On Steam, scammers are currently trying to gain access to Steam accounts with a new trick. To lure users, hackers offer exciting tournaments. However, those who participate will lose access to their account.
Scammers regularly target valuable accounts and profiles. However, a new scam is currently making the rounds. This is reported by the Online magazine PCGamer. Hackers are trying to access your Steam account by using a particularly nasty tactic, directing you to a deceptively real website. A comprehensive analysis of the attacks was launched by the security service Group-IB.
Scammers send nasty invitations to tournaments
How does the trick work? Users receive a direct message on Steam from unknown individuals or friends inviting them to participate in a tournament. The messages vary:
- A final player is needed for the team in a LoL, CS, Dota 2, or PUBG tournament.
- They suggest that you should vote for the user’s favorite team.
- Some request that you purchase discounted tickets for digital sports events.
If you click the link in the message, you will be redirected to a convincingly real tournament platform that officially offers tournaments, merchandise, and other things. Here, you are supposed to enter your Steam login credentials and your two-factor authentication.
However, once you enter your details here, you will receive an error message stating that something must have gone wrong. Now the scammers have access to your Steam account and can change your credentials. You will lose access for a while. This method is known as a “Browser-in-the-Browser” attack.
What happens next? The scammers begin to empty your account. This includes valuable skins, loot boxes, or other digital items that you have on your Steam account.
If you finally regain access to your account, all items and skins will be gone. If you had credit card or other banking details stored, these are likely to have been copied by the scammers as well.
Hackers direct you to a deceptively real website
Why is the tactic so nasty? As soon as you click the link, a popup window opens in Steam, similar to what you experience with credit card institutions or PayPal when you want to pay on Steam. In this popup window, you will see a convincingly real page: it is professionally designed, available in multiple languages, and uses a validity certificate.
The login window for Steam also looks familiar. It features the same login interface that is used officially by Valve.
Have you received such a message already, or do you have friends who have received such messages? Or have you so far been spared? Let us know in the comments!
Hackers regularly target gamers’ digital riches. In one game, scammers made a particularly large haul. It involves half a billion euros:
Hackers steal €550 million from NFT game – Pokémon-like game was unfortunately too successful
