Police warn over Fortnite game as fraud victims ‘lose £146 EACH’ on fake V-Bucks
POLICE are warning parents about fraudsters targeting people who play Fortnite, a hit video game popular with Britain's youth.
The game, which is notoriously addictive, attracts huge numbers of Brit gamers – who Action Fraud say have handed over thousands of pounds to scammers in the last year alone.
Action Fraud says it has received 35 reports of Fortnite-related fraud between April 2017 and March this year.
The losses totalled an incredible £5,119, which works out at an average of £146 per victim.
The police fraud agency says the reports are made "mainly by parents on behalf of their children".
It usually happens when an addicted youngster follows a phoney link for "free V-Bucks" – a virtual currency that you pay for with real money.
Gamers will hand over their log-in details in exchange for the V-Bucks, which can be used to buy in-game items.
But the V-Bucks never arrive – instead, scammers log into their accounts and make fraudulent charges.
Sometimes gamers are also tempted by discounted V-Bucks, and enter credit card information to make a purchase.
This can also lead to card fraud, which is why game creator Epic Games advises players to only purchase V-Bucks through the game – or an official website.
What is Fortnite Battle Royale?
If you're new to the game, here's what you need to know
If you're new to the game, here's what you need to know
- Fortnite Battle Royale is a free game
- It's available on the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC, Mac and now iPhone too
- In the game, up to 100 players are dropped onto a fictional island
- Players are then forced to battle it out in a last-person-standing deathmatch
- To help, players can collect a range of weapons hidden all over the island
- You can also collect resources – like wood, bricks and metal – to build defensive structures
- The area you can play in on the island is constantly shrinking thanks to an encroaching storm
- This means players are forced together over time, until just one person survives
- The game has been a huge hit, and is also available on iPhone
"It is vital that both parents and those playing games online are able to spot the signs of fraud, as fraudsters will go to great lengths to try to steal your money," said Pauline Smith, director of Action Fraud.
"It is also important that parents make their children aware of the threat of fraud online.
"If you are downloading or purchasing game add-ons, make sure you use the official website."
Pauline advises gamers to avoid revealing their passwords or banking details to people they don't know.
And she says players shouldn't be tempted to "click on links to the unknown".
Epic Games issued its own warning about dodgy discounted V-Bucks sites earlier this month.
In an email seen by The Sun, Epic Games warned over "scam sites" that offer free or discounted V-Bucks.
Fortnite's sudden popularity means scammers are keen to target naive gamers.
How to stay safe on Fortnite
Follow these tips to avoid getting scammed...
- Never share your account details with anyone else
- Never try to purchase V-Bucks from anywhere other than an official Fortnite website
- Don't be tempted by offers, cheats, hacks or discounts from non-official websites
- Never enter your credit or debit card information for Fortnite items on a non-official site
- You'll never be asked for your password through email, social media or a non-Epic website
- Never share or buy Fortnite accounts
- Remember: Free V-Bucks don't exist – so you'll never be able to get them without paying
- Verify your email address on your Fortnite account
- Set up two-factor authentication in your security settings to boost security
Players spent nearly £225million on V-Bucks in April as they try desperately to impress their pals.
The Sun recently revealed how gamers would have to fork out £2,000 on V-Bucks to get every item in the game.
So it's no surprise youngsters are tempted by V-Bucks scams.
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It's not just scams that are affecting Fortnite players though – gamers are becoming seriously addicted to the fad.
Earlier this month, a nine-year-old British girl was reportedly entered into rehab over her addiction to Fortnite.
The girl is believed to have wet herself during a 10-hour-long binge on Fortnite, and even hit her dad in the face when he tried to confiscate her Xbox.
The Sun recently revealed all the ways Epic Games designed Fortnite to get kids hooked on the game.
And we also warned parents over the signs of gaming addiction they need to look for in their children.
Do you know anyone who has been caught up in a Fortnite scam? Let us know in the comments!
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