Video gamers have found themselves the target of a new type of scam. No malware or hacking into the games rather a simple phishing scam which is filling scammers’ pockets.
Scammers have been found to be sending emails to the gamers portraying themselves as the officials from the gaming companies claiming that they will take legal action against those involved in selling game characters and credits for real time money.
By tricking the gamers into believing their emails, the cyber criminals actually ask for money or personal and financial information of those gamers.
According to a statement from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC):
“If you want to check the status of your account or challenge the suspension, the email tells you to click a link and fill in a ‘verification’ page,” the FTC said. “But that’s the way they try to trick potential victims into offering up anything from their address and phone number to their credit card or bank account numbers.”
Tip: Never download files from an unknown emailIt is true that gaming companies send such emails on a regular basis. But, there is always a threat as scammers use original logos and even original emails created with the help of fake email generator (Click here to read what is email spoofing) so it’s hard for the average user to tell the difference.
In the past, hackers were able to trick Grand Theft Auto 5 (GTA5) players on Rockstar Social Club and steal 2500+ accounts of registered users.
In another scam, hackers went one step further by developing one of a kind malware masquerading as modifications (MODS) for the Grand Theft Auto V video game. However, we at HackRead were able to inform gamers about the scam ahead of time.
Always make sure whichever email you open, you verify the links inside it and also the attachment and if you find anything suspicious, you must contact the company’s contact support
Click here (FTC link) to view flash slideshow on how to protect yourself from phishing attacks.
FTC.GOV
