Back to the workshop

Facilitator guide

A good session starts with a little care.

A flexible 30–45-minute introduction for a small group. Make room for questions, different devices, and different levels of confidence.

Open participant view

Before the session

  • Check Wi-Fi and open each activity on a phone. Have a larger-screen option or a willing partner available.
  • Share the workshop page by its address. Offer help opening it; no account or special app is required.
  • Ask before touching someone's device. Do not ask participants to open real accounts or show passwords.
  • Use your projector for introductions and discussion. Participants can make choices independently.
  • Prepare printed safety plans and invite participants to use captions or optional audio.
QR code for thescamsteps.org/workshop. You can also type the address beside this code.
Open the workshop on your phone

Scan the code with your camera, or type:
thescamsteps.org/workshop

No app to install. No account to create.

Open the live page and test access before sharing it with a group.

Your running order

0–5 min

Welcome and get comfortable

Explain that everything inside an activity is simulated. No one needs to enter a real password, send money, or share a personal scam story. There are no scores to announce. Show how to open an activity and read the choices.

What do you usually do when an unexpected message worries you?
5–15 min

Practice the bank-text activity

Let participants try it individually before discussing it. Help with navigation without choosing answers for them. If someone is stuck, ask what they want to check. Allow extra time for reading.

How could you contact the bank without using anything in this text?
15–25 min

Practice the family-emergency call

Use the transcript or optional audio. Invite participants to rehearse a phrase for ending an urgent call. Let people skip an activity that feels uncomfortable.

What could you say to give yourself time to verify the story?
25–35 min

Check the appointment reminder

Use this legitimate example to discuss verification. The goal is not to label every message a scam. Ask what evidence changed their decision.

What makes an independent check more useful than trusting a logo or a sender name?
35–45 min

Reflect, take a reminder, and plan a return

Each activity includes a new example. Ask participants to explain a safe next action. Offer the take-home safety plan and ask what they would like to practice next time.

What's one thing you'll try the next time you feel pressured?

Observe without grading people

Record aggregate observations, without names or private account details:

  • How many people attended and completed each activity?
  • Which controls or instructions required help?
  • Could participants describe an independent way to verify a request?
  • Could they apply the habit to the new example?
  • Would they return, and can the organization schedule another session?

These observations help improve the experience. A small workshop does not establish that real-world fraud losses were reduced.

If someone describes a real scam

Thank them for sharing, avoid blame, and don't ask for sensitive details in front of the group. Help them find the relevant official resource in our Get help section. Do not take control of their financial accounts or promise recovery.

Open practical next steps