The Crucial Role of 2FA in Skins Trading
The industry of trading game items has broken the barrier between virtual entertainment and real-world values. Gamers can obtain unique items in popular titles and sell them for cash. Or they can use money to get cool skins and customize their appearance (and experience) in favorite multiplayer games.
Profitable businesses can be built on the basis of selling, buying, or exchanging skins, and professional traders sure do this. But the popularity of gaming in general, and skins trading in particular, has brought other people to this area too: scammers, who hunt for items and money.
Taking care of your safety in the skins trading industry is essential. It’s not too complicated to do, as both game developers and trading services protect rightful owners and fair transactions. Just following a few pretty basic anti-scam rules will increase the security level substantially.
We at DMarket highlight those rules in detail to protect our community from even the slightest risk of getting scammed. In this article, we talk about the importance of using Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) everywhere across your gaming and trading accounts (and even beyond them).
The Risks Involved in Skins Trading
What could go wrong, I hear you ask. “The skins marketplace is here, so let’s just create an account, make a transaction, and put skins in the game inventory or money in the bank account.” Well, basically, everything is correct here. Just follow the security measures! Setting up 2FA is one of the most crucial among them.
Scammers cannot ruin the trading formula unless they’ve got access to your sensitive data. And their effort is pretty much directed at getting it. Your logins and passwords are well protected in the game and on the marketplaces. But layers upon layers of scamming traps make it possible for bad guys to steal credentials.
Their methods involve creating phishing websites that look almost identical to some reliable services. For example, a victim falls into this trap from a fake Google Ad and delivers their login/password directly into scammers’ hands.
Scamming tricks may involve direct messages with false offers, like joining a pro esports team or simply getting a prize—“but sure, we need your credentials for this”. While such a direct lie doesn’t work too well in the modern world (thank goodness), scammers may try to trick their victims into installing their mobile apps and then get all the needed data directly from the device.
The consequences of leaked/stolen credentials may include losing skins from your inventory (someone will just send them to their account) or losing money from connected payment methods (someone will use funds to buy something and add it to their account).
In some cases, gaming/trading accounts can be hijacked, so a victim loses access to everything on them. As skins are money (and often quite big amounts), no one wants to find themselves in such a situation.
Protecting sensitive data from scammers is present in other security-related articles on DMarket. Let’s talk here about how to be safe even if such a leak happens. It’s a moment where 2FA starts shining with its full power.
Understanding Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
The concept of 2FA is super simple. It adds the second verification step for various actions. That can be:
- Entering your account — it’s not enough to just use login and password; you need to confirm this action through 2FA.
- Making important transactions, like purchasing or transferring skins.
Two-factor authentication may sound annoying as you have to confirm your own actions. But it’s a clever system, and it will adjust the security level to your habits. For example, 2FA will not be needed to log in to your account from the same device and the same location.
The methods of 2FA include:
- a security code to your email;
- a confirmation link to your email;
- a security code to your phone number;
- confirmation (push notification) through a security app (like Google Authenticator).
All of these methods are effective, so they are commonly used in skins trading.
It is quite important to set up 2FA for email too — don’t forget this step, as it is possible to hijack it as well. Phone security codes and apps are the most protected. The device exists in the physical world, and it’s difficult to steal it and your credentials at the same time. (And your phone is locked with a PIN, pattern, or password, right?)
The Benefits of Using 2FA in Skins Trading
Imagine scammers getting access to your login and password. They enter these credentials hoping to put their dirty hands on your precious skins. Nope, not gonna happen! The system (a marketplace or Steam) asks to verify this action—say, with a push notification.
Meanwhile, you, enjoying your life somewhere, get that push notification on your phone. It’s a signal to act immediately. You log in and change your password. You check if everything is alright on your account and inform the support team of this incident. You follow their advice. And basically, you are safe and alert. Nothing has been stolen.
Cyber attacks and scam methods are tricky and dangerous. But Two-Factor Authentication works as 100% protection.
Implementing 2FA on DMarket
DMarket is a huge platform for skins trading, which means that the value of items stored on accounts is … let’s just say it’s impressive. We encourage our users to enable Two-Factor Authentication and stay protected. It’s easy and effective.
We use Google Authenticator for 2FA as one of the most popular, flexible, and reliable methods. The app should be installed on your phone.
- Head to your account settings
- Click the “2FA” tab
- Press the “Enable” button
- Scan the QR code or enter the provided code manually
- Enter the code from Google Authenticator on DMarket to complete the connection.
That’s it. Enjoy your high-level security skin trading.
Best Security Practices
It’s good to be aware of the risks the digital era brings. It’s even better not to wait for something bad to happen but to take steps to protect your funds and virtual assets.
While we at DMarket do everything to make our platform the safest place in the industry, it is still impossible to do without your actions. No one except you can enable 2FA and use its benefits. Just do it! If we act together, scammers shall not pass.
Important: Don’t limit your personal digital security steps to 2FA only. Other layers of protection are also essential.
- Create strong passwords to prevent scammers from easily hijacking your accounts.
- Use different passwords for different services. Select the most important platforms and never use their passwords in other places.
- Protect your email with a strong and unique password and 2FA via your phone.
- Install applications only from the official stores.
- Lock your phone with a PIN, pattern, or password.
- Log out from every platform on public computers.
- Avoid entering sensitive data while you are on public Wi-Fi.
- Don’t share your credentials with people on the internet. It’s confidential, and any excuse for taking your login/password is too suspicious.
- Be very careful on Steam. Read our article on the most common Steam scams and learn how to avoid them.
Is 2FA already enabled for your DMarket account? Please, enable it immediately, while the info on the importance of this step is still fresh in your mind. (And also, scammers do not take breaks, they are hunting right now.)
Trade on the go - install the mobile app of DMarket from Google Play or App Store. Never miss great prices and unique skins. The best CS:GO, Dota 2, Rust and TF2 marketplace is always at hand!
For more info on security in the skins trading industry, follow DMarket on Facebook and Twitter.
