Woman arrested for killing virtual reality husband

[XxTearGodxX]

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/ptech/10/2 ... index.html

 

 

 

 

 

TOKYO, Japan (AP) -- A 43-year-old Japanese woman whose sudden divorce in a virtual game world made her so angry that she killed her online husband's digital persona has been arrested on suspicion of hacking, police said Thursday.

 

Online environments such as "Second Life" -- where users control avatars -- have emerged in recent years.

 

 

 

The woman, who is jailed on suspicion of illegally accessing a computer and manipulating electronic data, used his identification and password to log onto popular interactive game "Maple Story" to carry out the virtual murder in mid-May, a police official in northern Sapporo said on condition of anonymity, citing department policy.

 

 

 

"I was suddenly divorced, without a word of warning. That made me so angry," the official quoted her as telling investigators and admitting the allegations.

 

 

 

The woman had not plotted any revenge in the real world, the official said.

 

 

 

She has not yet been formally charged, but if convicted could face a prison term of up to five years or a fine up to $5,000.

 

 

 

Players in "Maple Story" raise and manipulate digital images called "avatars" that represent themselves, while engaging in relationships, social activities and fighting against monsters and other obstacles.

 

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The woman used login information she got from the 33-year-old office worker when their characters were happily married, and killed the character. The man complained to police when he discovered that his beloved online avatar was dead.

 

 

 

The woman was arrested Wednesday and was taken across the country, traveling 620 miles from her home in southern Miyazaki to be detained in Sapporo, where the man lives, the official said.

 

 

 

The police official said he did not know if she was married in the real world.

 

 

 

In recent years, virtual lives have had consequences in the real world. In August, a woman was charged in Delaware with plotting the real-life abduction of a boyfriend she met through "Second Life," another virtual interactive world.

 

 

 

In Tokyo, police arrested a 16-year-old boy on charges of swindling virtual currency worth $360,000 in an interactive role playing game by manipulating another player's portfolio using a stolen ID and password.

 

 

 

Virtual games are popular in Japan, and "Second Life" has drawn a fair number of Japanese participants. They rank third by nationality among users, after Americans and Brazilians.

[Dean Ambrose]

Wow...... just wow. That lady must've been drunk when she killed the character. :? And I guess, that means Maple Story doesn't have respawns? I don't complain to the police when I die in rs lol. :? :twss:

[anonymous1234]

Wow...... just wow. That lady must've been drunk when she killed the character. :? And I guess, that means Maple Story doesn't have respawns? I don't complain to the police when I die in rs lol. :? :twss:

 

Imagine you were wearing a phat.

[Dean Ambrose]

Wow...... just wow. That lady must've been drunk when she killed the character. :? And I guess, that means Maple Story doesn't have respawns? I don't complain to the police when I die in rs lol. :? :twss:

 

Imagine you were wearing a phat.

Still, would you complain to the police, saying the likes of "OMG liek I got haxord in an internet game and lost an it3m worth $5 in the real world! OMGOMG ARREST THEM FOR TEH HAKING!" Seriously now, do you know what to do when you olse something along the lines of a Rare? You work for a new one, until the supply is gone. 'Nuff said.

[cadburys_egg]

lol, japan. As if your cat-designed houses and your used panty vending machines didnt make me lol enough, you go and do this.

 

I bet he-

 

A 43-year-old Japanese woman

 

What.

 

 

 

Virtual games are popular in Japan, and "Second Life" has drawn a fair number of Japanese participants. They rank third by nationality among users, after Americans and Brazilians.

 

Wait what. Where do Koreans come in to it then? They make 90% of those 'free' MMOs you see about the place. Or are they too busy with Starcraft?

 

 

 

Imagine you were wearing a phat.

 

You get off a lot easier dieing in MS than you do in RS.

 

 

 

Still, would you complain to the police, saying the likes of "OMG liek I got haxord in an internet game and lost an it3m worth $5 in the real world! OMGOMG ARREST THEM FOR TEH HAKING!" Seriously now, do you know what to do when you olse something along the lines of a Rare? You work for a new one, until the supply is gone. 'Nuff said.

 

Read again where this happened.

[anonymous1234]

lol, japan. As if your cat-designed houses and your used panty vending machines didnt make me lol enough, you go and do this.

 

I bet he-

 

A 43-year-old Japanese woman

 

What.

 

 

 

Virtual games are popular in Japan, and "Second Life" has drawn a fair number of Japanese participants. They rank third by nationality among users, after Americans and Brazilians.

 

Wait what. Where do Koreans come in to it then? They make 90% of those 'free' MMOs you see about the place. Or are they too busy with Starcraft?

 

 

 

Imagine you were wearing a phat.

 

You get off a lot easier dieing in MS than you do in RS.

 

 

 

Still, would you complain to the police, saying the likes of "OMG liek I got haxord in an internet game and lost an it3m worth $5 in the real world! OMGOMG ARREST THEM FOR TEH HAKING!" Seriously now, do you know what to do when you olse something along the lines of a Rare? You work for a new one, until the supply is gone. 'Nuff said.

 

Read again where this happened.

 

The win in this post...it's almost too much

[ThurinEthir]

 

In Tokyo, police arrested a 16-year-old boy on charges of swindling virtual currency worth $360,000 in an interactive role playing game by manipulating another player's portfolio using a stolen ID and password.

 

 

Well that's awesome. :twss:

 

I love east Asia.

[Guest]

 

 

 

'Nuff said.

[RSBDavid]

wow....wow.....wut?

 

 

 

I just downloaded SL too. Maybe I can tell some rich person IRL to kill my character SO I can sue them.

[BlueLancer]

The most baffling part of the story is that a 30+ year old grown up man would go to the police because his online game character got killed.

 

 

 

Hell, I've been mugged /attempted numerous times at night, never reported it because the investigation would just lead to a dead end... Wouldn't call the cops for pretty much any reason except if someone broke into my home, or to call an ambulance to a wounded person/witnessing a murder..

 

 

 

But because your Maplestory account *died*? :shock: Way to waste public resources. People who don't even share passwords get 'hacked' all the time (mostly by downloading trojans/keyloggers), and guess what.. They report it to the customer service of the game.

[Sbrideau]

+1 BlueLancer

 

 

 

Where is the world going, a game is a game...

[zeekyhbomb]

 

Wait what. Where do Koreans come in to it then? They make 90% of those 'free' MMOs you see about the place. Or are they too busy with Starcraft?

 

 

 

Read for comprehension. It said third biggest player base in Second Life, not in online computer games.

 

 

 

Stupid that you can get arrested over this; and that someone would call the cops over it. Dying in Maplestory is not a big deal and the charges should be dropped.

[Cyco_Reborn]

Haha, thats pretty funny, but it's rather fair that she got arrested for hacking.

[warren211]

At least change the title. I'm tired of these misleading titles of news articles. She was not arrested for killing the character, the article says it was suspicion of hacking. It seems the governments of the world are really cracking down on the interwebs, Holland is also putting online item thefts on trial. Rather interesting to see what'll be next...

[Althalus]

Way to blow it out of proportion on the guy's part. In MapleStory if you die you don't lose items you just lose a certain % of experience. This has fail written all over it.

[RichieMcD]

Once again another newspaper blowing something small way out of proportion, killing the character would make it unusable again really while the character is still perfectly all right to play, just the minor set back of losing some exp. All this is down to is hacking and nothing else, another newspaper blowing something small way out of proportion.

[Trollface]

She did not make his husband die, she DELETED his character, which had well over a billion mesos in equipment (equivalent of deleting a christmas cracker) and $1000 in Nexon cash. The character was also fairly high level too

 

 

I shall add my post from Sleepywood.net too.

 

 

 

Note-It's not just 5% exp he lost: It's his entire character too.

[warri0r45]

At least change the title. I'm tired of these misleading titles of news articles. She was not arrested for killing the character, the article says it was suspicion of hacking. It seems the governments of the world are really cracking down on the interwebs, Holland is also putting online item thefts on trial. Rather interesting to see what'll be next...

 

 

 

Funnily enough I read a little blurb in the paper the other day that said a virtual item theft in Runescape was put on trial in Holland.

 

 

 

This is just bizzare. I hope these kind of people feel lucky that it's virtual junk they lost and not their health/life, etc.

[The_Who]

I lol'd at the article when I read it on my homepage this afternoon. It's sad how some people take these kinds of games so seriously. I mean come on, virtual divorce?

[Ouchy]

If you want my opinion, both of them are pathetic. She is pathetic for playing Maple Story, especially at her age, and he is pathetic, as he went to the police about it.

 

What is the world coming too :|

[Returned3]

*Holds back laughter*

 

 

 

I don't see why a regular 12 year old can just play over again when his account got hacked but a fully-grown man has to report it to the police. It's immaturity to a whole new level.

 

 

 

[hide=A lame attempt at humour]Man: I'm sorry dear, you are very beautiful and all... but we are just not meant to be together. I'm afraid that we're going to have to break up.

 

 

 

*Woman cries*

 

 

 

Man: Don't cry, it's not you it's me. I need more time to train my character to level 200 so I can be on the highscores and those prepaid cards I keep buying for you is burning a hole in my pocket, so I hope that you will understand.

 

 

 

Woman: Alright fine! After spending so much time party killing, despite never having seen your face before I always loved you... nobody breaks up with me and gets away with it. Ima find some 33 year old dude to help me hack his account so that he will pay...

 

 

 

*The Next Day*

 

 

 

Man: WTF, Why isn't my level 100+ Arch Mage there anymore? Did Asiasoft loose some information or something? Omg, this isn't funny where is my character? What is happening?

 

 

 

Woman: Muahaha, since you broke up with me I have found a 33 year old dude to help me delete your account... and I will not refund your prepaid cards!

 

 

 

Man: NOOOOOOOooooooooo..... NO, I will not be bullied like this. I will call the police and report it to them as a murder case...

 

 

 

*The Next Day*

 

 

 

Police: Freeze woman! You have been charged for murdering *Holds back laughter* an online character and possibly driving a fully-grown man into depression, you're going to jail for this.[/hide]

[EdgedThesis]

Didn't the 'victim' defy online rules by giving out his account information in the first place?

 

 

 

It's his fault.

 

 

 

Oh, and, the entire situation is stupid.

[angryjoe]

Probably the least important thing I've read this week.

[dsavi]

The question is, who cares?

[Kiriyama]

Didn't the 'victim' defy online rules by giving out his account information in the first place?

 

 

 

It's his fault.

 

 

 

Oh, and, the entire situation is stupid.

 

 

 

Agreed with all of that.

 

 

 

Firstly, it does say she used information she got off him to sign in, his own fault and stupidity.

 

 

 

Secondly, this is a major waste of police resources, I wish he'd get locked up for wasting police time with something that is his own damn fault.

 

 

 

No hacking occurred here, he's using it as a cover to disguise the fact he pretty much gave out his password (like alot of people who play online games).