Bhaskar reporter Pramod Sahu spoke to cybercrime expert Mukesh Chaudhary. During the conversation, the expert said that phones in children’s hands and the online games on them are no longer merely a way to keep them occupied.
While gaming, children are unknowingly allowing purchases or payments, resulting in money being deducted from their parents’ bank accounts. Six people, including N. Kumar, Aneesh Verma and Vikas Kumar of Raipur, have complained to the cyber cell about money being deducted.
Cyber fraudsters send children links offering free coins, rewards, updates or features at a low price in games. The child opens the link and downloads or activates the game. In many cases, the child also grants permissions. Saved payment details, auto-pay/e-mandates, suspicious links or apps increase the risk.
Uninstalling only the gaming app is not enough
Uninstalling only the gaming app is not enough. If an unknown amount is deducted from the account, merely uninstalling the gaming app is insufficient.
Check the transaction method in the bank statement. Review the active payment arrangements in the gaming account and UPI app. If the game was downloaded through an unknown APK, seek expert help.
How to stop payments from a gaming app account
To prevent children from spending money without asking, make sure a password or fingerprint lock is enabled for every purchase in the phone settings. Also, go to your UPI app or bank’s net banking and disable ‘Auto-pay’, so that no gaming app can deduct money from the account on its own.
To avoid fraudulent games, do not get apps from unknown links and, before downloading one, check that it is not unnecessarily asking for permission to access the camera or phone book.
