'Free V-Bucks' and free-skin phishing scams
Videos and sites advertise free V-Bucks or exclusive skins through a 'generator', then collect the child's Epic login or a parent's card details.
- Most relevant to:
- Ages 9–12, 13–15
- Published:
- Last reviewed:
Start here: Turn on Epic Games 2FA and lock purchases behind a PIN.
What is happening
- Videos and sites advertise 'free V-Bucks' or exclusive skins through a 'generator'.
- The generator demands the child's Epic login or card details, or pushes endless survey/affiliate scams.
- Credentials and payment information are harvested.
Why it matters
Potential impact: Epic account takeover and unexplained charges on the family payment card, sometimes months after the details were entered.
Recommended next step: For awareness. Useful context; no immediate action is suggested.
What to watch for
- 'Free vbucks' searches, or requests for card numbers.
- Unexpected charges, or changes to the Epic account.
What parents can do
- Turn on Epic Games 2FA and lock purchases behind a PIN.
- Teach that no V-Bucks generator is real.
- Review the Epic purchase history periodically.
Start the conversation
“There is no such thing as a V-Bucks generator. If you want skins, ask me — I would rather buy one than have someone take the account.”
Say it in your own words, before anything has gone wrong. A child who has heard this once already knows where to go the day it matters.
In the news
Independent reporting on this topic from established news organizations. Press play to watch in place; links are re-verified on a schedule, so a clip that is taken down is flagged and removed.
- For awareness — Useful context; no immediate action is suggested.Good Morning America (ABC News)
FTC says Fortnite players could be owed refunds over deceptive charges
Sources and evidence
Evidence: Confirmed. Corroborated by two or more independent organizations — safety bodies, regulators, researchers, or established newsrooms. Last reviewed
If this is happening now
- Change the Epic password, turn on 2FA, and review the purchase history and linked payment methods.
- If card details were entered, call the card issuer, freeze or replace the card, and watch the statement.
- Report the account or video to Epic and to the platform that hosted it.
If a child is in immediate danger, contact local emergency services. To report online exploitation, use the NCMEC CyberTipline, or Take It Down to get an image removed.
Get the signal without the noise
One concise briefing when something meaningfully changes — what happened, who it may affect, and one practical next step. See a sample issue.