Online multiplayer video games, as well as all esports, are gaining ground over single-player video games. This trend has been entrenched during the pandemic, motivated by the impossibility of physical and social interaction.
The gaming platforms allow players to interact, but since they are online and often depend on micropayments by users, they have become the target of cybercriminals.
In addition, due to the cost of the extras of these platforms, some users look for bargains and buy them in third-party virtual stores. This sometimes makes them victims of all kinds of scams.
If you want to protect yourself from such scams, do not miss to go through the below tips:
1. Play games only on secure websites:
The internet is full of online stores, but not all of them are safe. And buying on an illegitimate website can end up costing us a lot of money. But how can we detect that a website is reliable?
To begin with, the URL must begin with the expression “Https” and be preceded by a small padlock. These signals will indicate that our data is encrypted and that it will travel safely. In addition, we must verify that we have actually accessed the correct website by reviewing the URL to verify that we are not facing a spoofing attempt.
Likewise, the business should publish a legal notice, information regarding the data protection policy, as well as details about the rules for canceling orders. And also, there should be a customer service channel.
On the other hand, if you plan to play games on the mobile, you must download the applications of the stores only from official channels.
2. Pay with a prepaid card:
One of the easiest ways to protect yourself against online fraud is to always pay with a prepaid card. These means of payment are not connected to a current account but work as a kind of virtual wallet in which the customer can load the money they want and download it later.
Thus, in case someone clones our card, we will make sure that they will not be able to keep more money than we have added before. The ideal is to keep these cards empty and load them with just the right amount only when you want to use them.
3. Find out about the additional security of your credit/debit card:
Many companies have services that can be contracted in an additional way to increase the security of your credit or debit card. Some banks offer a secret PIN that you need to enter each time you make a transaction, while others send a different code to your cell phone every time you make a purchase. Inquire about options with your financial institution.
4. Do not trust impossible bargains:
We should be wary of gaming websites where the deals are outrageously attractive. If a gaming website sells games at a very low price compared to the offers of other online gaming sites or all its products are sold for the same amount, it is possible that we are faced with a scam.
Illegitimate websites use super prices as a lure to attract their victims. If we end up buying, they will most likely keep our money, and we will not receive the product, or they will give us something different – an imitation or refurbishment.
5. Be wary of password requests by phone, cell phone, or email:
Financial institutions do not email or call customers asking for their credit card password or security code. This information is personal and non-transferable and should not be disclosed to third parties.
Therefore, be suspicious of any contact on behalf of banks and gaming websites that make such a request. Also, remember not to provide personal data (such as the father’s or mother’s name) or the card’s security code, which are the three numbers on the back, to any unknown callers or persons.
Before sharing your personal and sensitive information, make sure to check/her identity on Nuwber. You can look up the phone number to see who it actually belongs to.
6. Pay attention to follow-up notifications:
Many gaming websites send SMS to your cell phone, informing you of the latest purchases made on your card. The problem is that, nowadays, many people have lost the habit of checking messages received in this format and may end up not realizing the fraud.
Therefore, always pay attention to follow-up notifications and, if you do not recognize the purchase, immediately contact your bank to report the misuse.
7. Check that the discounts are real:
If you have already had your eye on a couple of gaming platforms, and you want to take advantage of the possible offers on some special days, it is worth reviewing their price on other days.
Why? This way, we can verify that the discount is real and that the cost is not the same as before or that it has not been inflated during the previous days and then lowered.
8. Learn about the experience of other gamers:
One way to prevent scams is to search the internet for the opinions of other gamers on the gaming websites, especially if you do not know them. This way, you can verify if it is a scam or, on the contrary, if the business is legitimate. In addition, thanks to the opinions of other gamers.
Some Additional Tips: Save safely and protect yourself from scams:
To avoid having a hard time due to unwanted charges or simply being the victim of a scam:
- Be suspicious of bargains for a price well below the official one. Normally, on activation code websites, the game has a discounted price that is repeated on several platforms, be wary of anyone who goes out of that line.
- Do not buy games or codes from other distrusted websites since demanding a refund is impossible.
- Be wary of social network profiles or messaging service groups that offer accounts with video games. If you are lucky, they will work for the first few days. Then you will have lost the money and the games.
- Wait for the discounts on official websites. On many occasions, they are equal to the discounted price of the virtual code stores, and some platforms such as Steam or PSN make sales more than four times a year.
- Use an extra level of protection for purchases and online banking transactions.