Gamers of all ages have taken to the streets in search of Pokemon. The new app game, Pokemon GO, became an overnight sensation just earlier this month. Regardless how you feel about Pokemon GO, there are several target points scammers have quickly honed in on.
Pokemon GO requires users to download an app onto their smartphone, offers incentives to acquire Pokecoins – sometimes through unethical means beyond the scope of the game – and go out in the real world to sometimes remote and isolated locations.
It’s always important to stay aware, stay informed, and play safe.
In my investigative business, this is a nightmare when conducting surveillance!
Pokemon GO became an overnight sensation. Gamers of all ages are forsaking the couch and console to go out and hunt for Pokemon in the wild – like actually outside. The game app uses GPS and augmented reality software to plant Pokemon in the smartphones of GO players at different geographical locations. It’s like Geocaching, but with Pokemon. Players can find out where there are Pokemon near them, physically go to the area, see the Pokemon in their smartphones, and capture them to take to local Pokemon gyms (also geographical locations that they must physically go to) and battle against other people who are doing the same thing.
Whether you think this is a great thing, a stupid thing, or something entirely else, scammers have picked up on this craze to lure, bait, and trap unsuspecting Pokemon GO players.
How are they doing this?
The first and most obvious scam has to do with luring victims into uploading malware on their smartphones under the guise of Pokemon GO software. This particular scam currently targets Android devices and attempts to lure victims in on download sites. Be careful where you download Pokemon GO software, and make sure that the app is actually what it claims to be before giving it access to your phone.
Another scam plays off of Pokemon GO players’ desire for Pokecoins that can be earned through the game. This scam offers free Pokecoins to users who complete an online survey. These online surveys are actually advertisements and click-harvesters that end in no Pokecoins and a lot of wasted time. Similar fake websites offering shortcuts, cheats, and so forth have cropped up all over. Much like these scams, Craiglist ads purporting to help players locate rare Pokemon or up their Poke-wealth for a fee target players thirsty for more Pokemon and Pokecoins.
Fake monthly subscriptions and upgrades are another set of scams set out to harvest credit card information from unsuspecting Pokemon GO players. The target will receive an email or notification that they must pay a monthly subscription fee of $12.99 to continue playing or their game will freeze within 24 hours. Of course, your game will NOT freeze and you will continue on with your game and your life. Don’t fall for this lure. Just keep on catching Pokemon.
The scariest of all Pokemon scams happen out there in the real world,
To avoid these common Poke-problems, here are some things to keep in mind:
- Only download Pokemon GO from official websites and game repositories, and don’t let kids download the game – or ANYTHING for that matter – without your involvement.
- Don’t try to cheat or accumulate Pokecoins unethically. Just play the game.
- Only pay for the app through in-app payment arrangements. Your game will not freeze, you’ll just avoid being conned and go on with your Pokemon-catching life.
- Don’t Pokemon GO-it alone. Search and capture these elusive little monsters out in the wild with your friends.