In-game currencies are certainly addictive and we all know how hard it is to get such currencies the right way. However, a Chinese website has been selling these in-game currencies at incredible discounts and it is likely that you may have come across the website in your quest to search for more.
iGSKY: iGSKY, as the name goes, has been selling in-game currencies that are very cheap. Nevertheless, this is not the end of the story. The website has been reported to have hacked the Xbox accounts of those who have bought the in-game currency with their credit cards. Fortunately, Microsoft found out about the scam and has now filed a lawsuit (court document) against the company, reports The Verge. The website is up and currently selling coins despite the lawsuit.
How did they hack your account? If you are one of those people who are crazy for in-game currencies, then it is likely that your account has been hacked as well. Essentially, the website asked for the user’s account and once the user agreed to buy some of the in-game currency or any other piece of item, the website acquired one’s credit card details.
This would then be used to buy more in-game currencies and sold to other users. That is, iGSKY would use a person’s credit card information to buy more in-game currencies and sell it to others at a discount. The latest estimate as reported by Microsoft is that the company has earned $2 million by carrying out the scam.
Microsoft’s sting operation: Finding out about the website was not simple. It required Microsoft actually buying some in-game currencies from FIFA. The company bought 11,000 FIFA points and paid $60 for it. Soon after this, the passwords changed, and $127 was deducted from the credit card for the same 11,000 points. As such, Microsoft sued iGSKY for committing fraud and violating CFAA. The parent company of iGSKY, which goes by the name of Gameest, was also not spared and is now under the lawsuit as well.
This shows how subtle the world of video games has become. It is therefore strongly advised to avoid buying any items or virtual money from unknown websites. Furthermore, it is always a good idea to use alternative emails to sign up for websites that appear suspicious. This will ensure that your primary account remains intact.
Image Credit: Shutterstock/ADCI
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