RCMP Const. Scott MacLeod was back in the classroom May 18 to teach Grades 5-6 students how to recognize and avoid cyber-crime.
Using an interactive video game the student worked through a story in an effort to help investigators identify the perpetrator.
According to Const. MacLeod, the game is a teaching tool about how not to be victimized by cyber bullies.
“The kids get to play investigator to catch a cyber bully,” he said.
The game is based on a true story about the son of an RCMP officer who was victimized in a scam that involved the use of stolen credit card information.
The perpetrator of this particular crime was caught and served some time. Part of his sentence was to help develop the game that would help young people avoid being victims of this form of crime.
Kids playing the game search for clues and use simulated investigative techniques like pinging cell phone towers.
There are five lessons in the program which is delivered to the classroom over five weeks. The first lesson is about copyright laws and piracy. It teaches people that there are consequences to piracy, which is burning copyrighted audio or video to DVDs, for example.
The second lesson focuses on defining and preventing real-time bullying.
In week three students learn about cyber-crimes like credit card fraud and how to avoid it.
The fourth week teaches about how honesty can help people out of trouble. It is about brining information about unlawful activities to the authorities. “We tell them it is not about getting people into trouble, but it’s about getting people out of trouble, like the future victims of the perpetrator,” MacLeod explained.
In the fifth and final episode students get to track and capture the perpetrator by following clues.
In the game, the victim, Luke, is in trouble and facing jail time. By catching the perpetrator, Luke clears his name and is saved from jail.
“It’s about trusting adults,” said Const. MacLeod.
