'Ultimate Team' scheme: EA hackers charged for stealing in-game coins
Anthony Clark has been charged by the Northern Texas District Court with a count of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud for his role in a scheme to automatically generate and then re-sell the digital coins used to purchase perks in FIFA Ultimate Team on the PlayStation and Xbox console lines.
The "Ultimate Team" mode allows players to construct their own football squad using virtual player cards. Those cards are purchased with virtual currency that can be bought or earned through in-game accomplishments (such as playing online matches).
Those virtual coins can be traded between users and are commonly sold outside of the game for real-world money via unauthorized black market sites.
According to the FBI's indictment of Clark, he and three others used a specially crafted app to trick EA servers into giving them in-game currency by sending in fake "completed game" reports and getting the coins as a reward.
Having used the application to fraudulently "mine" the coins, the group then connected with re-sellers in Asia and Europe, who purchased the bulk loads and then re-sold the coins to players.
The FBI believes the scheme netted Clark and his co-conspirators, one of whom has already taken a plea deal, millions of dollars from the re-sale of the stolen coins.
Among the tools used in the scheme was FIFA source code and developer tools the group allegedly obtained from the hackers behind the massive Microsoft, Valve and EA hacking spree. Two of those hackers, Austin Alcala and Nathan Leroux, are set to testify as witnesses in the case.
Posted:
Related Forum: Xbox Forum
Source: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/11/14/ea_hackers_charged_for_stealing_game_coins/
Related Articles
Comments
TomPosted:
Well damn. Now people know they shouldnt mess with EA anymore. But millions of dollars of stolen coins is crazy
6GAPosted:
Lmao Imagine for all the games that are stolen for the xbox live marketplace or all these Hack lobbies
EvoVIIIPosted:
KyloCrux So crazy to see EA took things this far
Well they llst a lot of money so why wouldnt they?
Mercedes_BenzPosted:
looks like people didn't read the article properly, they generated the coins via hacked dev softwares.
"According to the FBI's indictment of Clark, he and three others used a specially crafted app to trick EA servers into giving them in-game currency by sending in fake "completed game" reports and getting the coins as a reward."
"According to the FBI's indictment of Clark, he and three others used a specially crafted app to trick EA servers into giving them in-game currency by sending in fake "completed game" reports and getting the coins as a reward."
RepBanditPosted:
This is crazy. Get in trouble for exploiting a game and making money because of it.
Guess all I can say is be careful guys
Guess all I can say is be careful guys
Latest Downloads
- 01. The Long Drive: SaveGame (American pickup)(0)
- 02. Goemon's Great Adventure (US / NTSC) - Nintendo 64 Game Save(1)
- 03. The Long Drive: SaveGame (blue VW Beetle)(0)
- 04. Deadly Creatures | Complete Savegame(0)
- 05. Driift Mania | 100% Savegame(0)
- 06. LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias | 100% Savegame(0)
- 07. Lost Winds | 100% Savegame(0)
- 08. Mega Man 10 | Savegame(0)
- 09. Mega Man 9 | Savegame(0)
- 10. LASTFIGHT Secret character unlocked(1)
- 11. PC Horizon Forbidden West Complete Save(12)
- 12. Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth | 100% Savegame(0)
- 13. ExciteBike World Challenge | Savegame(0)
- 14. World of Goo | 100% Savegame(0)
- 15. La Torre de las Sombras | 100% Savegame(0)
Latest Tutorials
- 01. The Redress Of Mira 100% Walkthrough | Trophy & Achievement(406)
- 02. Russian Pinocchio Quick Trophy Guide(501)
- 03. Venatrix Quick Trophy & Achievement Guide(457)
- 04. Call of the Sea 100% Platinum Walkthrough(611)
- 05. Wire Lips 100% Platinum Walkthrough(561)
- 06. The Expanse 100% Platinum Walkthrough | Trophy & Achievement(527)
- 07. Doctor Who: The Edge of Reality - PS4 Platinum P/Thru(452)
- 08. Doctor Who:The Lonely Assassins - 100% Guide(400)
- 09. DAYMARE 1998 PS4 - Full game 100% TROPHY WALKTHROUGH(387)
- 10. Stray Platinum Walkthrough | Trophy & Achievement Guide(411)
- 11. Raji: An Ancient Epic | Complete Gameplay Walkthrough(537)
- 12. Corpse Killer: 25th Anniversary Edition - Longplay(493)
- 13. Song of Horror: Complete Edition Gameplay Walkthrough(368)
- 14. Remoteness 100% All Trophies Walkthrough(472)
- 15. Detective Inspector Mysterious Clues Platinum Walkthrough(454)
"'Ultimate Team' scheme: EA hackers charged for stealing in-game coins" :: Login/Create an Account :: 27 comments