Hackers Use FIFA to Steal Millions From EA

[RaychelSnr]

You can call it a heist -- as the F.B.I. has accused hackers of using FIFA to steal millions of dollars from EA.

Quote:

"The FBI believes that a group of hackers made millions off a scam to defraud the publisher Electronic Arts, and today the government is going to court to try to take them down. This morning in Texas, defendant Anthony Clark will go on trial for conspiracy to commit wire fraud after allegedly working with three other hackers to mine FIFA coins from EA’s servers, then sell those coins to “black market” dealers in Europe and China. The FBI alleges that Clark and his co-defendants made between $15 and $18 million off this scheme. FIFA coins are the controversial in-game currency of EA’s popular soccer series, used to buy player packs within FIFA games. You can earn FIFA coins either by playing matches or spending real money to buy them in the game. They’re also very popular in the third-party marketplace; a cursory google search for “FIFA coins” will bring up nothing but third-party sellers, including an entire subreddit dedicated solely to trading coins."

The Ultimate Team/Coin phenomenon is obviously ripe for all sorts of abuse and scandal, and this is yet another case of what you might call the basic human nature of greed leading to unintended consequences.

This obviously also calls into question the problem that an in-game based currency system can bring when it comes to cheating. As eSports continue to rise in popularity and with real prize money is on the line along with in-game currency being one of the tools you can use for winning, what is to stop hackers from exploiting games in the future?

This will be an interesting topic and likely a story that we won't see resolved anytime soon.

[murph17]

Hi - not FIFA 17. Read the article - crimes were in 2013, talks about Xbox 360 dev kit and reverse engineering FIFA 14.

[stocksy]

I have no sympathy for EA losing money related to VC.

I like EA and it's games but hate all in game purchases especially in full price games.

Although it seems this is an historic event and hasn't put them off using this VC nonsense.

I assume it makes soooo much money that they can lose 18m and just shrug it off

[BSchwartz07]

Quote: Originally Posted by stocksy

I have no sympathy for EA losing money related to VC. I like EA and it's games but hate all in game purchases especially in full price games. Although it seems this is an historic event and hasn't put them off using this VC nonsense. I assume it makes soooo much money that they can lose 18m and just shrug it off

Agreed. This is like hearing that someone who stole money had it stolen from them. Oh no... so sorry.

[thevardano]

There is nothing really which can stop big companies to sell those coins to kids from all over the world, it's shady and disgusting to use this tactics and no one cares.

[RonMexico1992]

Stole money from EA? No.

EA sells 12,000 FIFA Points for $99

You can get a million coins third party for $20ish

You can buy 133 packs with a million coins, you can only buy 80 packs with 12,000 Points and look at the price difference.... So where are people going to go? They didn't steal money from anybody, they offered a better service and deal then EA.

EA sells points for REAL money. So if I pack Cristiano Ronaldo and sell him for 7 million coins, and sell each million for 20$ and make $140, thats not allowed? I just stole $140 from EA? No.

There is clearly a value, for EA to be able to sell the points for real money and then not let the consumers (Gamers) sell or do whatever they see fit with their card they packed, or make anything back is bogus.

Last note, if the FIFA Points were not such a rip off, people wouldn't go to a third party.

[playmygame]

Quote: Originally Posted by RonMexico1992

Stole money from EA? No. EA sells 12,000 FIFA Points for $99 You can get a million coins third party for $20ish You can buy 133 packs with a million coins, you can only buy 80 packs with 12,000 Points and look at the price difference.... So where are people going to go? They didn't steal money from anybody, they offered a better service and deal then EA. EA sells points for REAL money. So if I pack Cristiano Ronaldo and sell him for 7 million coins, and sell each million for 20$ and make $140, thats not allowed? I just stole $140 from EA? No. There is clearly a value, for EA to be able to sell the points for real money and then not let the consumers (Gamers) sell or do whatever they see fit with their card they packed, or make anything back is bogus. Last note, if the FIFA Points were not such a rip off, people wouldn't go to a third party.

You are right in some way, but all game developers have a monopoly in donate. If they set a rule that simple users can't make money on their game - it is their choice.