Millions of people all over the world enjoy playing games online because of the interactivity and uniqueness of the experience. But online gaming is also a prime target for cybercriminals who aim to interrupt players’ enjoyment by, among other things, sending phishing emails or stealing sensitive information such as login credentials or payment details. Thus, it is important to learn to keep yourself safe from risk when playing games online. If you follow these easy tips, you won’t have any problems in the future.
1. Take extra precautions by using strong and unique passwords.
Length always wins over complexity. Strong passwords are at least 12 characters long and comprise whole sentences. Choose positive, simple words that make you feel good when you think about them. To emphasize the point, make sure they remain unique. When creating a password, remember that you wouldn’t want to use the same one for other important sites like online banking. Using more than one device to play? You should think about installing a password manager.
2. Switch on the multi-factor authentication.
Use two-factor or multi-factor authentication (such as fingerprints, encryption keys, or a random, one-time passcode from an app on your phone) to make your online gaming accounts even safer.
3. Ensure the safety of your financial data.
Make transactions with a credit card instead of a debit card if you wish to link a particular payment mode to your account. When compared to debit cards, credit cards provide stronger consumer protection.
4. Find out as much as you can.
Nearly half of the total revenue generated by the video game industry is now generated by mobile devices. You shouldn’t assume that a game is safe to download just because it’s featured on an official app store. Ensure a gaming app is authentic before you install it on your device. All this is also applicable to gaming websites as users share their personal and financial details to make payments online. For the safety of all this sensitive data, you should choose sites that are safe and credible. For this, you need to go through online casino reviews, known in Thailand as รีวิวคาสิโนออนไลน์, before you make any payment. These online reviews will help you locate the safest casino sites in Thailand. Even players from other areas can check these out and find something they like.
5. Keep your device clean.
Keep all laptops, mobile phones, and tablets connected to the internet and used to access games with the latest security patches and other software to avoid being a victim of ransomware or other malware. Set up your gadgets to update automatically or to alert you when updates are available. Update your apps regularly if you are a pro gamer.
6. Think before clicking on any link.
Offering cheat codes, hacks, or other methods to get an edge over the competition is a common tactic used by online hackers to trick gamers into visiting malicious websites or downloading risky files. Be careful about opening attachments or downloading files from people you don’t know or sites you wouldn’t normally visit online. Any deal that appears too good is not always good. Before you click on any link, make sure you know where it leads by holding your mouse over it.
7. Be careful while sharing.
When creating profiles for online gaming accounts, it’s important to exercise caution with personal details. If you reveal too much about yourself online, a stalker or identity hacker can steal your identity, get access to your personal information, or commit similar crimes. Avoid oversharing on social media.
8. Make sure your WiFi connection is safe.
If you’re on the move and want to keep yourself engaged by playing games, but are worried about using a public WiFi network, try using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) or a mobile hotspot.
9. Never be hesitant to report or block.
Always feel free to report or block any player who makes you feel insecure. If you don’t block their account, you risk running into them again.
10. Get serious about anti-virus software.
How passionate are you about online gaming? If you are highly passionate, you must take precautions to avoid risks when playing games online. Purchasing antivirus software is one option. A cutting-edge security suite means it is now possible to protect multiple gaming devices at once. It will do much more than just protect your personal data.
To Sum Up
While playing games online can be a lot of fun, it also introduces you to strangers, some of whom can be cybercriminals. If you play video games on a computer or mobile device, follow the above tips to be a safe gamer.