Sega warns players that buying in-game currency from third-party sellers could land them in jail, citing a recent example. Back in August 2024, several people got arrested and faced criminal charges after being caught up in a scam involving fraudulent in-game purchases for Sega games.
Sega’s Japanese website shared the details about how a group of scammers were operating through “real money trading” websites. These folks would offer in-game currency at tempting discounted prices. After collecting payments from customers, they’d gain access to players’ accounts and trick Sega’s servers to get the in-game currency fraudulently.
Here’s the kicker – Japanese authorities didn’t just go after the scammers. They also arrested and convicted the customers who bought the illegal currency! As Sega pointed out, “Not only the members of the criminal group who actually committed fraud, but also users who easily obtained the in-game currency through such fraudulent acts were arrested.”
Among those arrested was a Chinese national charged with fraud, though Sega mentioned that multiple people on both sides of these deals faced legal consequences.
Sega reminded everyone that their terms of service don’t allow account sharing, lending, or selling for good reason. The company made it clear they’ll quickly suspend accounts breaking these rules and won’t hesitate to get the police involved when they spot suspicious activity.
To stay out of trouble, Sega strongly recommends players:
- Skip the third-party deals for in-game currency
- Keep your passwords and account info to yourself
- Don’t hand over your account to anyone else
- Stick to official channels for all purchases
“We ask that you never use these services to avoid becoming involved in or being involved in such crimes,” Sega stated. So think twice before trying to save a few bucks on that premium in-game currency!
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