The 11 Most Common Crimes Committed By Gamers

Crimes related to video games can span a wide range of illegal activities, both in the digital world of the game and in real life. Here are some of the most common types of crimes that can occur in relation to video games:

1. Harassment and Cyberbullying

•                Description: Online multiplayer games can be breeding grounds for harassment, threats, and cyberbullying. Players may target others with abusive language, threats of violence, or prolonged harassment campaigns.

•                Examples: Threatening other players with violence, stalking them across different games, or doxxing (publishing private information).

2. Cheating and Hacking

•                Description: Using cheats or hacks to gain unfair advantages in games is not only against the game’s terms of service but can also be illegal if it involves tampering with game code or servers.

•                Examples: DDoS attacks (distributed denial-of-service) to crash servers, using aimbots or wallhacks in shooters, or creating and selling cheats for profit.

3. Phishing and Scams

•                Description: Fraudulent activities targeting players, especially in games with in-game purchases or valuable digital items. Scammers trick players into giving up account credentials or personal information.

•                Examples: Fake giveaways, phishing emails that mimic game developers, or impersonating support staff to steal accounts.

4. Theft and Virtual Property Crimes

•                Description: Some games allow players to buy, sell, or trade virtual goods that have real-world value. Theft of in-game items or accounts can be treated similarly to real-world property theft.

•                Examples: Hacking into accounts to steal rare items, selling hacked accounts, or engaging in unauthorized trading of in-game assets.

5. Money Laundering

•                Description: Some criminals use video games with virtual currencies to launder money. By purchasing in-game items or currency with illicit funds and then selling them for real money, they can “clean” the money.

•                Examples: Using platforms like Steam or in-game markets to buy items with stolen credit cards, then selling those items for cash.

6. Swatting

•                Description: A dangerous form of harassment where a person falsely reports a serious crime to authorities, resulting in a SWAT team being sent to the victim’s address.

•                Examples: Players have been known to call in fake threats, leading to SWAT teams raiding the homes of other players, sometimes with fatal consequences.

7. Grooming and Exploitation of Minors

•                Description: Predators may use online games to target and groom minors for exploitation. This is especially concerning in games that are popular among children and teens.

•                Examples: Befriending minors to build trust and eventually coaxing them into sharing explicit photos or meeting in person.

8. Real-World Violence Inspired by Games

•                Description: While rare, there have been instances where individuals have carried out real-world violence and attributed their actions to inspiration from video games.

•                Examples: Some mass shooters have cited violent games as influences, though the connection between games and real-life violence is widely debated.

9. Copyright Infringement and Piracy

•                Description: Illegally distributing, copying, or modifying video games without permission from the copyright holder.

•                Examples: Pirating games, distributing unauthorized copies, or creating fan-made content that uses copyrighted game assets without permission.

10. Gambling and Betting

•                Description: Some games, particularly those with loot boxes, are accused of promoting gambling behavior. There are also cases of illegal betting on eSports matches.

•                Examples: Sites that allow betting with in-game items (like skins in games such as “CS

“) and unregulated loot box mechanics.

11. Fraud with In-Game Purchases

•                Description: Using stolen credit cards or account details to make in-game purchases. Game companies can lose significant revenue due to fraudulent activities.

•                Examples: Purchasing game currency or items using stolen payment information and then selling them to other players.

These crimes highlight the need for increased cybersecurity, user education, and legal oversight in the gaming industry to protect players and developers alike.