Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Scam Message Sleuth: Free Printable Worksheet for Year 6
- ForYear 6
- StageKey Stage 2
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Scam Message Sleuth is a free printable PSHE worksheet for Year 6 (ages 10 to 11). Children read short messages like those that can reach phones, games and inboxes. They score each one for warning signs, then write the safest reply on the line. Page 2 gives the grown up notes, help ideas, a stretch task and the answers.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to the child and keep page 2 for yourself. It needs only a pencil, and black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children meet a set of short messages of the kind that reach phones, games and inboxes. Some offer prizes, some come from people the reader does not know, and some push for a quick click. For each message, children tick the flag letters they spot, add up a score and judge how risky it is. Then they write the safest reply on the line. The sheet is about careful reading and clear choices, not guessing.
- WINNER! You won a games console. Tap winnow.xyz to claim your prize.
- From a player you have never met: Swap game skins? Click skinswap.net
- Game update ready. Open the game yourself and update from there.
- Last chance! Free trial ends tonight. Click keepitfree.info to stay.
Ways to build safe habits around messages
Start with a calm chat
Begin by saying that everyone gets odd messages, adults included. Children talk more openly when they are not worried about getting into trouble.
Score before replying
Show children that a message can be checked before anything is done. Looking for flags first slows the moment down and gives them time to think.
Explain the choice
Ask children to say why a reply is safe, not just what it is. A clear reason is easier to remember and easier to use again.
Agree a family or class rule
Agree one simple rule, such as always showing a trusted adult a message that feels strange. Write it down and keep it where children can see it.
Why teach children to spot scam messages?
A scam is a trick to get money, personal details or access to an account. Scam messages can arrive by text, email, social media or inside games. They often copy the style of real companies or friendly players. Scammers do not need to be clever. They rely on people being busy, excited or worried, and replying before they have thought it through.
Spotting a red flag is a habit of checking. Children can ask who the message is from, what it wants them to do, and whether it is trying to rush them. One red flag is worth noticing. Several together call for extra care. This sheet turns that habit into a score, so children can explain their judgement rather than just say something feels wrong.
The messages on the sheet are for practice only. Do not type any web address from the sheet into a phone, tablet or computer. If a child ever receives a message like these for real, they should stop, not click anything and show a trusted adult.
Scam facts for young sleuths
- Scammers often try to make people hurry, because rushing stops people thinking.
- Adults get fooled by scams too, so being tricked is nothing to be ashamed of.
- A web link can lead somewhere different from what the words around it suggest.
- Scam messages can be sent to huge numbers of people at once, so they are often not really about you.
- In the UK, an adult can forward a suspicious text to 7726 for free, and send a suspicious email to report@phishing.gov.uk.
Skills and curriculum link
- Spotting red flags
- Judging risk
- Choosing safe replies
- Careful reading
- Explaining reasons
Helpful ideas for talking about scams
- Pause firstNothing in a message is so urgent that it cannot wait a few minutes. Pausing gives children time to look for flags and ask for help.
- Check the senderAsk who the message is really from. A name or a friendly tone does not prove it is who it says it is.
- Talk to someoneA trusted adult can look at a message with fresh eyes. Telling someone is a sensible step, never a sign of failure.
- Report and blockMany apps and phones let you report a sender and block them. An adult can help children find these tools.
Key words
- ScamA trick that tries to get money, details or access from someone.
- Red flagA warning sign that something may not be safe or honest.
- SenderThe person or company a message comes from.
- LinkText or a button you tap or click to go to another page.
- PhishingA scam message that tries to get you to click a link or share private details.
- BlockA setting that stops a sender from contacting you again.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for the child. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
- Read the first message aloud together. Ask, "Who is this from, and what does it want me to do?"
- Let the child score each message alone, ticking the flag letters they spot before they add up.
- Compare totals in pairs or with you. Ask the child to explain which flags they spotted and why they chose their reply.
- Check against page 2. Come back to the sheet another day, because repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Read each message aloud and tick the flag letters together before scoring. Do one message at a time and stop to talk. Ask, "Is anything here trying to rush you?" Let the child write the safest reply in their own words.
To stretch confident children
Write your own realistic scam message with exactly three flags for a partner to score. The partner finds the flags, adds up the score and writes the safest reply. Then swap roles and check each other's work.
Make it a game
Play red flag race. Read a message aloud, and the first pair to call the correct score wins a point. Pairs must name at least one flag they spotted. The first pair to reach five points wins.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA child judges a message by whether it sounds friendly or polite.
Try thisRemind them that scam messages are often made to sound friendly. Ask what the message wants them to do, and who really sent it.
Watch forA child thinks a message is safe because the spelling is perfect.
Try thisExplain that good spelling does not make a message safe. Tell them to look at the sender, the request and any pressure to act fast.
Watch forA child writes a reply that answers the sender or follows the message.
Try thisTalk about why replying can tell a scammer someone is listening. Practise safer choices, such as not replying and telling a trusted adult.
Talk about it
- Have you ever had a message that felt a bit odd? What did you do?
- Why might a scammer want you to hurry?
- What is the difference between a message from someone you know and one from a stranger?
- Who could you show a strange message to?
- Why is it fine to say, "I am not sure about this"?
- How could you help a friend who got a message like these?
Take it off the page
Red flag sorting
Write short made up messages on slips of paper. Sort them into piles of low, medium and high risk. Explain each choice to a partner.
Safe reply role play
Take turns being the person who gets a strange message. The other person asks questions, and the first person talks through what they would do.
Make a poster
Design a poster for school or home that lists three warning signs and one safe action. Use clear words and big letters so it is easy to read.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first message, then let them lead. Keep the tone calm and curious. Praise careful thinking and make it clear they can always show you a message without getting into trouble.
Teachers
Use it as a PSHE starter, a plenary after an online safety lesson, an early finisher task or a table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and pairs can compare scores to practise explaining their reasoning.
Home educators
Print it as part of a wider PSHE or online safety plan. It works alongside everyday talk about phones, games and email, and you can reuse it for brothers and sisters or as a refresher later.
Where this fits in learning about staying safe online
Before this sheet, children benefit from knowing that not everyone online is who they say they are, and that they should tell a trusted adult when something feels wrong. Careful reading and explaining a choice also help, because the sheet asks for both.
After this sheet, children can move on to wider online safety topics, such as keeping personal information private, strong passwords and how to report a worry. These ideas build on the habit of pausing, checking and asking for help.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Scam Message Sleuth for?
It is written for Year 6 (ages 10 to 11) in Key Stage 2. It also suits older children who need a refresher on spotting scams, and younger children working alongside an adult who reads the messages aloud.
- Is it free to use?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or a later revision session without any cost.
- Do children need a phone or computer?
No. It is a screen free printable that needs only paper and a pencil. Children read the messages on the page and write their answers by hand, so no one needs to open a link.
- How do I raise the topic without worrying my child?
Keep it calm and practical. Say that scams are common and that spotting them is a skill anyone can learn. Focus on what to do, such as pausing and telling an adult, rather than on frightening outcomes.
- What if my child has already clicked on something suspicious?
Stay calm and avoid blame. Tell your child they did the right thing by speaking up. If money, card details or passwords were shared, contact the bank or the account provider straight away and change passwords.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. It works as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. Pairs can compare scores and explain the flags they spotted, which supports speaking and reasoning skills as well as PSHE.
- What is on page 2?
Page 2 is for the grown up. It has notes on how to use the sheet, help for children who find it hard, a stretch idea and the answers. Keep it separate until children have finished page 1.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.