Earn money playing? FBI warns gamers about malicious apps

Cyber ​​criminals have found a new scam to trick ignorant players out of their money: The criminals steal cryptocurrency through so-called play-to-earn games. The approach takes place on the Internet and can theoretically meet any person. The FBI is now revealing clueshow to protect yourself.

What to look out for The process always seems to be similar: the criminals first establish a basic acquaintance with the target through various channels. Once done, invite him or her to try a game that earns Crypto currency through activity. So far, so legal, because there are such games: Play-to-Earn (PtE) games are widespread in the field of crypto gaming.

Wallets – Wallet for Cryptos

For PtEs, the player needs a crypto wallet into which the amounts earned can flow. In these titles, the crypto currency is used as a kind of reward for completing quests or as payment for other activities.

Unsurprisingly, it ultimately serves a different purpose in the scam: because the apps presented by the criminals are fake games for which you should first pay into the wallet. As a lure it is promised: The more you deposit yourself, the louder the crypto exchange should ring when you play.

But these game winnings are fake and as soon as someone stops depositing real money into their wallet or the trick is otherwise exposed, things get serious: A previously secretly installed program then extracts the real crypto currency that has meanwhile accumulated from the wallet. According to the FBI, the damage caused so far is due to the large number of cases already in the millions.

However, it gets even more perfidious when the theft is discovered and denounced by the victim: the scammers lure you with the prospect of being able to recover the money if additional taxes or fees are paid. But of course it is one brazen lie.

Notes from the FBI

However, the FBI also has some tips ready to help you avoid falling for such a scam, or at least make it much harder to fall for it.

• If you want to participate in such games, create a separate gaming wallet. Do not use your main crypto account. This applies to each
  Fall – so no matter how you came across the game. This at least limits the damage in the event of misuse.
• Use a blockchain checker to independently monitor inflows and outflows from your gaming wallet.
• Checked using a Third-Party token allowance checker, which websites or apps you have allowed to access your wallet. If in doubt, it is better to delete unclear or unassignable approvals.

You can see how to protect your accounts of all kinds from hackers in our guide.

In general, however, it should be said: It is always caution required when people – even if you’ve known them for a while – try to engage you in interactions involving money in some form.

Have you ever encountered such a crypto trap? Or would you never think of trying such a game – even if it’s legal – anyway? Tell us in the comments!