Fraudulent game download sites have never been more prevalent.
Fake download sites are masquerading as trusted sources for gamers to obtain free games, cracked applications, and other downloadable content. The problem is these websites aim to phish for your information and/or infect your computer with malware.
Did you know:
During the one year period between April 2024 and March 2025, over 19 million cyberattacks attempted to use video game titles as bait according to Kaspersky’s latest industry report. That’s millions of attacks aimed directly at gamers.
Luckily, with domain risk assessment knowledge and the right tools, you can easily spot and avoid malicious game download sites. Verification sites have sprung up to allow users to check the legitimacy of websites prior to downloading suspicious files. One such site is 먹튀픽 공식 사이트 (Translate to English: Muktu Pick Official Site), a free site that allows users to verify if a website is a scam or not. Staying ahead of phishers requires you to be able to identify domain risk before you engage with a new website.
What you’ll learn:
- Why Fraudulent Game Download Sites Are Becoming More Common
- 6 Signs You’re on a Bogus Download Site
- Domain Risk Assessment 101
- Easy Tips to Stay Protected
Why Fraudulent Game Download Sites Are Becoming More Common
Video gaming is a large industry. Every year billions of gamers download and play games. Cybercriminals want to capitalize on this action.
Here’s how they’re doing it:
Scammers are creating fake game distribution sites in an attempt to lure visitors into downloading malware disguised as video games. Malware can include Trojans, Spyware, Virus, and more.
Games like GTA, Minecraft, Call of Duty, and Roblox have been heavily targeted for distribution via third-party software sites. This is likely due to their large player count.
Cyberattacks leveraging video game titles as bait surged by 14% in 2024, with Kaspersky detecting 467,000 malicious files each day. With the increased proliferation of attacks coming from third-party game download sites, we wanted to share tips to help you avoid them.
They’re becoming so rampant for a few reasons:
- Gaming Demographics tend to be younger and less security conscious
- Free games and software are too enticing
- Bogus sites have improved their level of sophistication
- Mobile devices have expanded the risk surface area
Fraudulent game download sites are not going anywhere.
6 Signs You’re on a Bogus Download Site
You will easily be able to identify most fraudulent gaming sites. They usually fall into one of the following categories.
Major signs include:
- URL misspellings or odd characters
- Lack of HTTPS certification
- Pop ups galore
- Claims of free premium games or content
- Terrible grammar and design
- Lack of contact information
- Odd payment methods
If a game you were expecting to pay for is free, immediately exit the site. Fraudulent Game Sites love offering new releases for free.
Another tell tale sign:
New websites. Most fraudulent websites are created recently. Big name games are typically sold on well-established platforms. Perform a simple domain risk assessment on any site that you’re unsure about. Been caught in a phishing scam before?
Cybercriminals often choose domain names that sound close to the real platforms. They may substitute letters, add numbers, or use different domain extensions to trick victims into downloading malware.
Domain Risk Assessment 101
Performing a domain risk assessment means checking to see if a website is safe before you interact with it.
Essentially you’re running a background check on a website.
There are many things to look for when performing your own assessment. When did the domain register? Where is it hosted? Does it have a valid SSL certificate? Has it been associated with malicious behaviour in the past? Is it part of a known malicious network? These are all things you can check to assess domain risk.
Why is this important?
Most users don’t think twice about clicking on a download link. We trust that if it appears in a Google search or on a forum that it’s safe. This couldn’t be further from the truth.
Taking a few moments to perform a quick domain risk assessment can notify you of whether a website:
- Was recently registered (recently registered domains are more risky)
- Has been flagged by any security threat databases
- Is hosted by a known hosting provider
- Has had previous visitors who’ve had a bad experience
- Is using a valid SSL certificate
There are free tools that can help you perform basic domain risk assessments. You can also install browser plugins that will notify you when you’re about to visit a malicious website.
Easy Tips to Avoid Bogus Game Download Sites
There’s no magical solution that will protect you 100% of the time. You need to layer your defenses to ensure you’re covered.
Follow these simple tips:
Only download games from official sites. Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG, and console stores have measures in place to verify the downloads you’re receiving. Exercise extreme caution when downloading from third-party websites.
Keep your antivirus software updated and running. Antivirus software can catch malicious downloads before they have the chance to execute on your computer. This acts as a second layer of defense.
Enable two factor authentication on your gaming accounts. If your username and password are compromised on a phishing site, cybercriminals won’t be able to log into your account without the second form of authentication.
If you come across a website you’re not familiar with, perform a quick domain risk assessment. Check when the domain was registered, look for reviews, and verify that it shows up in Google results.
Here are some additional tips:
- Don’t turn off your security software to make a game install
- Avoid clicking on links in unsolicited emails
- Be cautious of forum posts telling you to download “free games”
- Keep an eye on your bank statements for strange activity
- Use unique passwords for your gaming accounts
Perhaps the best defense against scammers is education. Understanding how scams work makes them easier to spot.
Bogus Sites Are Getting Too Sophisticated
Scammers have been catching onto the signs we mention above. They’re creating professional looking sites complete with stolen logos and fake reviews.
Some cybercriminals are even buying up expired domains from real companies. This allows them to inherit the domain’s trust and appear as the real thing.
This increasing sophistication means we have to improve our risk assessment techniques.
Domain Risk Assessment alone won’t stop you from visiting a malicious site. If you click on a download link thinking it’s safe only to find out later it wasn’t, your computer could be infected. Security awareness is key.
Conclusion
Bogus game download sites are huge problem. Millions of gamers worldwide are attempted targeted by cybercriminals each year.
Here are the main takeaways:
- Only download from official sources that you know and trust
- Know the signs of a phishing website
- Perform domain risk assessments on unknown websites
- Keep your security software enabled and up to date
- Enable two-factor authentication whenever possible
The video game industry isn’t slowing down anytime soon. As more people jump on board to play games, hackers will target them. Taking a few seconds to do your due diligence can save you hours fixing your computer later.
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