Playing it Safe: Navigating the Risks of Online Gaming

Miguel Fornés, a cybersecurity expert at Surfshark, provides insights on gaming scammers and advises on minimizing one’s digital footprint and increasing digital literacy skills. 

Cheating in online gaming has become so widespread that it arguably is an industry by itself, with scholars dedicating theses and law firms reporting on the subject. Platforms have become prized targets attacked with massive severity. At the same time, scammers thrive in gaming, and a couple of misclicks can lead to heavy losses both in points and money. According to Miguel Fornés, knowing how to spot the red flags and keep your gaming space safe is key to leveling up your online experience.

Not everyone in gaming has good intentions

From verbal abuse to exclusionary team tactics, harassment can take many forms. Predators lurk in gaming anonymity.

“If someone asks personal questions, insists on private chats, or tries to persuade you to meet in person, it’s a major red flag. Trust your instincts, and if a situation feels uncomfortable, do not tolerate or feel shame about it, disengage, and use in-game tools to mute or block the bully,” advises M. Fornés.

Can you trust free offers while gaming?

M. Fornés warns that scammers are always cooking up new ways to hack accounts — whether through sketchy Discord links, suspicious downloads promising “exclusive mods,” or fake Steam trades.

Watch out for:

• Offers that seem “too good to be true,” like free in-game currency or exclusive items;
• Fake websites or pop-ups asking for login credentials or payment information.
• Verify that purchases are always made through the official game store.
• Automatic renewals are hidden in purchase agreements. Linking payment information to gaming accounts can have unintended consequences.
• Whenever possible, use pre-paid or one-time cards.

Secret playing card — safeguarding your online presence  

M. Fornés strongly advises protecting and minimizing your digital footprint, as this is the main shield against doxxing — now that swatting has gone so far that governments have had to proactively take steps against it. All games collect personal data, from browsing habits to precise location information. While this is often used to improve the gaming experience, it can also be misused or leaked.

Pay attention to:

• Review the game’s privacy policy to understand what data is being collected and exercise your privacy rights.
• Disabling unnecessary features like location tracking or voice chat when not needed.
• Using an alternative ID to sign up for non-critical services, if possible or when allowed by the platform.
• Minimizing your publicly available information by requesting the deletion or using trusted, dedicated services.

“Let’s be honest, using ‘password123’ or the same login everywhere is basically leaving your digital front door wide open. Those free cheat codes from random websites? They might cost you your whole account or — even worse — break your bank account,” points out M. Fornés.

Finally, he emphasizes that strong digital literacy skills are the best weapon:

• Critical thinking: be skeptical of any unsolicited offering, identify clickbait, ignore suspicious messages, and avoid the signs of phishing.
• Be cautious with links: official announcements and giveaways are shared through verified channels. Avoid unsolicited links or scanning QR codes, even if they’re from a friend.
• Research before downloading: only download mods, cheats, or tools from official or reputable sources. Untrusted websites may host harmful software, so scan everything. Remember, if something is too good to be true, you will end up getting what you paid for.
• Data security: understand the importance of having a trusted antivirus and keeping your device up to date. Most malware will exploit unpatched vulnerabilities to spread or cause harm.
• Account security: never share credentials; use unique passwords for each account and enable 2FA. This is by far the most important safety net — even if your password is stolen or guessed, it will keep you safe. Turn it on, absolutely everywhere.