MMORPG Account Security/Hacking and You

zco12

Alot of hacked accounts is due to the fact that the player has given a non-official blizzard website their password thinking that they are going to be receiving special benefits, blah blah blah. Its either that or an account trade was performed, but account trades can easily be turned into a scam by giving the other trader a fake account, so don't even try it. I'm also sure hacks can occur by viruses such as a keylogger, a virus that logs what you type,so a virus scanner and firewall could further optimize your security. Malacious software in general often gets onto a computer by popups and/or downloading files off the internet, so make sure whatever your downloading is legit.

 

Summary of some ways to get hacked:

 

Bad Security:

Bad security includes having no firewall/virus scanner, having an obvious password (such as it being similiar to your username), and ignoring symptoms of malacious software on your computer (spyware, viruses, etc.). There are some useful free virus scanners out there, but be careful where you look.

 

Stupidity:

 

Like I said in the first paragraph, alot of times it is the player's fault his account got hacked. Don't fall for somebody telling you something like this:

 

"Click here to download Guild Wars 2 for free! Enter your Guild Wars Campaign username and password in the boxes below."

 

Now, if you are up to date on your gaming news, GW2 does not come out for another few months. The person behind this kind of scam would be smart to do this because GW2 is a highly anticipated game and some people aren't patient or willing enough to wait for it. When you download that file, malacious software will be on your computer, and probably, will lead you to a fake GW2 login site, and when you do, its also very probable that when you try to login with your so called "new login and password" it will say something like this:

 

"Servers are full at the moment. Please try again later."

 

Then you keep trying to login and login and login then finally, when you try to login onto the real Guild Wars, you won't be able to. A lesson learned.

 

Account Trading/Real world trading scam:

 

This kind of goes with stupidity. Sometimes, people get a little too desperate. They ruin the game by trading other gaming accounts or real world items/money for another gaming account that they want, simply because they are too lazy to do the leveling themselves. The person trading you their account will, alot of times, give you a false account. So, there goes your wasted month's work of money.

 

I'm sure there are even more ways that you could get hacked, but the above are only the most common ones. Follow those guidelines and you will be playing your level 20 mesmer, your level 80 priest, or whatever game you play, happily and safely.

 

Happy New Years!

 

-zco12