Economy In Virtual Worlds, part 4: Crime and Black Market
source: http://thevirtualworlds.blogspot.com/search/label/virtual%20economy
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Monetary issues can give a virtual world problems similar to those in the real world. In South Korea, where the number of computer game players is massive, some have reported the emergence of gangs and mafia, where powerful players would threaten beginners to give money for their "protection", and actually steal and rob.
Other similar problems arise in other virtual economies. In the game The Sims Online, a 17-year old boy going by the in-game name "Evangeline" was discovered to have built a cyber-brothel, where customers would pay sim-money for minutes of cybersex. Maxis canceled each of his accounts, but had he deposited his fortune in the gaming open market he would have been able to keep a part of it.
In October 2008 a court in the Netherlands criminalized the theft of”virtual goods.” According to a ruling handed down by a Dutch court, two teenagers, aged 14 and 15, were found guilty of theft after physically coercing a 13-year-old boy into transferring virtual money, a virtual amulet, and a virtual mask to their accounts in the online fantasy adventure game, RuneScape.
In the US, Minnesota police refused to recognize $4,000 of virtual currency stolen in Final Fantasy as a crime, explaining that because virtual items “are devoid of monetary value,” no crime had actually been committed. Perhaps even more significantly, the MMORPG, EVE Online, saw a large-scale banking scheme that defrauded a number of users. The stolen money was estimated to be worth as much as $170,000 in the real-world marketplace, and the scam even got the attention of some in the legal community who likened it to “actionable real-world fraud”.
A recent virtual heist has led to calls from some community members in Second Life to bring in external regulation of these markets: In late July, a perpetrator with privileged information hacked into a stock exchange's computers, made false deposits, then ran off with what appears to be the equivalent of US$10,000, disappearing into thin air. Despite the seemingly small haul, this heist left investors feeling outraged and vulnerable.
Virtual Black market
Many MMORPGS such as RuneScape, World of Warcraft, Warhammer Online or Final Fantasy XI strictly prohibit buying gold, items, or any other product linked with the game, with real world cash. RuneScape went as far as making it virtually impossible by removing Unbalanced Trades. Final Fantasy XI and Warhammer Online both have entire task forces dedicated to the removal of real money trading from the game.
Other similar problems arise in other virtual economies. In the game The Sims Online, a 17-year old boy going by the in-game name "Evangeline" was discovered to have built a cyber-brothel, where customers would pay sim-money for minutes of cybersex. Maxis canceled each of his accounts, but had he deposited his fortune in the gaming open market he would have been able to keep a part of it.
In October 2008 a court in the Netherlands criminalized the theft of”virtual goods.” According to a ruling handed down by a Dutch court, two teenagers, aged 14 and 15, were found guilty of theft after physically coercing a 13-year-old boy into transferring virtual money, a virtual amulet, and a virtual mask to their accounts in the online fantasy adventure game, RuneScape.
In the US, Minnesota police refused to recognize $4,000 of virtual currency stolen in Final Fantasy as a crime, explaining that because virtual items “are devoid of monetary value,” no crime had actually been committed. Perhaps even more significantly, the MMORPG, EVE Online, saw a large-scale banking scheme that defrauded a number of users. The stolen money was estimated to be worth as much as $170,000 in the real-world marketplace, and the scam even got the attention of some in the legal community who likened it to “actionable real-world fraud”.
A recent virtual heist has led to calls from some community members in Second Life to bring in external regulation of these markets: In late July, a perpetrator with privileged information hacked into a stock exchange's computers, made false deposits, then ran off with what appears to be the equivalent of US$10,000, disappearing into thin air. Despite the seemingly small haul, this heist left investors feeling outraged and vulnerable.
Virtual Black market
Many MMORPGS such as RuneScape, World of Warcraft, Warhammer Online or Final Fantasy XI strictly prohibit buying gold, items, or any other product linked with the game, with real world cash. RuneScape went as far as making it virtually impossible by removing Unbalanced Trades. Final Fantasy XI and Warhammer Online both have entire task forces dedicated to the removal of real money trading from the game.
