2023-03-23 00:28:42
Mobile games are designed to entertain players and relax. Some games target an audience to cheat.
The FBI has issued a warning about ongoing mobile game scams involving cryptocurrency. The FBI claims scammers begin by forming relationships with potential victims. Mobile game scams are not new, but these scams are now on the rise in the industry, which makes it difficult to track down these fraudulent activities. To warn players of the same, a notice issued by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation made it clear to players that they should stay away from such activities.
FBI warning.
“FBI warns criminals creating fake game apps to steal millions of dollars in crypto. Criminals contact victims online and build relationships with victims over time. The criminal then introduces the victim to an online or mobile game in which the player intentionally earns a cryptocurrency reward in exchange for some activity, such as growing crops on an animated farm. ” – the official statement was released.
It is said the criminal instructs the victim to create a crypto wallet, buy cryptocurrency and join a specific game app to join the game. They cheat using “more coins to earn more rewards”. When victims stop depositing money into their wallets, the criminals use a malicious program that they inadvertently activate while entering the game to withdraw their wallets.
This is not the first time the FBI has had to forward to report such fraud. In April last year, the FBI released a statement that North Korea-based hackers were behind the $625 million Axie Infinity heist.
The FBI says these situations often begin with scammers trying to build an online relationship with a target. Once a relationship is formed, the criminals introduce a game app where they can purposefully earn crypto rewards in exchange for some activity. What should gamers do to avoid being scammed?
– Create a unique wallet to use. This will isolate your primary crypto holdings should you accidentally give illegals access to your gaming wallet.
– Use a third-party controller to independently check the balance of the addresses in your game wallet.
– Periodically use a third-party token allowance checker to help you see which websites or apps you have inadvertently allowed to access funds in your wallet and revoke those permissions.
The whole crypto market went through some rough times in 2022. Last year was a time when many players suffered from fraud. Plus, most game developers still don’t care about both. GDC’s Industry Situation Report in January found that 75% of developers are not interested in blockchain and 56% confirmed they still don’t, same as last year.
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