Noting how children often feel the need to be accepted by their peers, Mr Chong said: 'My client perceived that this gamer, who he saw as an older brother, could be trusted because he was always very helpful in the game and gave him advice on how to level up.' The scammer had lied to the boy that he needed his log-in details to transfer a virtual sword, supposedly a rare item, to him. In the first variant, children are promised rare items by other players who befriend them, said Mr Chong.Īn 11-year-old boy he counselled lost about $500 worth of virtual items in Roblox after he was misled by another player into giving him his gaming account password.
The counsellors observed that the two most common variants involve children losing their gaming accounts or being cheated after buying non-existent gaming credits, as in Melody's case.
'This peer support is really important as it helps children reduce the sense of loneliness,' he added, noting that they will turn to devices or social media to spend their time, which puts them at higher risk of being exposed to scams.
