Phishing Schemes

Help learners better understand and identify different types of phishing schemes that they might encounter

About This Module

This curriculum module is based on takeaways from series one of NYC Digital Safety training videos. You may use this module by:

  • Including it in your pre-existing public workshops
  • Combining it with other NYC Digital Safety modules to make a longer data-privacy focused workshop
  • Sharing the handout with library users at various service points

Downloadable presentation slides, a facilitation guide, and a handout can be found below. Handouts from this lesson plan have been translated into Chinese, Haitian-Creole, Russian, and Spanish.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, learners will be able to:

  • Define and discuss phishing schemes
  • Identify different types of phishing schemes
  • Name the trends and common features that many different phishing schemes share

Lesson Plan

As presented below, this module will take approximately 50 to 60 minutes to complete. You are welcome to use any and all of this, or adapt it as you see fit.

This lesson plan is also included in the downloadable facilitation guide below.

Introduction to lesson

Greet learners and review the plan for this module

Defining and discussing phishing schemes

Provide a definition of phishing schemes and pause to see if anyone has any questions or anything to add. Ask your learners to share what they know about phishing schemes and what examples they’ve seen or encountered before

Overview of phishing schemes

Share some common traits of phishing schemes

Detecting and avoiding phishing schemes

Share some best practices for detecting and avoiding phishing schemes and see if anyone has anything to add to the lists

Activity: Exploring phishing schemes

First, ask learners to take a quiz on phishing schemes. Next, have them get into small groups and explore examples of phishing schemes, making note of trends and techniques used

Wrap up, final tips, and final questions

Review the closing thoughts and resources and see if anyone has any final questions

Next Steps

Download the materials below for use in your workshop or at service points throughout your library.

If you plan to create a longer privacy-focused workshop using these materials, here is a link to Google slides. Feel free to make a copy if you’d like to add these slides to any other deck.

And please let us know how it went! Use this form to share your feedback on this module. We’d love to hear from you.