During winter break, have fun but beware of scams targeting minors.
Compiled from: Ministry of Public Security Criminal Investigation Drama, Shandong High Court
Children received many red envelopes during the recent Chinese New Year, and since they are still on winter break, surfing the internet and playing games are essential entertainment for them. However, children's ability to distinguish right from wrong is not yet strong enough, so every year many telecom and online fraud incidents occur. Below are some real cases, and we hope parents pay extra attention to avoid losses.
Case 1: Online Game Scam
Ms. Huang reported that her 10-year-old child was scammed out of tens of thousands of yuan online. While watching short videos, the child saw a video offering free game skins and added the sender's QQ. The sender claimed that scanning a QR code was needed to get the skin, and after scanning, the child was redirected to a loan service platform. Then, the sender instructed the child to add another QQ account and download an app for further steps. The child also disclosed Ms. Huang's bank card number and password. After discovering unauthorized transactions from her card, Ms. Huang immediately reported to the police.
Case 2: Red Packet Rebate Scam
A 12-year-old boy, accompanied by his mother, reported to the police that he saw a message in a QQ group claiming that sending a 2.88 yuan red packet could win thousands of yuan in rebates. The boy privately messaged the sender and sent a 2.88 yuan red packet. The sender then claimed that because the boy was a minor, the company had been frozen for 60,000 yuan, and demanded that the boy transfer money from his parents' WeChat to the sender's account, or the police would be called. Believing this, the boy used his mother's phone to scan the QR code sent by the scammer and made multiple transfers.
[1] The author's perspective
In Case 1, this is a typical scam exploiting children's love for online games. These criminals often post bait like "free game items" on website ads or short video platforms, luring victims to join groups or private chats. They then falsely claim that due to the minor's special status, accounts are easily frozen, and instruct the child to use their parents' WeChat to scan and transfer money. Using various tactics, they repeatedly trick victims into making payments, and after obtaining large sums, they immediately cut off contact.
In the second case, criminals spread messages about "red packet rebate" activities on social networking platforms, tricking minor victims into adding them as friends. They then asked the victims to scan a QR code, enter a specified small amount on the pop-up payment page, and claimed that the payment would not actually be deducted and that they would immediately receive a tenfold red packet rebate. After the victims completed the payment and found the money deducted, the criminals further instructed them to use their parents' phones for verification to get a refund and rebate, guiding them through a video call and repeatedly tricking them into scanning codes for payments under various pretexts. After providing fake payment receipts, the criminals cut off contact. Only when the victims failed to receive the money did they realize they had been scammed.
Thus, it can be seen that while the criminals' excuses may vary, their methods are essentially the same. Therefore, parents need to tell their children that there is no such thing as a free lunch and to be extra cautious when it comes to money transfers. Additionally, many phones and apps now have a youth mode, which can to some extent prevent children from receiving harmful information.
