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Hyderabad: There has been an increase in cybercrime complaints that are traced to children who made gaming purchases without the knowledge of their legal guardians or parents, Hyderabad Commissioner VC Sajjanar said on Wednesday, June 24, issuing an advisory to parents warning them of the lasting effects of gaming disorders among young children that can lead to financial loss. According to the Commissioner, several complaints initially assumed "fraud" were found to be a child making in-game purchases using the card or UPI details saved on a device. "No hacking, no outsider involved," he said. Sajjanar noted that a significant number of cases are often traced back to a grandparent's phone, which is less likely to be monitored. For boys aged 10–17, conversation and free time largely revolve around online multiplayer games and their status is linked to what they can acquire in such games, including skins, elite pass tiers and rare items, which can create pressure to spend money. When phones intended for education are left with children for long, unsupervised periods, it can lead to gaming disorders and late-night gaming sessions with friends, the advisory read. This risk is especially high for busy or digitally unfamiliar parents who hand over devices without restrictions. What parents can do Highlighting the psychological angle, Sajjanar said the World Health Organization (WHO) recognises gaming disorder as a disease that shows impaired control and preference to gaming over school, sleep or family despite the harm it causes. The disorder is also associated with an increase in aggression, academic decline, sleep loss, eye strain, and reduced social interaction. Since immediate bans can backfire, the Commissioner suggested parents set consistent boundaries. What they can do is remove cards or the UPI autofill option from any device their child uses, including grandparents', and require a biometric password for every purchase. Parents were asked to turn on parental controls and purchase approvals in the Play Store or App Store and enable transaction alerts to keep them in the loop. Beyond financial safeguards, establishing and enforcing strict screen-time limits is crucial, the advisory said, as is maintaining an open dialogue with children about the games they play. To create a natural boundary, parents can consider switching off the Wi-Fi or internet router after a specific time and keeping a close eye on behavioural shifts, watching for falling grades, disturbed sleep, irritability, secretiveness or a sudden loss of interest in other activities. If these signs persist, a school counsellor or psychologist must be consulted since gaming disorder is highly treatable. The Commissioner reiterated that the advisory was not a statement against gaming but unmonitored access to devices.

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