Brady Frey did not realize that his daughter lied about her age when she set up her Discord account. He only found out after her account got hacked and he got trapped in a spiraling support nightmare while trying to stop the hacker from targeting dozens of her young friends with financial extortion scams.
When Frey’s daughter signed up for Discord, she was 12 and technically not old enough to have an account. But like many kids whom regulators have found commonly lie about their age to access social media platforms, she didn’t want to wait another year to join her friends on the messaging app. Hiding her age, she created an account that listed her as over 18 years old.
Now 13, the teen had been happily using the app for months when she suddenly got locked out of her account after clicking on a link from an attacker posing as Discord support. Since she didn’t enable two-factor authentication, the attacker was able to commandeer the account. Frey only found out what was happening when the attacker asked the teen to share her parents’ banking information if she wanted to get her account back.
This situation highlights the challenges many parents face in the digital age. It’s a reminder of the importance of open communication about online safety and honesty. I hope things get resolved smoothly for everyone involved.
You’re absolutely right; it really underscores the importance of open communication between parents and teens about online activities. Additionally, it might be helpful for parents to familiarize themselves with the platforms their kids use to better understand potential risks.
I completely agree! This situation highlights how crucial it is for parents to stay involved in their children’s online activities. It might also be helpful for parents to educate their kids about the potential risks of lying online, not just for safety, but to foster trust in their relationship.