Posted on 06/17/2023 5:25:44 AM PDT by Libloather
An ex-cybercriminal has warned of the dangers children face online after getting tangled up in scams himself at the age of 12.
The man in his 20s, referred to only as 'Harry', has expressed regrets over previous offences, having tricked computer gamers out of thousands during his younger years.
These harmful scams took off at a time when Harry was keen to make pocket money, with no option to get a job of his own.
But with children now increasingly fixated on the virtual world, he says that protections are vital to ensure they are sheltered from dark practices.
'As a kid, I didn't feel anything about it at all. I'd get big scams and take my friends to McDonald's and pay for it. Things like that,' Harry told MailOnline.
'But after it was all over, it really got to me that it was other kids that I had scammed. I started thinking about how it was received from their end.
'It's probably a little harder to do what I did now, but it is fairly easy. That's a huge risk to kids. You can just download DarkComet RATS (Remote Access Trojans) and you're ready to go.'
Harry's first scam took place out of anger when a player of the first-person shooter game, Counter-Strike (CS: GO), tricked him.
This player stole a virtual weapon, known as a Huntsman Knife Crimson Web, which currently sells for more than £1,000 ($1,278) on trading sites such as CSGOSkins.gg.
But this is by no means the most expensive, with other in-game weapons selling for £19,500 ($25,000) in some cases.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
If your kids have a phone, they are watching porn. If their friends have a phone they are watching porn.
I play FreeCell.
Gangsta A F
The Sheriff of Genesee County Michigan has developed a great program to fight online grooming, trafficking, etc. You can get certified on line. It’s called GHOST. Info and many resources here:
https://www.gcsomichigan.com/ghostcertified
Rd later.
That’s why if your child wants a cellphone, you should just give them an old fashioned flip phone.
If I had kids at home NO INTERNET or TV.
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