This page adapts for teens the reflexes from our pillar page Digital Hygiene. On the balance between protecting and monitoring, see also Protect without spying. Every technical claim is sourced on the Sources page.
Only scan a messaging QR code when it's them linking a device
The FBI and CISA documented, in a joint alert dated March 20, 2026, a precise mechanism: a message invites you to scan a QR code to "join a group," which actually links the account to an unknown device — with no visible warning, nothing that looks wrong on screen. The identified campaign targeted high-value adult targets, but the gesture — scanning a QR code someone else sent to join a group — is exactly the one teens do most often, on Snapchat, in games, or for class group chats.
FBI (IC3) & CISA, joint alert "Russian Intelligence Services Target Commercial Messaging Application Accounts," Alert Number I-032026-PSA, March 20, 2026.Check the "linked devices" on WhatsApp, Telegram, or Signal together, once
A device connected without the account holder's knowledge reads messages continuously, with no warning from the app. On WhatsApp: Settings → Linked Devices. On Telegram: Settings → Devices. On Signal: Settings → Linked Devices. Doing it together once is enough to show where to look — and to remove anything that doesn't belong there.
WhatsApp Help Center, Telegram FAQ, Signal Support.No code received by text ever gets shared, with anyone — even a "friend" who insists
A message "to verify your account" or "to unlock a feature" that asks for the code received by text is actually meant to authorize an unknown device on the account. The reflex is the same at any age: this code is never shared, even with someone who seems legitimate or is being pushy.
A request for money, a photo, or information that "pressures" you is the warning sign
A fake fundraiser, a fake contest, photo-based blackmail, a fake gift offer: the structure is often the same — urgency, secrecy, or pressure to act fast before thinking. The reflex that works: talk to an adult before replying, without fear of getting in trouble for almost clicking.
An unknown number that rings once doesn't wait to be called back
This is the wangiri playbook: a call that rings just once tempts you to call back out of curiosity or reflex — and it's the callback that gets billed. An unknown number that rings once is left alone, not called back.
What Egidio does, continuously — without reading conversations
The reflexes above require a level of vigilance you can't expect from a teen at all times. Two features exist for the rest.
Local analysis, on the device Premium
WhatsApp, Snapchat, and more than 183 messaging apps are scanned automatically, on the device — the content of messages never leaves the phone, not to Egidio, not to a parent.
Up to 4 people protected, one subscription Premium
With Egidio Family, everyone installs the app on their own phone — protection applies locally to each person, with no surveillance hierarchy between family members.
The single most protective thing for a teen isn't watching what they do. It's showing them, once, where the trap is — and leaving a safety net underneath for the rest.
Frequently asked questions
Why are teens particularly exposed to account hijacking through QR codes?
Scanning a QR code to add a contact or join a group is part of their daily habits (games, Snapchat, class group chats) — the gesture feels routine. The mechanism documented by the FBI and CISA (a messaging QR code that secretly links the account to an unknown device) profits from exactly that habit: nothing on screen distinguishes a legitimate QR code from a hijack.
Does Egidio read my teen's conversations?
No. Egidio analyzes locally, on the device, to detect scams and threats — it never sends the content of messages or calls to anyone, not even a parent protecting the whole family. It's protection, not surveillance. Learn more →