It seems that the ingenuity of kids wanting to get around the rules is still alive and well. Whatever new technology comes along, kids will put it to use to get into trouble. Take pre-paid "credit cards", for example. Sometimes called "cash cards" or "gift cards", these have become very popular for gift giving, lately. The recipient is able to get what they want for a gift, rather than getting what a well-meaning but clueless friend or relative thinks they want.

Both Visa and Mastercard offer such cards and highlight the fact that they are accepted by any merchant that accepts traditional credit cards, online and off. The problem, however, is that it's easy enough for kids to get hold of these cards opening up a world of adult pleasures to them. A recent investigation in the UK found that children were easily able to obtain the cards on their own, purchase restricted items such as liquor and adult videos, and gain access to pornographic and gambling websites.

Visa prefers to focus on the positive aspects of the cards. "They introduce children to the financial world, start to teach them about financial discipline," said a spokesman. I'm not sure there's any way to solve the problem, other than to make sure parents know what their kids are ordering.