Beware: Email Scam Targeting StarCraft II Fans
Those pesky scammers are always targeting us at our weakest moments.
It's been a week since the StarCraft II launch and although the really dedicated fans rushed out and purchased the game straight away, there are some people who have yet to purchase the title. If you're among the latter, be sure you don't respond to any details offering you a free copy of the game.
Siliconera reports that scammers are targeting StarCraft II fans with emails that purport to be from the Blizzard store. The email offers the recipient a StarCraft II CD key but states they must create or log into their existing Battle.net account using the log-in form at a provided URL.
The email (pasted below) comes from an @blizzard.review.com email account and includes a receipt for a purchased copy of StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty.
Hello, thank you for shopping at the Blizzard Store!
StarCraft II®: Wings of Liberty™: 2775298057033043807536803
To use this key to activate the game, simply follow these instructions:
1. Create a Battle.net account (or if you already have one, log in) at <malicious URL removed>
2. Verify your e-mail address. (If you have previously verified your address, skip this step.) From the main Account Management page, click the ‘verify this e-mail address’ link. Then, check your e-mail account for a verification e-mail. Click the link in this e-mail to verify your e-mail address.
3. Return to the Battle.net account management page, then click on ‘Code Redemption’.
4. Enter the above CDKey in the code field.
5. Once you have successfully redeemed this code, you will be able to play the game.NOTE: If you have previously chosen to gift your digital purchase, attaching this key to their Battle.net account will prevent you from being able to redeem this key with your Battle.net account.
===========================================
Purchase Receipt
===========================================
Customer Account: <e-mail address removed>
Order Date: 2010-8-2
Order #: 3893676(1) StarCraft II®: Wings of Liberty™ – $59.99
Credit Card Number : ****-****-****-4406
Credit Card Type : Visa
Item Subtotal: $59.99
Tax: $0.00
Shipping & Handling: $0.00
Shipping Tax: $0.00
Grand Total: $59.99
===========================================If you have any questions or concerns about your order, please contact us at:
Phone: Toll-free at (1-800-592-5499)
Website: http://support.blizzard.net/accountLive phone support is available seven days a week, 8:00AM – 8:00PM Pacific Time.
Thanks for shopping with us!
Blizzard Customer Service
If you get this email (or any email from something other than an @blizzard.com or @battle.net account) be sure to delete it and warn your friends!!
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....scum bags....you know they will get some young kids to fall for this and there goes their WoW account.
authenticators ftw
ALWAYS look at the full headers on emails from anything like this.
Don't be stupid, that's the rule
"Create a Battle.net account (or if you already have one, log in) at "
Yea if the url is not battle.net, click [delete] or [spam] or forward to blizzard to investigate.
Damn, that looks quite well done.
i actually got this email in my spam box...i saw @blizzard.review.com and then lulz ensued. they are getting craftier for sure though :T
Thankfully Blizzard removed LAN support and requires a Battle.net account, so I didn't by the game. Just think: If they hadn't gone through the trouble of protecting me like that, I might have been a victim of this scam. /sarcasm
That sucks!
I get about 10 scam emails about world of warcraft a day this isn't new just a different blizzard game.
I get about 10 scam emails about world of warcraft a day this isn't new just a different blizzard game.
I think I'm up to that as well.
Thankfully gmail can determine the difference between a genuine email and spam ones, as I occasionally receive emails from Blizzard in regards to account changes!
All it takes is a little common sense. I've taken to not clicking links in emails, unless it's something in regards to forum registration etc. If you see one saying you need to sign in and want to check then common sense dictates that you type in the address yourself!
pfft, I haven't had time to check my email... I've been too busy playing starcraft!!
Yeah but many SC2 players computers are already dead from SC2 destroying their video cards.
What's starcraft?
.
.
.
.
.
Just kidding, yeah, I'm already an addict.
Literally just got one of these last night on a relatively secured game's GUI email system that I've never given the address out for. Tried the code manually and of course it's invalid. Thankfully the game blocked any URL links and such so didn't even realize the addresses were fake - that's how close it looks like. I couldn't check the headers because the mail system doesn't let you see them in this particular case.
I did call Blizzard though just today (after a queue of 40+ minutes), and they told me it's a common hack going around. You can report these to hacks@blizzard.com, or so I was told by a rep.
I wished they would have just sold LAN play as a licensed option. I would have paid $99 for a version with 4 player LAN play instead of that hoaky collectors editon. Basically the 1st player would have to sign into battlenet. And hell, if they wanted to stop the pirates that would be hacking so the cheap version to do the LAN stuff, Blizzard could just release a patch that would detect and disable said account.
I would hope they would just market this rather than deny it. Many legit people want to host private LAN games.
LoL bored of it. I should prolly respond and resell the copy ; )
ok thanks for the info.
got one of those this morning when I woke up lol... the second I saw that I was getting free SCII I know it was a scam.
I just scanned some buy/sell sites, and it looks like some idiots are trying to sell these bogus accounts. I don't know who are the biggest idiots, the seller or the buyer.
IDiotZ!
Why Tom's Hardware is so obsessed with StarCraft II? Every week there's at least one new 'fact' about the game!
I get at least 1-2 phishing emails from "Blizzard" daily. If you can't take 2 seconds to hover over the link in the email and see it is a fake site, you deserve everything that happens.
yep. seen it, received many emails just like it, saw right through it.
Who is this fooling, people hoping, just maybe, Blizzard accidentally sent them a key for a game they didn't purchase? If you bought off Blizzard's website, you've probably already been playing for a week (and already activated your game). If you didn't buy off Blizzards website, you should realize that this isn't your receipt, and its probably bogus. Just like all those emails from girls who "saw your profile on facebook".
Stupid people should be banned from the internet.
I hope everyone falls for this
the last 4 digits do match my credit card
LoL bored of it. I should prolly respond and resell the copy ; )
I don't think you sell it, it is now tied to your BN account.
Ooooh nooo so this is not real???
Don't be fooled by the @blizzard.com email addresses either, I get stuff like this everyday from wowaccoundadmin@blizzard.com email addresses trying to steal my WoW account info. I was surprised to actually get a reply from Blizzard once warning me about the email I got.
Yeah, it is authentic looking and yeah, the people who do this shit are computer hoons without conscience...not smart, not funny.... just a dirty great pus filled blight on all internet users .
How the hell did these scammers get my email. I've never received Phishing Scams until I bought SC2 off Battle.net..
"Who is this fooling, people hoping, just maybe, Blizzard accidentally sent them a key for a game they didn't purchase?"
Presumably this works on the same people who get excited when they found out they just won an Internet lottery that they never entered.
If they didn't fool a few people, the scammers wouldn't send them...