After a number of player complaints on gaming forums, Epic Games says it’s responding to fraudulent charges being made to Fortnite player accounts.
The game company said in a statement to Kotaku that the accounts were “compromised using well-known hacking techniques,” and it was working directly with players who’ve discovered fraudulent charges. “Any players who believe their account has been compromised should reach out to our player support immediately.”
Fortnite has recently skyrocketed in popularity, making it an attractive target for hackers. The fraudulent charges were made for in-game currency, expansion packs, and the Fortnite Save the World base game.
It’s not clear if Fortnite has some kind of security flaw or if these are unrelated breaches, but players would be wise to take steps to protect themselves. Epic Games offers two-factor authentication, so turn that on immediately for an extra layer of security. (This is something worth adding to all of your online accounts if you have the option.)
Epic Games also released a security checklist for players, suggesting you take common-sense steps: choose a unique password, never share your password, avoid shady-looking ads promising free in-game currency, and don’t trust shared systems. The company also suggests linking a social media account so you can use Facebook or Googe to sign in.
Even if you’ve taken these steps, it’s a good idea to keep an eye out for any strange activity on your bank statements. That way you can flag an issue before it becomes a bigger problem.
H/T Kotaku