To ordinary people, gaming and streaming accounts seem totally virtual and nothing special. For everyone involved, they are a true treasure with all skins, ranks, and followers, which often transform into very real income. So, such accounts, even small, not famous ones, are often among the targets for scammers and hackers. In this article, we list easy-to-follow tips that will help you protect your account and peace of mind.
Why gamers are at risk
When you think about hackers on the hunt for money, you would usually imagine they are after only crown jewels like shops, big companies, and banks, and that streamers or especially ordinary gamers, who just create content for donations or want to relax a bit in the evening, are at no risk. Ditch that illusion. Even small accounts could be a potential target, let alone those with a six-digit number of followers. An active (even non-famous) account with a history of purchases and subscriptions is itself a valuable item. Add rare skins like in Counter-Strike that may cost thousands of dollars or in-game currency. Also, platforms like Steam store credit card details, so bad actors may use your gaming account to get a hold of your financial data and commit more severe fraud outside the gaming world.
Moreover, gamers are emotionally invested as they are passionate about what they do and put in years of effort and hundreds of hours. It’s easy to lure them into following a malicious link using a tournament or free skins as bait, or to spill their data pretending to be a support team. Also, gamers and streamers are usually more focused on gameplay than security, which makes them an easy target. Streamers who play live and interact with strangers are at a bigger risk. They often rely on streaming as a source of income, so a hacked account means bigger problems than the loss of skins and ranks. They are also easier to target as attackers may try to make a move mid-stream and scare or embarrass them publicly.
How to Increase Security: Tips for Gamers
Just like with a lot of attacks, account thefts happen due to trivial reasons. So, proactively taking these simple steps will significantly reduce your chances of getting scammed.
#1. Use strong, unique passwords
Of course, remembering one password is easier than keeping in mind several options and remembering where to use what. However, one password to all accounts and platforms means that if you are hacked at one place, you automatically risk losing all of your accounts. So, invest some time in creating unique passwords. Special managers allow you to avoid remembering each passkey by heart and log in to your accounts fast and easily.
#2. Enable 2FA
Even if your password somehow ends up exposed, two-factor authentication prevents hackers from freely waltzing into your account. The majority of takeovers happen to accounts without 2FA. Turn it on anywhere where possible. Even not-so-reliable methods like SMS are better than nothing.
#3. Protect your IP with proxies
Your IP address is your unique identifier on the Web. It can also reveal some other details about you, for example, your location. If hackers get to know it, they can use your IP to launch DDoS attacks or targeted attacks while you’re live. So, it’s better to keep it hidden. Here, one of the best options is to use proxies. They communicate with the target server on your behalf, preventing the exposure of your real address. A lot of gamers avoid them, believing proxies might introduce latency; however, the truth is they may even reduce it, as relying on another IP address means relying on another DNS server, which may be faster than your provider’s. Also, you can use proxies from other geolocations to unlock more stable access and be able to explore some local variations of your favourite game. To get the best of proxies and avoid common issues, opt for providers that offer legally-sourced IPs and decent speed. For example, DataImpulse is known for its high-quality proxies with a fair price tag- the starting price for residential proxies is only $1 per 1GB, and traffic never expires, so you can enjoy safe and smooth gameplay without overwhelming your wallet.
#4. Secure your email
Usually, your accounts are related to your email, and if it’s hacked, it’s bye-bye skins, ranks, and years of effort. The best strategy is to have a separate email address that you use only for gaming purposes and don’t expose online or anywhere else. Of course, a strong password and 2FA are a must.
#5. Be aware of phishing scams
Phishing is effective because it targets your emotions. Titles like “Your account was banned” or “Get free skins” get your attention and turn off critical thinking. Con artists usually pay attention to details so their logos, emails, and websites look authentic, and you’re perfectly sure that you’re dealing with real support agents or managers. So, you need to be careful. Whatever message you receive, double-check that it’s from a real source. Don’t rush into action because of a triggering title. Never reveal your sensitive data to anyone. Real Steam or Discord support won’t ask for your credentials or card details. Check URL- often scam and real websites are identical- and only one or two symbols in the URL address would differ. If you use any third-party tools like “viewer boosters”, download them from official sources only and choose responsibly.
These are simple steps that don’t require a lot of time to complete. You also don’t have to be a tech expert to afford them. However, the art of small steps is valid even for gaming security. After all, at the end of the day, it’s not only about protecting your rank or money- it’s about protecting part of your life and time.
