During the summer, fraudsters shift their focus. While adults are busy with work, children spend more time online and playing video games. This is why the number of cyberattacks targeting children and teenagers increases during the school holidays. However, the criminals’ goal remains the same: gaining access to accounts, devices, and, in the most serious cases, parents’ money.
The Scam: From “Free Bonuses” to Real Financial Losses
Fraudsters target the games most popular among children, such as Minecraft, Roblox, Brawl Stars, and Counter-Strike. They operate through in-game chats, dedicated Telegram channels, and videos on TikTok and YouTube.
The most common scam scenarios include:
- “Free in-game currency” or a “rare mod.” Children are encouraged to click a link to receive free in-game currency, an exclusive game item, or a modified version of a game. The website looks authentic but is designed to steal login credentials.
- “Prize tournament.” Invitations to gaming tournaments are distributed via messaging apps or videos. To participate, children are asked to send their account recovery code to the organizers.
- “Earn money just by playing.” In gaming chats, children are offered money for testing a new game or registering on a new social media platform.
- “The admin needs to verify your account.” This scam is particularly common in CS2.
Important
Some scams go beyond gaming accounts. Fraudsters persuade children to take their parents’ phone, open a banking app, and “help complete a payment” or “confirm a transaction.” In such cases, the damage involves real money, not just in-game purchases.
IDBank Recommends
- Teach your child one basic rule: “Free in-game currency” and other offers that seem too good to be true from strangers are almost always scams.
- Explain that files should never be downloaded through links shared in gaming chats.
- Always check website addresses carefully.
- Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for all gaming accounts.
- Do not allow children to use phones with unrestricted access to banking applications.
Remember: A child’s favorite game can become a powerful tool for manipulation.
