Logan Paul and KSI’s Prime being used by paedophiles to target kids as young as 12
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A kidnapping agency has warned UK parents that predators could be cashing in on the Prime energy drink sensation to lure children into traps.
Ever since the signature drink created by YouTube superstars Logan Paul and KSI launched last year, the demand for bottles of the viral drink has been astronomical.
As bottles sell out in stores within minutes and online prices skyrocket, Action Against Abduction warns that a perfect trap has sprung up on the dark web, the Sun informed.
The warning followed an investigation by internet trend experts Geonode which found that children as young as 12 were being targeted.
Parents have been warned to keep an eye on their kids’ obsession with Prime for fear of Internet bad actors.
Prime, the new sports drink created by YouTubers Logan Paul (left) and KSI (right) has had shoppers crazy across the UK.
What is Prime and why is it so popular?
Prime Energy launched in 2022
Prime is a drink launched by influential boxers Logan Paul and KSI that has been marketed as a healthy alternative to many energy drinks.
The vast majority of each 500ml bottle is filtered water, mixed with 10% coconut water.
Due to the worldwide popularity of the two YouTubers and legions of impressionable young fans, the drink has become a viral sensation.
In the UK, the drink is only sold at select venues, including Asda, Aldi and Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium.
Bottles of the drink have been known to sell out in stores in minutes and sell for many times their value online.
A bottle can cost up to £20 online, with one listed on eBay at one point for £50,000.
Chillingly, the analysis also showed that Google searches for matches offering Prime shares increased by 789%.
Speaking to The Sun, Action Against Abduction’s Geoff Newiss explained that the internet had changed the nature of grooming.
He said: ‘Online forums have really changed the nature of these crimes.
‘The important thing to remember is that simply warning children about strangers is probably not going to do the job.
“Kids go online to meet and connect with people, and the concept of a stranger is quickly lost, particularly in the face of a powerful lure.
“Similar to outdoor safety, we suggest that parents use the Clever Never Goes rule.”
He smart never goes The campaign is a new initiative meant to replace the old Stranger Danger maxim.
It teaches children how to stay safe from kidnapping, whether they are outside or online.
Geonode spokeswoman and internet safety leader Sophie Chanel said: “Although we cannot be sure of malicious intent, it is concerning that adults are running these ‘schemes and competitions’ that target vulnerable children.”
“As parents, we need to make sure our kids aren’t being manipulated on what we might think are harmless sites.”
Lead creators KSI and Logan Paul have nearly 50 million YouTube subscribers between them and are popular with younger audiences.
The couple have branded their new collaborative venture, Prime, as a healthy alternative to many energy drinks.
The drinks come in a variety of flavors including Tropical Punch, Grape, Lemon Lime, Ice Pop, and Blue Raspberry.
The vast majority of each 500ml bottle is filtered water, mixed with 10% coconut water.
The latter is a good source of minerals such as potassium, magnesium, calcium and sodium, important components for the health of the heart, skeleton and muscles.
Traditional energy drink cans can contain more than 80g of sugar and as much caffeine as three cups of coffee.
By comparison, Prime only has 2g of sugar per bottle, about 7 percent of the recommended intake for an adult. Instead, it gets its sweetness from the substances sucralose and acesulfame K.
Prime also contains 113% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin A, 125% of vitamin E, 243% of vitamin B6, and 192% of vitamin B12.
Diet experts have questioned the exact health benefits of the drink.
However, dietitians remain skeptical of the drink’s nutritional benefits.
Duane Mellor, a registered dietitian and researcher at Aston Medical School in Birmingham, told MailOnline: “It seems to have some more expensive ingredients than your average sports or energy drink in the form of branched-chain amino acids.”
These have been claimed to improve exercise performance, recovery and muscle building.
‘However, none of these claims have been accepted by regulators and should not be used when marketing products such as this. It’s interesting that you use a potassium salt, as most sports products use sodium, as it can aid in the absorption of water, glucose, and amino acids.