Child Gaming Purchase Scams on Facebook
Fraudulent Facebook pages and groups target young gamers with fake currency giveaways and paid 'boosting' services that charge parents without delivering any benefit.
Part of: Child Gaming Purchase Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Children and teenagers who play popular online games often follow Facebook pages dedicated to their favourite titles. Scam pages infiltrate this space by mimicking official game accounts, offering currency giveaways, account boosting, and exclusive items in exchange for payments or account access.
Parents may not notice charges until their bank statement reveals payments to unfamiliar services. In worse cases, children have handed over gaming account credentials, resulting in account theft and loss of in-game purchases.
How this scam works on Facebook
A Facebook page mimicking a popular game's official page posts a giveaway announcement: share the post, follow the page, and DM for free in-game currency. Children who DM are asked to provide their account login 'so the currency can be delivered.' Credentials are captured and the account is stripped.
Paid 'boosting' pages promise to improve a player's rank or unlock premium items for a fee. Payment is collected via Facebook Pay or a link-in-bio store, but no service is ever delivered.
Some operators run ads specifically targeting the age demographic of popular games, appearing in children's feeds with fake promotional content that drives them to fraudulent payment pages.
Common red flags
- Facebook page offering free in-game currency in exchange for account credentials
- Page mimics an official game brand but was created recently with inconsistent posting history
- Payment requested for boosting or unlock services before any service demonstration
- Page runs targeted ads at ages consistent with the game's player demographic
- DM-based process for claiming rewards — official publishers do not operate this way
- Comments section full of apparent positive responses that look planted
How to protect yourself
- Discuss with children that official game publishers never distribute currency through Facebook DMs
- Set up parental controls on any device used for gaming and require approval for in-app purchases
- Remove saved payment methods from gaming accounts accessible to children
- Check Facebook for any page your child is following that relates to gaming giveaways
- Review bank statements monthly for unfamiliar gaming or subscription charges
- Teach children to show you any offer before engaging with it
How to report it
- Report the Facebook page using 'Report Page > Scam or misleading'
- File a dispute with your bank or payment provider for any unauthorised charges
- Report to the game publisher if account credentials were stolen through the page
Frequently asked questions
My child gave their game login to a Facebook page — what should I do immediately?
Change the game account password and associated email address immediately. Enable two-factor authentication. Contact the game publisher's support team to report the access and request a review of any in-game transactions made by the attacker.