According to Scam Statistics by Scam Watch, there have been a total of 272,080 scam reports filed that cost people $280,496,804. These scams include online gaming scams, investment scams, dating, false billing, remote access scams, identity theft, threats to life, classified scams, online shopping scams, hacking and phishing.
1 in 5 gamers falls prey to scams that either cost them real money or virtual money they earned in the game. Remember when in season 4 of The Big Bang Theory, the great Sheldon was picked clean after his World of Warcraft account was hacked, and his carcass was left out in the open. His friend Howard had to follow the digital crumbs left behind, which led to the culprit Todd Zarnecki.
Only online gamers, who have worked hard to reach a certain level and calculated valuable items, can understand the pain of being looted, even if it’s digitally.
So, how does one stay away from scams that can empty their pockets? Well, you need to focus your mind on the game rather than the extras, which you think you need when you get stuck at a level. Here’s a great recommendation: Why not have an energy drink like G Fuel to keep your mind sharp. This is no ordinary drink. It has been specifically created for the online gaming community to help them enhance their gaming experience. Read more on what G Fuel is here.
Let’s take a look at the most common online scams that young gamers fall for:
4 Awful Online Gaming Scams That Can Empty Your Pocket
The Lure of V-Bucks
V-bucks refer to virtual currency that helps you buy things in a game. It’s one of the most popular scams that always leave gamers wanting more. V-buck generators ask for your personal information, like name, email ID and credit card information. Young gamers often don’t know that V-bucks are bought with real money, which is why they spend so much online.
These generators leave spyware in your computer that steals all your data and then blackmail you for money. There’s no shortcut to buying V-bucks, which is why you shouldn’t trust any website that is selling them. The only way to get V-bucks is through the game you are playing.
Links Directing to Third-Party Websites
Let’s say that you are playing Call of Duty on your Tab. A link pops on your screen that tells you where you can buy more ammo and new outfits for cheap. You click the link and are directed to another website that has everything you are looking for and more. You enter your parent’s credit card information and start buying.
That’s your first mistake! You should have checked if the website is legit or not by running an online search on it. Your cart totalled $300, which you happily paid, thinking that no one would be able to stop you now. However, you don’t see the new stuff you just bought when you resume your game, though the money has been deducted from the account.
Fake Versions of Popular Games
Whether you are downloading a game on your mobile phone through Play Store or the PC through Torrent websites, there’s always a chance that you might end up downloading the wrong one. These fake games have malware attached to them that attack your computer. When it’s time to create an account at login, all your information is stolen from phone numbers to home addresses and credit card details. If you get an email that someone tried to access your account, it was probably a scammer from the fake game you downloaded.
Phishing
Phishing in the gaming community is quite common, and it too has to do with the information you enter at login. In this case, fraudsters ask for your password to enter the game, and when gamers click the link provided to them, their account information is stolen.
In the past two years, which mark the time of the pandemic, online gamers have increased. This has led to plenty of scams that took place within a day. Another way through which scammers track you is your IP address. So, when playing games online, try to use a VPN for a secure connection to protect yourself. Lastly, avoid buying anything from third-party websites or anyone who claims that they are one of the team members assigned to assist gamers for the game you are playing.
Download anti-virus software so that even if you do accidentally click a link, your personal data will be protected from digital thieves. Remember, in most cases, credit card companies do not remove the charges you made in a game. So, play wisely.
