In the News
Online scams continue to infect new industries and online communities. In Hackers Target Fortnite with V-Buck Scams, Kacy Zurkus at Info-Security Magazine discusses how the video game Fortnite has generated over 50,000 scams in recent months. Zurkus explains that malicious attackers create fake pages claiming to offer discounted prices on the in-game currency used to buy updates and skills within Fortnite. Zurkus elaborates that these scams are used to obtain personal information from unsuspecting users such as their financial information.
Our Take
Not only is Fortnite gaining an increasing fan base, but its core is expanding its audience range as well. While having a video game that is played by a wide range of ages and people is great for creating a large community, security risks arise when dealing with customers of varying knowledge levels regarding online best practices. Being able to recognize the signs of a scam is often not a universal skill, and for players who are budget conscious or unaware of such scams, a ‘deal’ may trick one into giving up their personal information. As scams become more elaborate and harder to detect, it is critical for customers to understand such scams, their dangers, and how to utilize only gaming platforms and services without falling prey to such malicious attacks.
Recommendations
How can you protect your personal information on online platforms?
- Understand the risks of putting your personal information into the world, and only share what you have to
- Refrain from clicking on links claiming to offer services at reduced rates or for free. If it seems too good to be true, it most likely is.
- Don’t reuse your account passwords, and take advantage of multi-factor authentication where possible
- Do not make your passwords or security questions/answers out of information that can be found on your social media or easily guessed
- Refrain from downloading anything unless you can verify it comes from a reputable source