Online games can also provide opportunity for investigations. MMOs, or massively multiplayer online games, provide a graphical interface for users to interact with each other in real time as they play the game. Text-based chat and/or voice chat are included in almost all games of this type for users to be able to communicate with anyone online. The most popular form of MMO is the MMORPG, or massively multiplayer online role playing game, such as World of Warcraft or Second Life. These games allow a user to create an avatar, or virtual online representation, of themselves and play through the game world as this virtual person. While most of these users have interest only in fun and games, many are looking for social interactions, discreet and possibly unfaithful flirting or dating, stalking, harassment, and who knows what else in mind. Players should take care with whom they interact with in this type of setting, especially if the interest is outgrowing the game and is starting to involve the real world.
Investigations into MMOs or other types of online games can be more difficult than social network sites, because the information is not viewable at all times on a web page. Instead, a type of virtual surveillance is needed in order to obtain the information in real time, as it is happening. Most commonly, investigations such as this have proven useful to law enforcement and valuable in courtrooms for cases such as anti-pedophile sting operations and other similar cases, especially those that involve children, as games are a gathering place for predators to find child victims.
Typical reasons for online game and MMO investigations:
- stalking and harassment
- identity fraud and theft
- technical discovery
- standard investigation lead development
- anti-pedophile investigation
- disciplinary actions
- company policy violations
- identity verification
- alias vetting
- subject character development
- accomplices discovery
- probation violations
- other court order violations
- criminal case purposes
- criminal enticement
- civil enticement
- sting operations
- intellectual property theft
Please take advantage of our free consultation to discuss this matter with a licensed private investigator which is familiar with this type of investigations.
(2/20/2013)
See the following case studies for examples of this case type:
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Internet Harassment on Facebook
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Please be prepared, a Free Consultation for this investigation type may request the following information:
What is your role?
Is the subject a Minor?
How many subjects may be involved?
Please understand that the budget for your case may vary depending on the complexity. So that we may help you, what is the budget that you can afford?
By what date do the services need to be complete?
Describe the circumstances and requirements of your case to us. Please include any and all information that may be important. Even the most minor detail can be considered helpful. (The Story)
What are you trying to accomplish with this effort?
Does the subject use IM, Chat or Email?
What username (alias, nickname, handle, etc.) does the subject commonly use?
Please list any websites, social networking sites, enthusiast group, online games (MMOs) or forum sites the subject is known to have used or currently uses: (ie. Myspace, Facebook, Orkut, Friendster, Porsche Forum, World of Warcraft, Second Life, etc)
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