fourteen daysconquered the world of video games. Home to nearly 80 million users whoroyal fighting gamebecame one of the most popular video games in the world. Since its launch in 2017fourteen dayshas grown into a global gaming phenomenon, attracting gamers of all ages and gaming backgrounds. From famous musicians to top athletes, thefourteen daysFashion traveled from suburban basements to Hollywood screens.
Unfortunately, with overwhelming popularityfourteen daysgathered, scammers are on the trail that leads to young and naive players. Identity theft, credit card fraud and the rampant spread of malware are just a few of the many consequences.fourteen daysable to take a beating. While these scams are masked with enticing promises of "free V-Bucks," parents and gamers alike should be wary online.
Practicing safe gaming and browsing can be difficult if you don't know what warning signs to look out for. We'll guide you through the different types of hazards.fourteen dayswhat scams exist and how you can protect yourself against them.
What are V-Bucks and how does cheating happen?fourteen days?
One of the biggest attractions Epic Games developers have kept since launchfourteen daysoffers the game completely free of charge. All you need to start the game isa compatible device. Where Epic Games makes money is with V-Bucks.
V-Bucks act as an in-game currency that players can use to make purchasesfourteen daysSkins, Outfits, Emotes, Battle Passes and more. The more V-Bucks a player has, the more amazing features they can unlock. The problem is that V-Bucks cost real money. Currently, you can buy 1,000 V-Bucks for $9.99 on Microsoft.com.
Within the game, 1,000 V-Bucks are exchanged, so you can just about buy such an outfit. Just like with real money, once those V-Bucks are spent, avid players need to reload their account.
Online video games are becoming more and more popularfourteen daysis no exception to this trend. Depending on an internet connection,fourteen daysPlayers are always just a click away from their web browser. A quick Google query "how to get free V-Bucks" can lead to an online search.fourteen daysCommunity filled with user-to-user advice forums, but will likely lead to rogue hotspots waiting for unsuspecting players to click the bait.
That is the good newsfourteen daysThere are no scams todayfourteen days-Ball. The real dangers lie outside the game and are being pursued by those looking for fake domains, YouTube videos and other malicious resources disguised as a free benefit.
The typefourteen daysbeatings to be considered
Despite Epic Games' efforts to warn against fraudulent websites offering free or discounted V-Bucks, users are still tempted by scammers' many promises.
Online cybercriminals generate an estimated $1 million in revenue by deceiving the gulliblefourteen daysZealots to click malicious ads or enter sensitive information on compromised websites [1].
Be aware of these common onesfourteen daysScam targeting you or your child playing video games.
1. YouTube-Video-Plugins
Beyond play and word of mouth,fourteen daysHe has also made a name for himself in the YouTube community. From emotional dance challenges toSpiel-Streaming, YouTube has become an entertainment hub forfourteen daysFans who want action without a lot of work.
If you type "free V-Bucks" into YouTube's search bar, you'll see an extensive list of videos with links to third-party sites in their descriptions. These videos are approved by YouTube for public posting, so most people believe they are legitimate.
If you click on the suggested third-party website, you may be asked to enter a code for your gaming account in exchange for a full registration process. It can happen anytimefourteen dayscompatible device, so don't make the mistake of thinking that one platform is more secure than another.
By entering your unique account code on a third-party website, you may be unknowingly giving keys to your account payment information to a scammer.
Third-party websites linked to YouTube are also advertising havens where pop-ups and viruses are increasingly thriving. As tempting as they are, clicking on these ads can lead to malicious downloads that might install spyware, malware or phishing scams on your device's hardware.
2. V-Buck Generators
V-Buck generators are among the most common and widely usedfourteen daysScams that promise to reward users who watch videos and click on ads to earn points. Earned points can be exchanged within "free" V-Bucksfourteen days. The problem is that these "free" V-Bucks never seem to make it into your account. So what's the problem?
V-Buck generators are hosted on websites that mimic the same high quality graphics and features asfourteen daysyourself. Designed to trick players into sharing personal information, V-Buck generators aim to gain access to your account to easily facilitate identity theft.
There is no such thing as a legitimate third party V-Bucks generator no matter how convincing or reliable they may seem.
3. Fake apps
After Epic Games made the controversial decision not to offer its Androidfourteen daysApp in the Google Play Store, the digital store has been flooded with fakesfourteen daysScammers who took advantage of the decision sent their malware and data stealing programs disguised asfourteen daysApps in hopes that unsuspecting users will download your app and enter their personal information.
In some cases, downloading a fake app is enough to lure malware onto your device's hardware.Always remember that Epic Games never made it officialfourteen daysApp available in the Google Play Store, everythingfourteen daysDuplicate requests must be treated with the utmost care.
4. Fake web domains
While the internet can be a fantastic resource for finding information and learning the rules of the game,fourteen daysScammers who want to scam innocent players are always looking for their next victim. One of the easiest ways to attract players is with fake domains that perfectly imitate Epic Games andfourteen dayscolor scheme, font usage, and image quality.
These fake sites ask for personal information such asfourteen daysLogin credentials or credit card information in exchange for access to the site or game perks like free skins or free V-Bucks. These sites are masters of disguise, right down to their site names. Many are even loadedfourteen days' in your URL.Be careful "fourteen days” Pages not preceded by EpicGames.com.
5. Online "friends" who offer "help".
Generally, children are cocky without considering the consequences of their actions. Infourteen daysIt is aOnline multiplayer gameusers can chat with other players about strategies or the progress of their day. For parents, exposing their children to a world of faceless strangers must be as daunting as it sounds, especially when you realize how easily children can fall for scams.
Any user offering free skins should immediately raise a red flag. The user is prompted for credentials to transfer the skins, but takes over the account and is logged out forever.
Once the scammer has access to your account, they will also have access to the credit card information associated with your account.And if you happen to have used thosesame passwordto your primary email andfourteen daysaccount, the scammer can also compromise your email account.
How can I protect myself from thisfourteen daysmeets?
fourteen dayshas a certain addictive element that will keep players glued to the screen and mesmerized for hours. The desire for more additional features, unique skins, and fancy perks is constant, especially as players challenge other players with more advanced cosmetic upgrades.
Because of this, players are constantly looking for a free way to get free V-Bucks. Protect your child or yourself from rampant attacksfourteen daysScam with these internet safety tips.
1. Raise your children
Children do not see the internet as a dangerous place and do not have a full understanding of what cyber criminals are and what they are looking for. Sit down with your child and explain the dark side of the internet and how to avoid it. Advise them to contact you if they are unsure about the legitimacy of a website or if they are unsure whether they need to enter personal information.
And youfourteen daysIf a fan is a teenager, be sure to encourage them to think carefully about why a site might want access to personally identifiable information. Careful thinking and calculated action greatly reduce online risk factors.
2. Click Official Payment Platforms
plan to make onefourteen daysBuy but nervous about entering your credit card information into an old-fashioned website? Your hesitation is understandable. Xbox.com, Playstation.com, EpicGames.com and all official gamesfourteen daysApps are the only online sources that allow you to buy V-Bucks. All others are frauds.
Save these pages in your web browser for easy access. Having these official websites handy takes Google searches out of the equation and ensures that your purchases are always and only made from legitimate official websites.
3. Check the credit card statements
Keeping an eye on your credit card statements can be very important when you rely on that plastic card for everyday purchases. But if your child is an enthusiastic onefourteen daysIt is in their best interest for players who may be victims of fraud to monitor linked card transactions to ensure that all charges are intentional.
A clever hacker could make in-game purchases that would generate an evil account, and since the purchases were made through your son or daughter's account,fourteen daysaccount, your bank will not flag them as fraudulent. Be sure to check your monthly bank statements carefully to make sure no one is handling your money but you.
4. Keep email addresses private
One of the easiest ways to fall victim to a potential phishing scam is to give your email address to a cyber criminal. Once a thief takes control of your email, they send messages to your inbox that look exactly like the official ones.fourteen daysEmails In these emails, attached links will ask for login credentials and remove your password, thereby compromising your account.
Make sure your child doesn't give out email addresses during play, and teach them not to trust or talk to online "friends" who ask for personal information.
5. Use two-factor authentication
One of the best qualitiesfourteen daysTwo-factor authentication protects against credit card theft. Designed to add an extra layer of security before a purchase is confirmed with a credit card, two-factor authentication also allows parents to have the final say on an in-game purchase.
To set up two-factor authentication:
1.Go to "Account Settings" in your account.fourteen daysAccount
2.Click the Password & Security tab.
3.Scroll to the bottom of the tab
4.Press "Enable two-factor sign-in"
5.You have the option to enable an authenticator app or enable email verification
Use something you have and something you know as a defense against data-hungry hackersTwo-Factor Authenticationbetter protects you and your online presence.
6. Avoid fake offers
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. From a consumer perspective, cybercrime starts with the complaint. Free skins, emotes, and battle passes all sound exciting, and that might be enough to snare you in a hacker's web.
Third party sites offering V-Bucks deals always result in some kind of scam as there are no free V-Bucks. These scams provide links to websites that only ask for your login credentials and credit card information so they can make some quick bucks. Stay away from websites that offer free or discounted offersfourteen daysCharacteristics.
In summary
There are no stop signsfourteen daysPopularity train so you and your kids are protected from malicious online scammers by staying one step ahead. At the end of the day,fourteen daysit's about having fun. Making naïve mistakes while surfing the web for free V-Bucks or exclusive skins can turn a positive gaming experience into a negative one. Safe browsing practices and making informed online decisions will prevent you, your child and your personal information from falling into the wrong hands.
About the author:Tulie Finley-Moise is a writer atHP® technology slots. Tulie is a San Diego, California-based digital content creation professional with a passion for the latest technologies and digital media.