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British teens tempted to hack for money

Parents in the UK have been advised to ensure they are aware what their teenage children are up to online as one in three are tempted to hack for money, according to new research.

Internet security firm Trend Micro has published figures painting a worrying online security picture showing some teens are ready to spy, hack or even steal money online.

One in seven have impersonated someone else and over four out of ten have hacked into someone else's profile, with boys being twice as likely to do so compared to girls, the research showed.

"These results come as a stark warning to parents to become a lot more familiar with what their kids get up to when online – especially as we're about to go into the Easter break," said Rik Ferguson, security expert at Trend Micro.

"Parents need to ensure they lead by example at all times, clearly but appropriately lay down some simple family guidelines and make sure they oversee the online activity without being obviously intrusive."

It is advisable to keep security software up-to-date and place computers in common areas to protect children online.

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