Scams targeting CSGO players have long been an issue. One such scam often involves someone offering to exchange items for Steam Wallet funds.
Scammers who pose as representatives from Valve will typically attempt to convince victims to log on to an unfamiliar website, prompting them to do so only to discover later their account has been stripped clean of all its items.
Email Scams
Phishing scams often consist of hackers sending players links that lead them to an impostor website which, upon visiting, requests their login details in order to gain control over them and take control of their virtual goods or even use them as currency on other sites. Once compromised, these accounts may then be used by criminals to pay for purchases made on other platforms. You can buy csgo accounts from iGVault.
An effective way to identify an email as potentially fraudulent is to check its email address. If it does not include the recipient’s name or is from a free email service and fails security tests such as SPF, DKIM or DMARC then it may well be fraudulent.
Impersonation scams are also quite prevalent, whereby hackers will pose as Valve employees to trick you into providing login details or trading items to protect their account. A genuine employee would never ask you for this type of information; to check this, visit their Steam profile.
Fake Websites
Fake websites are an ever-present threat on the web, designed to appear legitimate yet steal personal information or infect users with malware. Criminals use various techniques to create these fake sites such as purchasing search engine ads or sending phishing emails/text (smishing), among others, which lure customers unwittingly into visiting their pages.
Seven Town is a new phishing scam targeting competitive and professional CS:GO players. Hackers send direct messages inviting them to tournaments on an impostor website which mimics Steam login page; when users click through they enter their CS:GO login credentials and two-factor authentication code and provide their account credentials – giving access for hackers to drain it of virtual goods before using it to send spam-like messages using that player’s account to message his/her friends.
Checking a website’s authenticity can be done by looking at its address in the URL bar or searching it on Whois and Wayback Machine tools, keeping an eye out for low-resolution images, poor design or unusual formatting features.
Impersonation Scams
Fraudsters who impersonate law enforcement, banking institutions, utilities providers or government agencies often employ social engineering techniques in order to convince victims to share personal data, transfer money or install malware on their systems.
These types of scams typically utilize phishing but may also use domain spoofing – creating a fake website that looks similar to its real counterpart but contains minor variations – as one method. Domain spoofing is one of the more widespread forms of phishing.
Players trading high-tier skins can be particularly prone to these scams. If someone approaches you offering to trade you something suspiciously, check their profile for signs that include the Valve employee badge or red spigot icon.
Users often purchase old Steam accounts in order to gain a desired username or to gain a years of service badge, making these accounts highly desirable targets for hackers as they’re easily hijacked with high inventory values and present an opportunity for profiteering.
Account Reporting Scams
Scammers are out to take advantage of players, so to protect yourself from getting duped, be sure to enable two-factor authentication and use strong passwords as well as keep an eye out for any suspicious activity on websites or platforms you visit and contact local law enforcement agencies if any scams come your way.
One common trade scam involves someone offering you low value items in exchange for high-value ones in the hopes that you misclick and accept. To protect yourself against such offers, it is wise to discuss item quality before agreeing on a trade and ensure that their offer matches up with your expectations.
Scams have long been prevalent and continue to evolve as people attempt to use social engineering techniques to gain entry to your account and steal your skins and items. To avoid being taken advantage of by scammers, always keep an eye open for any suspicious activities in your game, keeping an open mind as to which is which.
