A CS2 player’s inventory is not just a set of skins, but often a good financial asset. Skins with unusual patterns or stickers can cost a staggering amount, up to several tens of thousands of dollars. So, losing in-game items is not only a nuisance for players but also a real loss of money. In this article, we will look at the key steps that will help protect the inventory.
Main Сyber Threats For CS2 Players
Unfortunately, cyber threats are an integral part of CS2. However, by taking cyber security measures, most of them can be avoided. However, we recommend evaluating the most popular cyber threats in CS2.
Phishing
Phishing is one of the most common types of online fraud. A player receives a link via email or chat that supposedly allows him to pick up free skins, participate in a giveaway, or receive another prize. In some scenarios, the scammer may offer to participate in a vote and receive valuable skins as a reward. However, the data that the player enters on such a site will be leaked to the attackers, and he may lose his account.
To protect yourself, always check the address of the site where you are going to log in using your Steam account, or better yet, simply do not click on links received from unfamiliar sources.
Another type of online fraud works in a similar way. To gain access to your account, the attacker may pretend to be a Steam employee in correspondence in order to convince you to log in to a third-party site or provide the SteamGuard code or profile data.
Remember that Steam representatives never actually ask for your login details. If you are unsure whether the information a user is giving you is correct, contact Steam support directly before taking any action.
Trade Scams
This type of scam was especially common in the early years of the game. It has become less common since then, largely due to Valve’s security measures, but inexperienced players can still fall victim to it. The scammer poses as a bona fide user who is interested in a trade and offers you a valuable skin. However, when making the trade, the scammer adds another skin at the last minute instead of the one you agreed on. In a hurry or out of ignorance, you may not notice this and end up giving away your skin for a useless or cheap skin.
To avoid getting caught, always carefully check the contents of the trade before confirming it. Regardless of what another user convinces you of, check the price of the skin and its popularity on the Steam market and other platforms, so that it does not turn out that a cheap skin is being passed off as expensive.
API Fraud
In this case, the user also ends up on a phishing site, but the attackers steal not their account data, but the Steam API key, which is used to conduct trades. Using the key, attackers can replace trade offers that you receive from other users. As a result, your skins may go to someone other than the one you wanted to give them to, and you will not receive anything in return.
If you suspect that your API key has been compromised, you should delete it in your account settings and create a new trade link. You should also change your account password just in case.
Even if you do not have expensive skins on your account, it is always useful to remember about precautions so as not to lose a carefully collected collection of skins, or even an entire account with all the games linked to it. Do not fall for dubious offers.
How to Protect the CS2 Inventory?
The value of CS2 players’ inventory is great and if you doubt it, you can use the CS2 (CS:GO) inventory value checker to have an idea of the value of your skins or skins of other players.
To protect your game values, players need to follow several key recommendations. The first thing you can do to protect yourself is to activate 2FA on your Steam account. This adds an additional layer of protection and makes it more difficult for hackers to access.
The second step that players can take to protect themselves is to set a complex password that will be very difficult for hackers to guess. After doing all this, players can remain safe when using sites, applications, or forums.
Wrapping It Up
Protecting your inventory in CS2 requires attention and following basic cybersecurity rules. Activating 2FA, using complex passwords, and being careful when using third-party services – all this reduces the risk of skin theft. By taking all measures to ensure security, you can enjoy the game.