Account Security

What is Unauthorized Access?

Unauthorized access is the use of your OffGamers account without your knowledge and consent. The unauthorized recovery of your account to another console can result in loss of your access to the service or other consequences that will negatively affect your gaming experience. The unauthorized use of your account can also result in unauthorized charges for purchases made using your account.

How are accounts compromised today?

Your OffGamers account can be compromised in several different ways, most of which can easily be prevented by you. Below are a few examples of situations that can lead to your account being compromised, and steps that you can take to avoid that from happening.

1. Account Sharing
2. Phishing Scams
3. Email and Web Site Phishing
4. Social Engineering

Account Sharing

Sharing your OffGamers E-Mail and password is one of the most common ways to have your account compromised and is easily preventable by you. Help ensure the safety of your account by keeping your password secret. Do not share your OffGamers E-Mail and password with friends, family members or anyone else, regardless of the reason, as this allows others to access your account. 

Phishing Scams

Phishing is a type of internet scam designed to trick you into revealing your login credentials, such as your OffGamers E-Mail and password, or information about you or your accounts that can be used to gain access to your account. Phishing is typically attempted through spoofed or fake emails, websites or other means of communication. You may be phished via:

• Email messages that appear to be from a coworker or friend with links to a web site or asking for information about you or your account(s)
• An instant message that appear to come from someone in your friends list with a link to a web site
• An email appearing to come from OffGamers
• A “Spoof” web site, pretending to be an OffGamers website with a OffGamers login page
• Regardless of the phishing method, the single most important thing to remember is: Do not reveal your login credentials or other information about you or your account(s)

Email and Web Site Phishing Example

You are checking your email, and one of your most recent messages appears to be from OffGamers offering a free 5000 OffGamers Points to the first 100 people to go to a website linked in the email. Upon clicking the link, you are sent to a web site which appears to be affiliated with OffGamers and is asking for your OffGamers E-Mail and password to login. Once you have entered your information and click sign in, you are sent to a confirmation page. Later, you go to the OffGamers and attempt to redeem your tokens, only to notice that you did not receive any. You have just been “Phished”.

What does this mean?

The email and website were not from OffGamers and whoever is monitoring that website now has your OffGamers E-Mail and password, and can use this information to compromise your account.

What can you do?

1. If you have not lost access to your account yet, immediately change your OffGamers password.
2. Change your secret question and secret answer for your account.
3. Ensure that your alternative email addresses are not associated to your OffGamers account email address

For “how-to steps” to perform these changes through the OffGamers dashboard can be found under MY ACCOUNT

Social Engineering

Social Engineering is the process someone uses, through basic conversation or other means, to manipulate individuals into revealing personal information about themselves or their accounts. They may try to engage you in seemingly meaningless conversation that is actually intended to gather information about you or your account. Once the “Phisher” has enough information about you they can use this information to pose as you and attempt to obtain access or make changes to your account. Once they have access to your OffGamers account, the “Phisher” can use your account to perform any action that you could. They’ll normally settle for purchasing the maximum number of tokens possible on your account and downloading everything that looks interesting to them while sticking you with the bill. Do not reveal personal information about yourself or your accounts.

How to Secure Your Account

The security of your OffGamers account is of the utmost importance to us. However, your account can only be as secure as you make it. Exercise caution when providing information over the internet. There are a few simple steps you can use to protect yourself when dealing with individuals over the internet.

1. Do not provide your First or Last name/Social Security Number to individuals you do not know over the internet.
2. Do not provide your OffGamers email to individuals who want to email you that you do not know. Set up a second email account to use if people wish to send you an email. Your OffGamers email should be something you provide to known acquaintances or businesses, not something you provide to anyone who asks for it.
3. Your job is your business. Keep responses about your career brief, or vague. Do not provide specifics about where you work or who you work for as this information can lead to locating more information about you. Do not put your employer in your OffGamers profile.
4. Be wary of anyone asking you for information about yourself that doesn’t have a need for the information.

How to keep your OffGamers account secure

There are several steps you can take to help keep your OffGamers account secure:

Note: OffGamers will never ask you for your password in email, Live Chat or over the phone. Enter your OffGamers password only at the known OffGamers site.

1. Create a strong password that includes a combination of uppercase, lowercase, numbers and special characters (e.g. #$%^&*).
2. Change your password, and secret question and secret answer routinely.
3. Never share your OffGamers password with others.
4. Use an up-to-date browser that features an anti-phishing black list. Some examples include Google’s Chrome or Firefox.
5. Do not share your password or personal information with anyone contacting you presenting themselves as a customer support agent or affiliated with OffGamers. If you are concerned that the contact might not be legitimate, contact OffGamers support directly at support.offgamers.com.
6. Do not share your account with anyone, including your friends, siblings or relatives.

How to help protect yourself online

Helping to keep your computer and your information secure is a priority for OffGamers and all of our customers. If your OffGamers account has been compromised and you no longer have access to your account, contact customer service via ticket.