

With COVID-19 quarantine guidelines and stay-at-home orders, many aspects of our daily lives have transitioned into virtual worlds. Online school, work, communication, socialization, and even grocery shopping are accessible from the safety of our homes. Mental health services are no exception to this virtual transition. With face-to-face meetings impossible, telehealth psychology services became the only viable option. As a result, state and federal regulatory agencies and insurance companies temporarily relaxed rules and regulations to ensure that more people could receive the services they need. Today’s GKIS article covers the critical issues you need to know about teletherapy.

What is teletherapy?

Teletherapy is a branch of the broader service of telehealth (or telemedicine). Generally, teletherapy facilitates remote mental health services through technology. In other words, teletherapy allows clients to receive therapeutic or psychiatric treatment from practitioners over the phone, through video chat, or even text message.[1]

How does it work?

Teletherapy involves entirely virtual interactions between mental health experts and clients through the use of smartphones, computers, or tablets. In general, teletherapy sessions are supposed to work in the same way that traditional therapy sessions work. Therapists work with clients remotely to provide talk therapy, teach therapeutic techniques, and develop coping strategies. Teletherapy can be used for one-on-one, family, marriage, and group counseling.[1]

Who offers teletherapy services?

Teletherapy services are offered by licensed mental health professionals.[1] Many of us have recently seen an increase in advertisements for teletherapy services from companies such as Talkspace and BetterHelp. These companies are online therapy platforms that hire clinicians to work for them in exchange for a steady number of clients. To apply, clinicians must provide proof of credentials, proof of competence in therapeutic treatment, and undergo a rigorous screening process.[2] Unfortunately, it is impossible to ensure that this standard of hiring and assessment is upheld by every online therapy company.

What are the potential benefits/risks of teletherapy?

Potential Benefits for Clients:

Increased Access to Mental Health Services

Telehealth can be very convenient. It alleviates travel restrictions, time constraints, and other barriers like childcare needs.

Greater Sense Of Security

Many people feel more comfortable in their homes, which allows clients to relax and be more willing to share their thoughts and feelings.

Public Health Concerns

The primary factor responsible for this shift to teletherapy is concern over public health during the global pandemic. Telehealth allows clients and experts to abide by stay-at-home safety protocols.

Economic Advantages

Teletherapy alleviates costs associated with travel and childcare.

Client Control

It’s much easier for a client to move to another therapist when using teletherapy because factors regarding commute and location of the new therapist are removed.[3]

Potential Benefits for Mental Health Practitioners:

Greater Access to Clients

Teletherapy allows therapists to meet with clients who may be unable or unwilling to travel. Many people find the prospect of meeting with a therapist in a clinical setting intimidating. For people who feel more comfortable at home, teletherapy may increase their likelihood of seeking out therapeutic treatment.

Economic Advantages

Teletherapy alleviates costs associated with travel, business expenses such as rent for office space, and allows practitioners to meet with more clients.

Time

With less time spent commuting from home to work, practitioners have greater flexibility regarding scheduling appointments with more clients.

Efficiency

Sessions conducted via chat or messaging automatically generate a record of the session, and video-conferencing allows the opportunity for sessions to be recorded.[3]

Potential Risks and Limitations for Clients:

Privacy

There are several potential risks to client privacy associated with teletherapy services.
It’s possible for hackers to access private data from a client’s device. Files containing sensitive client information that are unsecured may be accessed by an unwanted third party.
Even HIPAA compliant teletherapy services may be subject to data breaches that put client confidentiality at risk.
Unsecure chat and conferencing programs may expose sensitive client data, so clients should only work with therapists who have the tools and knowledge to encrypt data.
Some people lack access to private environments even within their own homes, this can make it difficult to protect client confidentiality as people may overhear or listen in on a private session.

Competence of the therapist

Therapists who are not competent regarding the use of technology and commercial software put their clients at significantly greater risk of breaches in confidentiality

Environment

Some people may prefer the security, and calm of a clinical office setting and have difficulty accessing a comfortable and private environment to facilitate their session.

Distractions

It is very easy for people to become distracted by things like notifications, emails, and text messages when using their devices and these distractions may impede upon the therapy session.[3]

Potential Risks and Limitations for Mental Health Practitioners:

Privacy

It is the responsibility of the clinician to protect client data, ensuring this protection is much more complex when relying on online/virtual programs than it is for clinicians in a traditional therapy setting.

Legal and ethical concerns

Therapists must comply with state licensing board regulations in both the state where they practice and where the client is located. Following the proper rules and regulations requires special knowledge and legal understanding which can be difficult to keep up with.

Communication

With the absence of face-to-face interaction comes the loss of many non-verbal cues and paralanguage that enhance overall communication among clients and clinicians. It can also be more difficult to establish a comfortable rapport with a client in a virtual setting where people feel distanced. In other words, the physical separation may impede the therapeutic dynamic.

Anonymity and client safety concerns

Clients can easily hide their identities online. This can make it much more difficult for clinicians who have a responsibility to report clients who may harm themselves or others to the proper authorities.[3]

Is teletherapy comparable to traditional therapy?

There is a lot of debate as to whether teletherapy is truly comparable to traditional therapeutic treatments. Some experts claim that there is a lack of research or evidence regarding teletherapy including its efficacy and effectiveness with long-term outcomes. Other experts claim that there is no significant difference between teletherapy and traditional therapy regarding the practices used and their efficacy. Some clients have reported great experiences with teletherapy, and others have expressed the opposite. As with traditional therapy, what seems to matter most is the compatibility of the client and the therapist. As of now, it seems difficult to definitively say which avenue of mental health care is superior. The bottom line is, whether it’s teletherapy or traditional, it is up to the client to decide what avenue best suits their needs.

Dr. Bennett has been practicing teletherapy with her child, teen, and adult clients since the beginning of the pandemic. She says she’s had to get creative figuring out how to keep kids focused with fun games and skill-training strategies. She says she does miss the natural comfort and improved intimacy of face-to-face therapy. But she suspects that over half of her clients will opt for telehealth services in the future. She says it’s particularly convenient for busy families who have multiple children in sporting and learning activities. She even got licensed in Hawaii and Idaho so she can work remotely while she is on vacation!

GKIS Services

Screen Safety Essentials Course offers a comprehensive family program with tools for fostering open communication and creating safer home screen environments.
Screen Time in the Mean Time is the parenting guide needed in this digital age. Dr. B’s book posits tangible ways to keep your family safe and connected while utilizing technology.

Thanks to CSUCI intern, Mackenzie Morrow for researching Teletherapy mental health services and co-authoring this article.

I’m the mom psychologist who will help you GetKidsInternetSafe.

Onward to More Awesome Parenting,

Tracy S. Bennett, Ph.D.
Mom, Clinical Psychologist, CSUCI Adjunct Faculty
GetKidsInternetSafe.com

Works Cited

[1] Villines, Z. (2020). Teletherapy: How it works. Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/teletherapy

[2] Person, M. (2019). The pros and cons of contracting with online counseling companies. Counseling Today. https://ct.counseling.org/2019/01/the-pros-and-cons-of-contracting-with-online-counseling-companies/

[3] Stoll, J. et al. (2020). Ethical issues in online psychotherapy: A narrative review. NCBI. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7026245/

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