Almost a quarter of a million fake accounts created in South Korea alone
A plague of identity theft is afflicting South Korea's online gamers, as reported cases soar to almost a quarter of a million.
Many of the stolen identities are being used in gaming 'farms' in China as part of a $1bn a year black market in cash and items from online games, according to local media reports.
Online games are hugely popular in highly-wired South Korea. The country has well-funded professional video gaming leagues, and TV channels devoted to games.
More than three million people play Lineage and Lineage 2, the games most affected by the recent spate of identify theft.
Organisations running online gaming 'farms', particularly in China, have been blamed for the identity thefts.
Farms involve ranks of low-paid staff working 14-hour shifts performing repetitive tasks in online games in order to generate 'gold' and other valuable items. These items are then sold to players overseas.
A Korean ID number is required to sign up to play Lineage in Korea. This has made it difficult for 'farmers' to set up accounts for their workers, hence the spate of ID thefts.
A plague of identity theft is afflicting South Korea's online gamers, as reported cases soar to almost a quarter of a million.
Many of the stolen identities are being used in gaming 'farms' in China as part of a $1bn a year black market in cash and items from online games, according to local media reports.
Online games are hugely popular in highly-wired South Korea. The country has well-funded professional video gaming leagues, and TV channels devoted to games.
More than three million people play Lineage and Lineage 2, the games most affected by the recent spate of identify theft.
Organisations running online gaming 'farms', particularly in China, have been blamed for the identity thefts.
Farms involve ranks of low-paid staff working 14-hour shifts performing repetitive tasks in online games in order to generate 'gold' and other valuable items. These items are then sold to players overseas.
A Korean ID number is required to sign up to play Lineage in Korea. This has made it difficult for 'farmers' to set up accounts for their workers, hence the spate of ID thefts.