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Fortnite players are being scammed by fake sites
Are you familiar with the free-to-play game Fortnite? It’s the latest video game craze that’s sweeping the minds, hearts, fingers (and wallets) of young people everywhere. Fortnite’s unprecedented surge in popularity is staggering. In just a few months, its Battle Royale Mode has earned in excess of $126 million, thanks in large part to its in-game purchases.
The game is definitely big business right now and, as usual, scammers are looking to capitalize on Fortnite’s massive popularity. In a clever new scheme, fraudsters are reportedly creating fake websites to lure Fortnite players into giving away their account details and financial information! If your kids or grandkids play Fortnite, you really need to know what’s going on.
Read on and I’ll tell you what to watch out for and what you can do to protect your Fortnite accounts.
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Scam Fortnite websites are spreading
Epic Games, the maker of the popular game Fortnite, has been issuing a warning to its players about scam Fortnite websites that are out there.
These scam sites are reportedly targeting young players by offering free or discounted V-Bucks, Fortnite’s virtual money. The problem? These fraudulent websites are classic phishing scams designed to steal your login credentials and cash.
In response to the rising number of fake Fortnite websites that are looking to ride the game’s massive popularity, Epic Games has started sending warning emails to game players.
“Beware of scam sites offering things like free or discounted V-Bucks, the email reads. “The only official websites for Fortnite are epicgames.com and fortnite.com.”
Epic Games is also warning Fortnite players about fake sites that “replicate the look and feel of an official Epic website.” Fortnite account holders are urged to verify that a website is authentic before they enter their login credentials and their credit card details.
Epic Games stated that unless you are logging into your account, “Epic will never ask for your password or any other account information.”
For extra security, players are also urged to turn on two-factor authentication on their Fortnite accounts. With this option enabled, players will have to enter a unique code (sent via email) if they log in to their accounts from a new device.
What exactly is Fortnite?
Released in July 2017, Fortnite quickly became one of the most widely played video games around, currently boasting around 45 million players globally. It’s available to play on multiple platforms like the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Windows, Mac OS and iOS.
The original Fortnite is a third-person shooting game set in a post-apocalyptic earth where players are forced to build their own shelters and protect themselves from zombies.
However, the more popular version is Fortnite’s Battle Royale Mode where 100 players virtually battle to the death to become the sole survivor. Parents be forewarned, Fortnite Battle Royale is a rather violent mode and there are even numerous reports of pedophiles trying to speak with young children through the game.
For this reason, the National Crime Agency (NCA) in the U.K. is urging parents to talk to their kids and monitor their Fortnite gameplay habits.
How to turn on Fortnite’s two-factor authentication
Although your Epic Games account’s two-factor authentication (also known as Two-Factor Sign In) is optional, it is recommended that you turn it on to boost your (and your kid’s) account security.
Here is how you enable it:
1. Log in to your Epic Games account then go to Account Settings.
2. Click on the PASSWORD & SECURITY tab.
3. At the bottom of this page, look for the ACCOUNT SECURITY section.
4. Click the ENABLE TWO-FACTOR SIGN IN button.
4. Epic Games will then send an email to the address that’s associated with your account to verify the change.
5. Now, each time you log in to your account (such as in the Fortnite game) with a new device, you’ll be required to enter the one-time access code that is sent to your email. The code will also be required if you clear your browser cookies and if you haven’t signed in for at least 30 days.
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Tags: Facebook, phishing, scams, scheme, security, settings
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