Teaching Children to Spot a Good Deal
As parents, it’s our job to teach our children how to navigate the world. We want them to be successful, we want them to be happy, and, perhaps most importantly, we want them to be safe. This is why we teach them to be critical of what seems like generosity with the old adage, “if something seems too good to be true, then it probably is,” and we are right to do so. There are plenty of scams and schemers out there, who have been particularly accessible since the advent of the Internet. However, we would be doing our children a disservice if we did not also teach them to spot a good deal when it is present. Below are three things to keep in mind, whether for your children or yourself, when trying to decide whether something is too good to be true or not.
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1) Do your homework – While it’s true that the internet is full of scams, it is equally true that it is full of opportunity, and the best test of which is which is the experience of others. There are websites devoted to exposing scams and extolling the virtues of real opportunities. The most trustworthy of these are generally the ones that deal with a specific market. For example, in online casinos, there are lists of what are called “rogue casinos” that have been known to cheat players. Consulting lists such as these will allow you to steer clear of many dangerous situations.
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2) Read the fine print – One way to distinguish a true opportunity from a scam, is that true opportunities usually have a “catch” or a requirement that you must fulfill that keeps it from being “too good to be true.” Sticking with the casino example, if an online casino offers you a welcome bonus of real money with absolutely no strings attached, then it is likely a scam. However, online casinos do often offer a no deposit bonus to new players, which have some strings attached – like being “non-cashable” or requiring you to play for high stakes with the bonus.
3) Take the plunge – after checking to make sure there are no forums that say it’s a scam and reading to see what the catch is, if the requirements are acceptable and you still think it’s a good opportunity, seize it!
Part of being a good parent is teaching our children that they need to accept good fortune when it is offered to them.
