The 14 year old was offered something deemed "to good to be true". Zach was playing a game over xbox live when someone told him that he could get him free microsoft points. Zach gave over all the information the other person asked for ( i presume , email + password ). This led to the mass loss of 500$ on his father's credit card. The person then went on to use the boy's credit card details , which had been saved to his account, to rent movies and various other things.
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I hope the boy learnt a valuable lesson. Identity theft is still a huge problem on games consoles. Personally i think if the boy's parents had had half a brain they would of thought not to buy there 14 year old son Halo Reach.
Original Rant:
14 year old Zach Grant will think twice next time an offer from someone over Xbox LIVE seems too good to be true.
Whilst playing a game over Xbox LIVE, Zach was contacted by another player who told him he could get Microsoft Points if he gave him the right information. Having craved these points for weeks, Zach jumped at the opportunity. Giving the player all the information he asked for.
Unfortunately the player used the information to charge movies and games to Zach’s father’s credit card. Racking up over $500 in charges. The local news report tells the story.
Of course, most people know the sensible way to avoid identity theft, but it’s still a huge problem. Certainly this is an unfortunate mistake and the kid has learned his lesson. Being so young and having lost the family so much money, I’m sure he is devastated by it and feels terrible. However, there is another issue I have with this story.
Here I go again, if the kid is too dumbass not to give out sensitive information over Xbox LIVE, is he really mentally developed enough to being playing Halo Reach? The game is rated Mature in the US, which means it’s not suitable for a 14 year old to be playing. Okay, it’s no Black Ops as far as content is concerned, but the fact remains he is being left to play this game that is rated well above his age bracket AND he is left alone online to talk to God knows who.
Sure, I’m sorry to hear they lost a lot of money and that someone is out there scamming kids, but I am a damn sight more annoyed that yet again a child is given access to a game he shouldn’t be. This is why stupid parents who don’t know facts come knocking on the games industry’s door all the time because their children were somehow at risk from these games. Blame the other parents!
Rant over. For now.
The lesson here is, don’t give your child access to games he shouldn’t have, but if you do, don’t leave him alone with millions of strangers on the internet. Seriously.
when a grown man has to scam a 14 yr old kid over a game console thats when you know he has no life, no family, no money, and no girlfriend. Sad sad sad....
all i can say is....
Obviously we've got a scammer on Xbox
He's asking for emails he's snatching your money up
Trying to get em so ya'll need to
Hide your kids hide your wife, hide your kids hide your wife,
and hide your husband cause he scamming everybody out there
you dont have to come and confess we looking for you
we gone find you, we gone find you
so you can run and tell that, run and tell that
hacker, hacker.
ps3, when you log in from another console with your account, with saved credit card information, you have to enter the details again or delete them.
kid, get a ps3
lol jks im gonna get raped coz im in xbox section.
^ lol jk, im getting an xbox coz they are better.