The gaming industry is a booming sector around the world. The scope which it provides for entertainment is numerous. This multi-billion dollar industry is expected to reach a market value of $200 billion in another five to eight years. With the adoption of new technologies, the gaming experience is becoming more immersive and realistic like never before, making it more exciting for gamers to think about the future of gaming. But what concerns them, including Raghib Abidi, the co-founder of a gaming company, Phonato Studios, is the huge spike of scams, spam and fraud in the global gaming sector.
Important Facts About Gaming Scams
- More than 15% of gamers fall victim to scams while paying for online games.
- One-third of the global gamers are worried about gaming scams and frauds. As a result, they are not invested fully in any games and are not able to give their all while playing.
- More than 40% of gamers experience payment hindrances and issues while purchasing online games.
- One in every five gamers falls victim to some kind of online gaming fraud.
Types Of Frauds In Gaming
The frauds have been happening in the gaming world since the gaming industry started gaining prominence. Here are these common types of frauds in gaming:
Account Takeover (ATO)
Gamers have to fill in some sensitive information, such as credential data, phone numbers, email ID, etc., while playing games. This information can be used against them, if they enter them on suspicious portals. If you are paying or downloading any games from an unauthentic source, then a cybercriminal is in a good position to get access to all of your personal data. This is also known as a phishing scam.
Online Money Game Scams
There are hundreds of fake online companies that are defrauding people in the name of games. Many times, you may have seen that an ad pops up and invites you to play games like casino, rummy, or coin games, where you can earn real cash in seconds. Almost every time, these games appear to be a scam. Remember that games from non-reliable sources can put you in trouble.
Virtual Assets
New games are coming up with the help of integrating technology with games, but there are very few in the market where you can actually buy virtual assets. It means most companies claiming to be sellers of virtual properties are lying and making you fall into a trap. These frauds are increasing because gamers don’t have much awareness about them.
Multiple Accounts Scams
This scam is tricky to identify because it does not sound like a scam. Usually, we have an option to create multiple online accounts in almost every sector. There are a few online games where we need to create multiple accounts to get some benefits. But the same thing can be used to trick us. Many fake games constantly ask gamers to make multiple accounts so they can gain access to more and more information about them.
Giveaways Scams
There are many ways to do scams, but the purpose is always the same. Hackers want to get access to your personal information and then use it to steal your money. Doing giveaways is a good strategy to make customers happy, but not all giveaways are meant to make you happy. Some giveaways sound ‘too good to be true’ and can scam you in different possible ways. These fraudsters only want to get your credential data by giving giveaway promises.
How To Prevent Fraud In Gaming Industry
Gaming scams are usually challenging to identify, but we can create a fraud-free gaming industry with the proper tools and technologies.
Thankfully, there are many fraud detection tools in the gaming industry. If combined with fraud detection tools, artificial intelligence and machine learning play an important role here in the timely identification of scams.
AI can change this equation by identifying the scammers on the spot and bringing them to attention. Moreover, if any user’s activity seems suspicious, it can block the accounts of that user within seconds. These activities are impossible to do manually.
Besides the latest technologies, many old and traditional ways can be used to have the best experience of gaming without getting scammed. Protect yourself from phishing by leaving fewer digital footprints.
Nowadays, if you download or play a game from any source, it will ask for your mobile number and email ID. These two pieces of information are now compulsory to add before starting the game. So firstly, make sure that you are playing games on authentic apps, believes Raghib Khan, then try to fill in only the required information. Refrain from filling in any additional information which is not compulsory to fill.
While playing online games, pop-ups might appear asking you to click on the link with the promise of cash prizes. Avoid clicking on these links as these can be links to viruses and spammy websites that can inject malware into your system, which will take away all of your personal information and format your device. Online games are more susceptible to scams than offline ones.
Whether online or offline, some games demand multiple payments before getting started. They usually give you very hard to deny offers and trick you into making more and more payments. In the end, they leave you with nothing. Playing online games from trustworthy websites is preferable for your security. If you are downloading offline games, make sure to install them through the app store, Apple Store, or Google Play Store.
It is best not to download any games from third-party websites. These games are in APK form that can harm your device. While downloading a game, look for the comments section and customers review who are already playing that game. Don’t hurry to buy or install games just by looking at the appealing logos and images of the game. To get more clarity, you can check the online presence of the game development company. If they don’t have any online presence, it is best not to download or play games from it!
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