A 13-year-old girl from China used a large amount of money from her family’s savings to play online mobile games. She spent a total of 449,500 yuan, which is about Rs 52,19,809, over a period of four months. When she finished spending the money, there was only 0.5 yuan (around Rs 5) left in the savings account. The girl admitted where she had spent all the money.
According to a report by the South China Morning Post, the girl’s school teacher informed her mother that she had been spending a lot of time on her phone. The teacher suggested that she might be addicted to games that require payment to play. Concerned, the mother decided to check the account her daughter had been using and was shocked by what she discovered.
The mother, whose name is Wang, found that there was only 0.5 yuan remaining in the account. She shared a viral video on social media showing the bank statement page as proof. The statements revealed that the majority of the money had been spent on mobile games.
This incident highlights the issue of excessive spending on online games and serves as a reminder for parents to monitor their children’s phone usage. It is important to promote responsible gaming habits and find a balance between leisure time and other activities.
This situation has broader implications beyond just the financial impact on the family. It emphasizes the need for awareness and education about the risks of unrestricted access to online games. It is crucial for parents, educators, and policymakers to address the challenges posed by excessive gaming and work towards creating a safe and balanced digital environment for young people.
When her father confronted her, the 13-year-old girl confessed that she had spent 120,000 yuan (around Rs 13,93,000) on buying games, 210,000 yuan (approximately Rs 24,39,000) on in-game purchases, and 100,000 yuan (about Rs 11,61,000) on buying games for at least 10 of her classmates.
The girl found her mother’s debit card lying around and decided to link it to her smartphone. She knew the card’s password because it was used in her parents’ absence. To hide these game purchases from her parents, she deleted all the transaction history from her phone. Despite her reluctance and fear, she admitted to buying games for her classmates.
According to a report by Insider, the teenager confessed that she bought games for her classmates because she was afraid they would bother her all day if she didn’t. She was also afraid that if she told the teacher, the teacher would inform her parents, and she didn’t want her parents to get angry.
This situation highlights how the girl’s fear and the pressure from her classmates led her to make these purchases. It serves as a reminder of the importance of open communication between parents and children and the need to educate young individuals about responsible spending and the potential consequences of impulsive decisions.