Glittery gold just got spunkier thanks to the Virtual gold farming taking a boom. This industry has grown to a $500,000 status employing over 400,000 workers. This online industry has found favor with the developing countries, with China leading forth, where workers can pick up a paycheck of £77 ($150) a month. The entire set up is based on accrual and 'quasi-legal' sale of virtual gold and equipment to other online gamers. This sudden boom in gold farming has not found favor with most games developers. Their ire is so strong that they have gone to the extent of banning contributing individuals. Amusingly the contributors and buyers are using third party websites and online marketplaces to buy and sell the gold!

On a more serious not, this virtual gold farming has become such a profitable business that it has lured criminal gangs. Steven Davis, Chief of game security firm Secure Play, accepted that criminals were duping customers by opening accounts using stolen credit cards, collecting money and never delivering the promised gold or virtual goods in return.

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