With the rise of the popularity of the Nintendo Switch, we’ve seen all sorts of nefarious behavior taking place online. People are trying to take advantage of the demand for the new system by having people fill out fake affiliate surveys to generate income for themselves, or offering fake emulators to download while unloading all kinds of malware on the unsuspecting person’s PC.
In fact, it’s gotten so bad that the Federal Trade Commission has issued a public warning to let people know that there’s no such thing as a Nintendo Switch emulator. All those videos you see on YouTube telling you how to set up a Switch emulator on your PC are just scams trying to milk you for cash or unload a lot of crap malware on your computer system (likely to make it part of a botnet).
How to avoid Nintendo Switch emulator scams
- Don’t download anything that says it’s a Nintendo Switch emulator.
- Don’t complete a survey to get an “unlock code.” That’s a red flag for a scam.
- Keep your security software current. Set it to update automatically. Installing unknown programs can lead to malware.
- Play Nintendo Switch at your friend’s house until you’re able to buy the real one yourself.
Finally, the FTC says if you do encounter one of these scams operating in the wild, you should report it to them.
[via FTC]
Nintendo eShop Card – $20
