Student Paid 2 Million Tenge for Allegedly "Enhanced" Free Fire Account
Fraudsters in Shymkent Away with Two Million Tenge
In the city of Shymkent, a cunning scammer took advantage of a child, leading to a loss of 2 million tenge from the child's parents. The child's mother, after discovering the missing funds, reported the incident to the police, as first reported by our platform, citing Rolisia.kz.
According to the local police department, an unidentified individual lured the child with a chance to buy a supposedly boosted account for the popular mobile game Free Fire. Intrigued, the child followed the suspect's instructions, photographed his mother's bank card, and disclosed the account details, including the transfer code.
After discovering the stolen funds, the child's mother filed a police report.
"The suspect has been apprehended. The police strongly urge parents to stay vigilant and frequently remind their children about safe online behavior. Never share or let others share your bank details," the police warned.
Online Scams Targeting Children
Earlier, the Agency for Regulation and Development of the Financial Market exposed the methods used by scammers to gain access to Kazakh children's parents' financial resources[3].
"Unsolicited Windfall"
Children may receive messages via social media, messaging apps, or email promising a cash prize, overseas voyage, or inheritance from a wealthy relative abroad. To claim the prize, the child is asked to click a link and input personal information, including their bank card details. It's crucial to remember that such requests could be a way for fraudsters to access their parents' funds.
"False Emergency Aid"
A child might receive a message from a "friend" or "classmate" requesting money for medical expenses or other emergencies. Often, scammers insist the child not inform their parents. If the child sends the money, it will be impossible to recover it.
"Exclusive App"
Scammers may send a child a link to an app that promises helpful features like in-game assistance, quick wealth, or location tracking. The app is presented as free and exclusive[3]. However, upon installation, it could be malware that collects personal data, tracks locations, and grants access to other programs on the device.
Steps Parents Can Take to Protect Their Children from Scammers
To safeguard children, it's crucial to discuss potential online threats with them beforehand. Explain that they should never share personal information with strangers and consult parents if they're uncertain about anything. Make sure they have all essential contact information, including parents' work and mobile phone numbers, relatives' and neighbors' contact details, and emergency services numbers "102" and local police contacts.
In another instance, we wrote about a woman from Kostanai who had a half-year-long conversation with someone claiming to be Hollywood actor Keanu Reeves on social media. At some point, he told her about his financial troubles and asked her to transfer $400. The woman went to the bank to help the "movie star," but alert bank staff noticed that the account she was transferring funds to belonged to an unknown gaming company and called the police[4].
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Scammers, Children, Police, Shymkent - A Scam Hotspot
Vladimir Isn't it absurd that one of my colleagues' wife gifted him a tank for his birthday for half a million?
Alexei Vladimir, That's a smart investment.
Vladimir Alexei, Not really my type. I don't understand how anyone could spend real money on virtual nonsense!!
SUETOLOG Kids are glued to their screens all day, parents are engrossed in their own tasks, so this is the outcome. Some kids tumble out of skyscrapers, others play online games and squander their parents’ money. Who will build things, fix things, clean, create masterpieces with their own hands, even cook? I can't even imagine. It’s good that I won't be around to see this helpless generation.
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Scammers, Children, Police, Shymkent - A Scam Hotspot
SUETOLOG Kids spend their entire day on screens, parents are preoccupied with their own affairs, and this is the outcome. Some kids fall out of skyscrapers, others play online games and spend their parents' money. Who will build things, fix things, clean, create masterpieces with their own hands, even cook? I can't even imagine. It’s good that I won't be around to see this helpless generation.
CAIRO Money talks.
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Sources
- Safelinks.org, Children and Money, https://www.safelinks.org/en-us/home/content/protecting-children-and-money
- Google Family Link, Family Digital Minutes, https://families.google.com/digital-minutes/
- ARDFM, Scams Targeting Children, https://www.ardfm.kz/ru/news/2644
- Tengrinews.kz, Woman Deceived by Scammer Claiming to be Keanu Reeves, Requesting Money, https://tengrinews.kz/ru/kulture/4578765
- Common Sense Media, Identifying and Dealing with Online Scams, https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/identifying-and-dealing-with-online-scams
"The unsolicited message promising a cash prize or inheritance, often disguised as a message from a stranger, is a common method used by online scammers. This type of scam is a part of the general-news category."
"The local police department in Shymkent, where the city's technology landscape allows scammers to thrive, urges parents to safeguard their children from these threats by implementing protective measures, such as discussing potential online dangers with their children and ensuring they have essential contact information."
