Online Threat Alerts (OTA)
An anti-cybercrime community alerting the public.

Cybersecurity Tips for Gamers

Playing video games can be an extremely fun hobby, and even outside of a game, players usually feel obliged to add to their game collection by any means necessary. Because of this, there is a need to ensure that gamers are able to employ safe methods towards purchasing new titles.

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On the internet, a lot of people are susceptible to scams like phishing and malware on their devices. To avoid this, we’ve compiled some important tips that gamers should follow in order to stay safe as they expand their collection of titles.

Safety is a precedent that should be your priority online. With the game comparison website Eldorado.gg, you’ll never need to risk your account details on scams thanks to their trusted status. You’ll get the best possible prices on the newest games from legitimate marketplaces, allowing you to receive Steam Game keys, origin cd keys and other unlocking steps for different platforms.

Ways Gamers get scammed

Falling prey to scammers looking to attach 3rd party apps to your account

In the mobile gaming space, there is an easier process to development compared to what we’ve got on PC and consoles. Because of this, there’s an easier likelihood for malware and other information stealing tools to be attached to an application. Even if it is listed on the Google PlayStore, there’s no guarantee that it is 100% safe.

Game Cracks via torrents

Piracy will never stop existing, even with a few safe piracy sites, there’s an overwhelming amount of scammers that exist outside the scene. Because of this, you’ll be more liable to malware as many hackers tend to spread their malicious products through the use of torrents and video game files. To avoid this, you’ll need to dig deep and find good piracy forums where trusted sites are shared. On the other hand, you can just use a trusted game price comparison site like Eldorado.gg to get a legitimate price on the newest titles. You can get a cheap game key for Dying Light 2: Stay Human and other AAA titles.

Hidden fees

Some video games have ways that they keep players unaware of charges. This leads to players making a purchase and getting a deduction much higher than they anticipated. If you don’t want to fall for this, you’ll have to be more wary of the terms and conditions attached to video games. As a parent, don’t give your kids the credit card information to buy microtransactions.

Types of targets in the Video Game Industry

When cyber criminals target gamers, they usually target accounts seeking one of the following things:

Financial information: Lots of players have histories of making in-game purchases using the accounts they’ve got with video game companies. Therefore, if a hacker were to gain access to such account, they’d be able to make purchases under a gamer’s name. This is actually theft, but with the blanket of anonymity on the internet, getting justice for this crime can sometimes be extremely difficult.

Personal details: To keep video game purchases consistent and convenient, most players have personal information kept for their online accounts. When these accounts are compromised, cyber criminals will gain access to a user’s name, address and date of birth. This therefore becomes a risk that will lead to identity theft. This is especially dangerous when scammers adopt someone else’s details to make illegal purchases. Banks and other organizations might be less inclined to deal with you, even after you recover your details and clear your name.

In-game items: These are the types of items that exist within games. This includes characters, skins, weapons and other items that can be purchased or earned in-game. Frequently, these have no real world value attached to them. However, players invest in these items when playing games they love. Many of these players actually invest real-world money into this, so it’s all the more frustrating when their accounts are lost to cyber criminals. Later on, these scammers may even feel obliged to sell the stolen accounts for a fee.

How to protect yourself as a gamer

Now that you’ve got an idea of what goes on in the online world, we have some very essential tips that will guarantee your safety as you navigate the internet as a gamer.

Use complex passwords

There’s no way to avoid this. If you’re looking to avoid getting scammed, it’s not enough to have an unpredictable word anymore. There needs to be actual randomness with the letters, numbers and characters used to protect your accounts. Even though it’s a video game account, you still need to be thorough to be protected. Ideally, all your video game accounts should possess different passwords. If there’s anything to take away from this tip, never, ever use the same password across multiple accounts. That’s a hacker’s dream as it makes their job easier.

Avoid phishing attempts

With video game accounts, there are bound to be moments where you come across other players looking to learn stuff about you. Most times, they have a friendly approach to things, and they mention these information requests in passing. If you know what’s best for you, never send personal information online. Even when IRL friends message you for personal information through a video game, never reveal it as they are susceptible to compromise too.

Use Multi-Factor Authentication on your Account

On video game accounts, there are usually options for multi-factor authentication attached to your accounts. Here, you must ensure that you take advantage of this feature. It might seem tedious, but it is a true lifesaver. Essentially, Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) or two-factor authentication (2FA) is a way to protect your video game account with an extra layer of security. Therefore, you can use it to block suspicious sign-in attempts into your accounts.

If a sign-in attempt is made outside of your devices, you’ll get a notification asking if you’re the one making an attempt to sign-in. It could text your mobile phone, or send an email code that will be verifiable. This is one of the best possible ways to protect your video game account.

One of the best possible ways to stay secured on the internet as a gamer is to have a trusted website to make purchases from. With a service like Eldorado.gg, you’ll get a one stop shop to the cheap cd keys for new and legacy titles all in one place.

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