Online gaming is massively popular with over 217 million people worldwide playing online* - and that’s not including the millions who like a flutter at gambling sites. But although playing online can make gaming even more exciting than just playing in solitude on a console, it can put the gamer’s information at risk. In fact, Sega recently confirmed that the personal data of 1.29 million of their customers was stolen when its system was hacked by attackers+. Although Sega says that payment information including credit card numbers remained safe, the fact that hackers were able to breach the Sega Pass database highlights that gamers shouldn’t take gaming site security for granted.
Gamers that are concerned that hackers might eventually succeed in getting at their credit or debit card details should consider a brilliant alternative that has no link to an account with a credit line or overdraft: a prepaid cards, such as the Cashplus prepaid Gold MasterCard®. This will help gamers to avoid putting their bank or credit card limit at risk. And that’s a good thing, as it’s easy to imagine the disruption to a customer’s regular account if a hacker got loose with a gamer’s bank balance and overdraft or credit facility.
But with a prepaid card, only the money that has been topped up to the card’s account is in any way exposed, as there are generally no pre-arranged credit limit or overdraft to put at any risk.
Even more reassuring is the fact that most prepaid cards also offer free fraud protection. So if a hacker gained unauthorised access to a customer’s account, the company can replace the card and usually the money on it.
On top of protecting a gamer’s bank and credit details, prepaid cards usually offer free online statements. So 24 hours a day, seven days a week it’s easy for the customer to track transactions and balance – and tell at a glance if there’s any suspicious activity involving their card. What’s more, as well as being a safe way to pay for online gaming, online gamblers can have their winnings added straight to their prepaid card’s account.
So, how do prepaid cards work? The customer can conveniently order their card online, with delivery in as little as 3 to 5 working days. The cardholder then tops up the card’s account with their own money and is then able to spend the money – online (including gaming sites), over the phone or in stores – wherever they see the MasterCard acceptance mark, as well as at millions of cash machines worldwide.
With most prepaid cards, acceptance is guaranteed as long as the applicant’s 18 or over and lives here in the UK. Luckily for gamers that are only 13 plus, their parents can set up an account and add their youngster as an additional cardholder.
So anyone that finds the risk of someone getting hold of their account details a real headache, should think seriously about signing up for a prepaid card – and make it ‘game over’ for hackers intent on fraud.
*Source: http://techcrunch.com/2007/07/10/217-million-people-play-online-games/
+Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-13829690