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Teenagers are exploiting the easy availability of pre-paid credit cards to buy alcohol and over 18 DVDs, and gamble on the internet.

The cards, which allow youngsters to top them up with cash before going on a spending spree, do not require any age verification when purchased from a retail outlet or purchased online.

Credit cards issued by banks require adults to go through numerous credit and identity checks before they are issued. But under the loophole, pre-paid cards do not require any of the checks.

The Children’s Charities’ Coalition for Internet Safety, said underage buying of goods and services was becoming a growing problem.

Secretary, John Carr said: “We have been calling for better age verification system for several years to deal with a huge range of things arising out of the online world.”

“It suddenly has got a whole lot worse with the emergence of these pre-paid credit cards. They allow you to go and register yourself at any age you want. They don’t do any check up on the information that you provide them with. The financial services industry needs to step in and stop these practices.” (more)

North Carolina legislators are weighing the merits of a unique bill aimed at governing non-adult access to Internet social networking sites, including thorny issues on the role of parental approval and whether the measure can actually help curb child predation.Senate Bill 132–The Protect Children From Sexual Predators Act–was passed by the state Senate in May and now resides in House judiciary and appropriations committees in a modified form. Read more

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