Fortnite players are inadvertently helping launder cash, investigation reveals

Cybercriminals are exploiting smash-hit video game Fortnite’s weak security system by selling illegally purchased V-Bucks, Fortnite's in-game currency, on the dark web at a discounted price, according to an investigation by The Independent and the research carried out by cybersecurity firm Sixgill.

The criminals acquire the in-game currency using stolen credit cards, so the gamers buying it are unwittingly helping them launder money. The report says the vendors accept bitcoin and bitcoin cash since cryptocurrency payments offer them most anonymity. The investigators claim that V-Bucks sold in bulk are available solely on the dark web, while smaller amounts are advertised via social media, such as Instagram and Twitter.

Fortnite is extremely popular—counting at least 200 million players—and while it is free to play, it offers plenty of in-game purchases for V-Bucks. It’s perhaps no surprise that along with the growing popularity of the game, the criminal activity surrounding it is also increasing.

While the scale of the enterprise is yet unknown, the Fortnite coins sold on eBay alone earned the criminals over $250,000 in just two months.