Stolen ‘Fortnite’ accounts sold as part of US$1bil black market

Account takeovers are a common problem among both social-networking and gaming sites. But gaming accounts can be more valuable, due to the virtual items they hold. — Reuters

Tens of thousands of Fortnite accounts are being sold online daily in a black market for stolen video game accounts that generates US$1bil (RM4.17bil) annually, according to a report from Night Lion Security, which helps companies identify vulnerabilities.

Criminals are using automated tools that can check 500 accounts a second to discover if login credentials stolen in various recent data breaches unlock any Fortnite accounts. Some Fortnite accounts have valuable skins – changing the appearance of a player’s avatar – and can sell for thousands of dollars, said Vinny Troia, who runs Night Lion. An average account sells for US$200 (RM834) to US$250 (RM1,043), he said.