Online Gaming Safety Guide: Protecting Yourself and Kids From Scams and Bullying

Online gaming scams, account theft, grooming attempts and cyberbullying are recurring problems flagged by U.S. consumer-protection and law-enforcement agencies, European police cooperation body Europol, and the game-ratings body ESRB. This guide collects their published advice into one practical checklist for players and parents.

Securing accounts and avoiding financial scams

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warns that scammers and identity thieves can gather small pieces of personal information shared in game chats and later use them to open phone, utility or credit accounts in a victim's name. Tower Federal Credit Union's fraud-prevention guide adds that account takeovers often start with phishing links disguised as login pages or "limited-time" offers, and that scammers also target streamers with fake sponsorship deals that require an upfront payment.

1. Turn on two-factor authentication on every gaming and storefront account (Tower Federal Credit Union).
2. Use a strong, unique password for each gaming account rather than reusing one across sites (Tower Federal Credit Union).
3. Buy virtual currency, skins or boosts only through the game's official store or an authorized retailer, never a third-party seller (FTC; Tower Federal Credit Union).
4. Check that any login page uses "https" before entering a password, and ignore unsolicited links claiming to be from the publisher (Tower Federal Credit Union).
5. Set a password or PIN on the console or platform account so purchases require parental approval (FTC).
6. Review privacy settings so only approved friends can see a profile or send messages, and restrict in-game chat if it is not needed (ESRB; FTC).
7. Enter a child's accurate age when creating an account, since the U.S. Children's Online Privacy Protection Act limits what data can be collected from under-13 users without parental consent (ESRB).
8. Tell children never to share their real name, school, location or other identifying details with people they only know from a game (ESRB; FTC).
9. Treat any stranger who tries to move the conversation off the game platform (to a private chat app, for example) as a warning sign, and tell a trusted adult (FTC).
10. If an account is compromised, change the password and enable two-factor authentication immediately, alert the game's support team, check bank or card statements for unauthorized charges, and run an antivirus scan (Tower Federal Credit Union).

Grooming and predatory contact

The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) says predators methodically target young people on gaming sites, social media and mobile apps, typically building a trusting or seemingly romantic relationship before manipulating or coercing them. A March 2025 IC3 alert noted that one such network, identified as "764," had targeted victims generally aged 10 to 17, including children as young as 9, and that it uses threats of exposing personal information ("doxing") or fake emergency calls ("swatting") to maintain control over victims.

IC3 lists several warning signs for parents: a child's sudden change in behavior, a new online "friend" who is not known in person, unexplained gifts, or statements that suggest fear or secrecy about online contacts. Separately, Europol's EU Internet Referral Unit reported in November 2025 that extremist and criminal groups also exploit livestreaming services with live chat, discussion forums and gaming storefronts with social features to reach minors, often using coded language or emojis to avoid detection, according to a summary of the action by Infosecurity Magazine.

IC3 advises reporting suspected predatory contact to IC3.gov, a local FBI field office, or the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's CyberTipline, and keeping records of usernames, messages and platforms involved.

Responding to cyberbullying in games

The FTC's guidance for parents recommends that a child facing bullying, threats or harassment in a game first tell a trusted adult, then use the game's built-in reporting and blocking tools or contact platform support directly — the FTC names Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo and Discord as examples of services with such tools.

Parental controls by platform type

ESRB notes that consoles, PCs, phones and tablets all include parental-control systems, though the exact options differ by device and service.

Frequently updated rules of thumb

• Treat any request to move a conversation off the gaming platform as a reason to pause and tell an adult (FTC).
• Never buy in-game currency outside the official store (FTC; Tower FCU).
• Set the account age truthfully and use the strictest default privacy settings available, then loosen them deliberately if needed (ESRB).
• Keep evidence — usernames, screenshots, messages — before reporting any scam, grooming attempt or harassment (IC3).