"This is disgusting": Fortnite accused of allegedly collecting Social Security Number and credit card info

Fortnite has once again come under fire from the community, but it's not for the reasons that readers would imagine. While the XP grind has invited backlash, there's something far more troublesome afoot and no one knows for sure what's happening.

As showcased on a Reddit thread, the user allegedly received an email from the support team of Epic Games. The email requests the user to provide the last four digits of their SNN (Social Security Number) and credit or debit card information.

This is highly irregular for them as the developers claim to never ask for personal information. At first glance, it looks like a classic phishing attempt. However, in actuality, according to the moderator of the FortNiteBR subreddit, the email is indeed legitimate and this is where the problem begins.

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Identification proof or no Fortnite? Not quite

In September 2021, Epic Games and SuperAwesome began offering free parental verification to developers. Since online gaming has taken hold of the younger generation and with offerings like the Fortnite item shop which involves real money, certain adult guidance has to be implemented to ensure things don't get problematic. While this gesture was aimed at protecting minors, the situation quickly backfired. Here's what a few users have to say about the current email situation:

According to the original poster, the email in question is intruding on their rights to privacy by collecting personal information. However, according to the official blog by Epic Games, this is being done to ensure that the person creating the account is, in fact, an adult.

Since the Social Security Number or credit/debit card information will provide irrefutable proof of age, it is a failsafe mechanic, for the most part. While it can be argued that a child can easily access any of this information from their parents, it's not a given in all instances. Nevertheless, having to provide such information is strange, but that's just one side of the problem.

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Are phishing attempts trying to mimic the verification process?

While there is a blog stating that this is a legal process, several members of the Fortnite subreddit are not convinced that the email received by the original poster is real. Given that phishing attempts in Fortnite are getting better and more deceptive daily, this may very well be one of them.

Since Social Security Numbers are not something that was needed by Epic Games in the past, this is rather concerning. However, based on input from several users, this seems to be becoming the norm. SuperAwesome even has an unlisted video showcasing the process for the parent verification flow for Among Us.

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Will this become the norm for all future Epic Games accounts?

Based on the information at hand, the developers have no say in this matter. Since the safety of minors is the utmost priority for regulatory bodies, a failsafe system has to be implemented for everyone. Since the information goes directly to Epic Games, users' details should be considered safe and secure.

Although it is a breach of privacy, it seems to be aimed at the betterment of the Fortnite multiplayer experience. Since the metaverse, Fortnite, in general, can be an unforgiving place, and having parental guidance or assistance may prove to be crucial for children during their formative years.