In The Straits Times on Sunday (March 6), three counsellors talked about how more and more of their clients who sought help after being scammed are under 16 years old.
One such victim is a 15-year-old girl who regularly plays games on Roblox, a popular online platform and storefront suitable for children from the ages of ten and up, although there are even younger users on it.
The girl bought a Roblox gift card from Carousell for $100, which would have meant a savings of $12, as the same card cost $112 on the platform itself.
She wanted to use the card for in-game credits for her characters in the games.
However, after she paid, the seller took their account down and the teen never received the card. This later caused somewhat of a rift between the girl and her mother, who had been unaware of the purchase.
Another way that children have been scammed online is when virtual playmates whom they’ve never met in person win their trust and the children end up giving over the passwords to their accounts, on the premise that the “friend” will send or give them something.
Their “friend” then steals items from them, which may be virtual, but are worth actual dollars.
While adults understand the dangers of handing over their log-in details, children may not.
What may have more implications is the emotional impact on the children, counsellors told ST.
“They spend a lot of time (gaming). We can often be too quick to underestimate the pain they go through. Give them space to grieve or be upset, and understand that the best condition for them to learn their lesson is when they are not as agitated,” ST quotes Ms Joanne Wong, the head of non-profit agency Touch Cyber Wellness, as saying.
When children are scammed, Mr Chong Ee Jay, a cyber-wellness expert at Focus on Family Singapore, said “They know they have made a mistake, but if they feel they are being labelled by their parents as one, it becomes more than just feelings of shame or guilt, but also affects their identity.”
One way to protect children from falling victim to online scammers is for parents to play an active role in their digital lives.
This will ensure that the content and sites they access are appropriate. For example, when making purchases, internet-savvy parents will know which sites are trustworthy for buying items on, and which sites seem sketchy. It would be good, therefore, for children and teenagers to be with a parent when they buy anything online.
It is also good for parents to warn children that the internet is not always a safe place and that people may not always be who they say they are. However, counsellors told ST that if children have been victimised by scammers, parents may want to wait until their emotions are stable before talking to them about online dangers. /TISG
Scam alert: Do not click that Instagram “gift” message; users risk getting their accounts hacked