Man Arrested Robbing RuneScape Characters
A man was hacking RuneScape accounts and stealing characters.
The UK's Times Online reports that a man was arrested for robbing virtual characters in the browser-based MMORPG, RuneScape. While the image may bring up a virtual thug dragging unsuspecting avatars into street alleyways and robbing their purses and wallets, the case is merely a 23-year-old man hacking into accounts and actually stealing the characters.
Police officials in Britain said this is the first of its kind in the country, and that the accounts were hacked by using passwords obtained through phishing scams. The man--who remained unnamed in the article--was tracked down and arrested last Tuesday. The Times Online also said that the man was accused of "a number of computer misuse offenses."
"By stealing usernames and passwords, hackers can break into these games and steal other player's virtual identities and belongings," said Graham Cluley of security firm Sophos. "This is far from the first time that crime has taken place in a virtual world - in fact there are many examples of investigations into similar illegal activity in other countries."
Virtual theft is a growing problem within MMORPGs and other genres. Greedy players looking for a shortcut will risk compromising local laws in order to gain virtual goods, or to collect and sell characters for real-world cash.
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sad...
The headline should have been: "A 23 year old actually plays Runescape."
People still play... that...?!
Is this as bad as hacking into someone's bank account?
Stealing runescape characters? I mean really WTF!!??? It's like stealing crap, why would you? Ugh...
... This was the first? I doubt it. More like the first that got caught.
I have a friend who actually made hundreds of dollars doing this, the RuneScape kiddies are total sheep.
I suppose he's going to get 20 years in jail for this and a $250k fine -- seems to be the going rate for so many digital "crimes" of late.
So having some retard actually respond to a phishing attempt makes you a "hacker"? Damn I must be some super genius mega hacker because I can make blinky text on an html website.
I think stealing or looting special items is more in.
What can a man do with a character? How can he steal it?
The character is always connected to the account,it just needs a password reset request,and it's fully yours again!
(unless the hacker has your email password too)
So having some retard actually respond to a phishing attempt makes you a "hacker"? Damn I must be some super genius mega hacker because I can make blinky text on an html website.
Dude i cant agree with you more, the term 'Hacker' is grossly overused, really...there are very few hakers out there in the world, like in the sub-thousand range. Just cuz a moron can execute a phishing scam..ya not hax0r...at all.
i wonder if this '1337 haxx0r' will now move onto much more graphically evolved games, such as crysis!!!!!!!
i was about to ask why hasnt anyone asked.
But can he hack crysis?!
ty shamgar...
btw isnt that getting old for you people to make that joke about that crappy game?
The word "hacker" has a wide array of definitions. However, I think most were created by the media and their lack of understanding of the computer science world.
I'm a 3rd year Software Engineering student and I haven't the ego to call myself a hacker.
^ and look ^
My three years of schooling hasn't even allowed me to quote properly in comments on tom's guide. I obviously have a long way to go before I attain hacker status like the guy mentioned in the article.
What?! He could not pick a better MMO in which to target? I mean if your going to anyway.....
This happens all the time. Not a hacker at all.
Doesn't really seem like there was any hacking, from reading this article. And as for the target being runescape characters, I suppose it follows the old saying, "One man's trash, is another man's treasure."
Average age of a runescape player is actually higher than you think, there are many 20-40 year olds who play the game.
who plays runescape
I admit. I used to play RS and I used to like it a lot. Though I've grown up. I'm a men now and I stopped playing. Some people never grow up.
Anyway, runescape is a total crap now. It was attacked by bots and the new trading system really sucks. Still... average 100k online players... that's A LOT
He will be virtually jailed and executed!