A popular gaming platform, Mobile Premier League (MPL) is waving a red flag, warning parents about gaming scams aimed at children. Scammers target kids for many reasons, from gaining access to their parents’ information to sexual predatory activity. Experts warn that kids are more prone to scams around immersive gaming experiences, where it’s already hard to distinguish between reality & fantasy. In some games, unmonitored voice & text chats form a significant part of the experience, allowing criminals to build trust virtually, in the same way they’d entice someone in person, by offering gifts or promises of friendship. The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has made spawning the bogus information that predators need for their scams, easier to cultivate. The ability of AI to develop fake profiles & mimic the voice of a minor makes it even more challenging to detect deception. Once fraudsters lure a young victim, they can obtain personal information by suggesting they click on a phishing link disguised as a game mod for Minecraft or Fortnite, thereby downloading a malicious file onto their device. To protect children from online gaming scams, MPL tells parents to enable parental controls, regularly monitor gaming activities, educate their kids never to share personal information with strangers, and to have their children report any suspicious activities or requests immediately.
