Uncovering the Fortnite cryptocurrency scam: How 'Fortnite coin' is scamming unwary kids by using V-Bucks as a lure

A Fortnite cryptocurrency scam is the last thing that players would imagine possible, and yet, it exists. Discovered a short while ago by a few netizens, a new crypto coin named "Fortnite Coin'' began appearing on several social media platforms.

While cryptocurrency is not illegal per se, this coin is currently associating itself directly with Fortnite, which is an issue because there’s no word regarding the same from Epic Games. With that being said, it's time to take a deeper dive into the matter at hand.

---

Fortnite cryptocurrency scam: Do not buy the dip

Apart from the name of the website and the banner image used, nothing else falls into place and it clearly becomes a dead giveaway for a Fortnite cryptocurrency scam. For starters, Epic Games is not mentioned once on the site and it claims that the cryptocurrency can be used in-game which reads as follows:

“The most important thing is that you can convert these currencies into each other without a commission in a 1: 2 ratio (i.e. 1 Fortnite.coin = 2 V-bucks) and withdraw the money earned in the game to your wallet! Regardless of the Fortnite.coin price, the ratio of V-Bucks to this token will remain the same: 1:2. By playing, you will earn real money.”

Sadly, none of the above is true to any extent. To begin with, V-Bucks can only be acquired in one of two ways: directly buying them in-game or redeeming them via a V-Bucks card. Aside from these two methods, players can also get V-Bucks from the Battle Pass and Crew subscription.

In short, they have to be bought either directly or indirectly. While players can earn V-Bucks as rewards in STW, this particular game mode has to be purchased first in order to farm the in-game currency. Furthermore, given that a wallet feature does not exist in STW or BR mode, there is no way to convert these "Fortnite Coins" into V-Bucks.

Suffice to say, while it is a well thought out Fortnite cryptocurrency scam, the scammers fell short on research while writing content for their website. This fact is further backed up by another paragraph on the website which reads:

“Using Fortnite.coin you can buy skins for the heroes of the game. The October Squad Pack is out now, and after the launch of Fortnite.coin, you will be able to pay for costumes and hero abilities using our token in the Item Store.”

As of now, most players, beginners, and seasoned loopers alike are well aware that cosmetics have to be bought with V-Bucks. Additionally, hero abilities do not exist in BR mode and those that do in STW are not purchasable. Given the fact that it’s a paid game mode, everything aside from the cosmetics is completely free.

While we remain on the topic of misinformation, one of the images used on the website is not even of Fortnite, but of a Mobile battle royale called "Free Fire" which is very popular in Southeast Asia. The image features numerous characters from the game.

Moving on to more in-depth information, the registrant country is Russia. Going by the logic that Epic Games is based in the United States of America, the very notion that that they would outsource or register the website in a foreign country makes no sense at all.

While this is indeed a Fortnite cryptocurrency scam, calling it illegitimate may not be accurate. However, with the currency having the name "Fortnite Coins” and no connection to the developers or the game, this is more than enough to raise red flags. While this could be another pump and dump situation involving cryptocurrency, it's hard to state anything as of now.

---

Why is the Fortnite cryptocurrency scam dangerous?

For starters, V-Bucks are a huge deal in the community. Players can buy cosmetics ranging from skins and back blings to even entire bundles. Given how important V-Bucks are, a lot of players may try to get their hands on V-Bucks for cheap, which is exactly what this Fortnite cryptocurrency scam promises.

Furthermore, this Fortnite cryptocurrency scam can spawn interconnected scams that promise to teach players how to exchange "Fortnite Coins" or help them redeem it for V-Bucks. Players may be willing to share their account details for such benefits, which can obviously lead to their accounts being stolen.

While this Fortnite cryptocurrency scam may be quite obvious to many readers, given that the vast majority of Fortnite players are children, they may fall prey to these tricks in the hopes of getting cheap V-Bucks in-game. Hopefully, Epic Games will look into this matter and take legal action sooner rather than later.

---

Disclaimer: Readers are advised not to buy any "Fortnite Coins" as they have no connection to the game and should consider this a Fortnite cryptocurrency scam.