Stranger danger: how to safeguard your child against in-gaming theft 

Video games have been around for decades, but the way that we play them has changed dramatically. This means you now need to be money-safe in the digital world, too. 

Gone are the days of playing solo with pixelated screens and poor sound. Today’s online community video games mean players can connect with others all around the world, playing with and against each other. 

While it’s normal to play online with people you’ve never met, fraudsters are finding new ways to use these digital spaces for financial gain. 

Microtransaction fraud, also known as in-app purchase fraud, is where fraudsters target in-game currency, things you’ve bought digitally in the games, and real cash stored in online wallets. 

While you might not consider a video game hack to be as devastating as a bank account breach, let alone a home burglary, victims do lose personal property, and cash, as a result. 

Digital currency and items ranging from weapons to “skins” (the outfits worn by players’ characters) can be worth a lot to hackers who sell them for real money in online marketplaces. 

But unlike more usual types of fraud, it’s not just adults that can fall victim – children are being targeted, too. 

Children put in hundreds of hours playing games such as Roblox, and they’re emotionally connected to their accounts – to a level many adults may not consider. 

Here they could lose more than just their username and password; they could lose the worlds they’ve built, the items they collected, the avatars they’ve customised, and the friends they’ve made. 

While this may not seem like a big deal to an adult, to a child it really is. 

It happened to a friend’s niece and she was devastated. 

What happened? 

The six-year-old was the proud owner of several different animals in Adopt Me, a game within the Roblox platform, the most popular game among primary school children. 

Included in her animal collection was a magnificent-looking horse. 

While playing the game, she was approached by another player, who identified herself as a popular YouTuber – though it turned out this was a lie. The fake YouTuber asked my niece to lend her horse for use in a YouTube training video. 

Too young to know about online safety and best practice, she handed over her horse. She was understandably confused and irate when the stranger disappeared with the pet, and refused all requests to return it, or even engage in conversation about it. 

While it was by no means an economic disaster (I’ve been told the horse was worth roughly £2), it was traumatic to a young girl and opened my eyes to the risks of online gaming and kids. 

What are microtransactions? 

Microtransactions, also known as in-game purchases, are now a common feature in games that are free to download. These games often need users to spend cash to buy add-ons, either cosmetic upgrades or to enhance the gaming experience. These can be limited-edition items, skins, passes, or game awards that enable them to clear the levels more quickly, and gain an advantage over an opponent. 

They also feature in “freemium” games, which offer free basic access, but to access the full content, the users need to pay up. 

Players can either accumulate the in-game currency through extended gameplay or buy it using real-world currency. 

What games are at risk? 

Roblox, launched in April 2017, is one of the most popular games among kids aged 4-15. 

Roblox player profiles include names, email addresses, and other identifiable records. The vast quantity of in-game microtransactions, coupled with massive numbers of very young players, make Roblox a key target for cybercriminals. 

Fortnite is another hugely popular game that has also seen its share of online theft. One such case saw players become the victims of scammers using YouTube videos to entice players with promises of free or discounted “V-Bucks” (the game’s currency). 

These videos would steer people to websites requesting specific codes that would grant the scammers access to account payment details. Or the websites would be littered with ads that, when clicked, would install software embedded with computer viruses. 

In addition to financial scamming, authorities and industry bodies are warning both players and parents of the risks associated with online gaming, from cyber bullying and abusive behaviour to predatorial behaviour and grooming. 

With so many young people playing these games, it’s easy to see why parents may be concerned. So how can we better equip ourselves, and our kids, with the tools to enjoy gaming online safely and responsibly? 

Know your ratings 

Knowledge is power, and understanding exactly what a game is, what it contains, and what age group it’s intended for can help you to feel more in control. 

Be sure to check that the game your kids want to play is age-appropriate by checking out PEGI. Do a quick search on this gaming age-rating system and you’ll know the broad content of the game, the age rating attached, and even if the game features in-game purchases. 

Read up on the games that your kids are playing 

A great resource for parents looking to get in the know is askaboutgames.com. 

This site offers comprehensive guides to the major games that kids are playing (including the likes of Minecraft, Fortnite and Roblox), including key watchouts and questions you might have about them. 

Further to this, the broader site offers a diverse range of articles and FAQs about gaming. The Get Smart About P.L.A.Y initiative aims to help equip parents with the tools to manage screen time and spending, and generally navigate gaming safely. 

Apply parental controls 

Thankfully, most games nowadays cater to younger audiences (and their parents) by offering a range of parental controls to help manage the experience. 

With filters available to help control things such as inappropriate language, in-game purchases and visibility of information, it’s a good idea to acquaint yourself with these should your child wish to pick up a new game to play. 

Guides to these are available for all the major titles, including Roblox, Minecraft and Fortnite. 

Broader guides to parental controls across a range of platforms and devices can be found courtesy of internetmatters.org, and also on askaboutgames.com. 

Monitor any spending 

Often when playing online, credit or debit card information needs to be provided for each account to enable in-game purchases. 

Whether that’s your card or your child’s card, it can be very easy to start racking up big bills in just a matter of days. The best way to avoid this is to not provide any card information when activating the account. 

If the games operate on a more traditional subscription basis, or work through the likes of Apple or Google Play, then activate the purchase password feature in the account settings menu – this will require you to authorise any purchases so you stay in control. 

Finally, make it a point to check your statements and bills regularly to avoid any build-up of in-game charges – you’ll quickly identify any purchases that somehow slipped through the net. 

Don’t forget that while you may think that this article is brilliant, it is intended for information purposes only and should not be mistaken for financial advice or recommendations.