Most people on this planet have played online games on a mobile phone, a video game console, or even on websites at least once.
The number of gamers globally, including in Georgia is soaring. As this type of entertainment is accessible to everyone, neither age group nor geographical area matters.
Considering the number of registered users, the industry of online gaming is extensive. Experts expect that the number of gamers will hit 3 billion by 2024.
At first appearance, this seemingly innocent pastime comes with its own set of hazards and perils – cyber-risks – just like utilizing any digital service or product. Because of its size, the area of online and video games is becoming increasingly appealing to cyber thieves.
How the game might bring us material harm – the answer is simple: to begin the game, it is sometimes necessary to create a profile with personal information. Since a number of online games involve in-game currency, in-game purchases, and real-world currency (stored in wallets), they offer a target for phishing.
Cyber Security Coordinator of the Georgian Banking Association, Inga Karchava says fraudsters that prowl online games appear to be ordinary players. Since they can reach gamers’ personal data or bank accounts, Karchava warns to refrain from sharing confidential information.
Experts believe nowadays cybercrime committed in the virtual realm has outpaced cyberattacks in the financial sector, especially in the online gaming industry.
Cyber Trust co-founder Giorgi Iashvili says online phishing is quite widespread and the chances for getting victims’ money back is very little.
“They push us to click on a phishing link or submit information against our will. In the gaming industry, there is a very slow or almost no response, due to the fact that it is a huge industry, and billions of people play, so if we make a mistake, there is a very high probability that we will not get that money back,” he noted.
Cybercriminals are nearly hard to identify. Hence, there is no data in this domain, either internationally or in Georgia. The amount of seized money and the phishing victims are unclear.
Here are some useful recommendations for gamers against scammers.
“If you play online or video games, enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) on your account and gaming profile. Install updates on all devices on a regular basis. Never give out your personal or card information to other gamers. Do not save the credit card number in the console or on the webpage. Download games exclusively from official websites. Do not open links in the conversation and do not share confidential information,” Iashvili advised.
