Pokémon Go has become one of the most popular smartphone apps ever created. With that in mind, there’s no doubt that there’s going to be a horde of hackers looking to victimize fans of the game. Whenever something becomes extremely popular online, hackers tend to view it as a good opportunity to steal people’s information and spread malware. Think of when social media was first catching on and scams were a dime a dozen.
There are already websites used to track Pokémon outside of the app, many claiming to help players locate rare Pokémon they may have trouble finding otherwise. The problem is that there’s no way for players to tell if all of these websites are legitimate. Players are also turning to questionable websites that claim to give players an edge.
Using apps while on the go can sometimes be risky to begin with, but Pokémon Go has a few things in particular you should be wary of. Here are some tips to help you stay safe while enjoying the game.
Secure Your Internet Connection
One of the most important things you can do to keep your data and device protected while playing Pokémon Go is to encrypt your internet connection. By using an encrypted internet connection wherever you go, your device will be able to avoid nearly all hacking attempts. When you’re frequently using public WiFi to play Pokémon Go (or browse the net and use other apps), you’re placing your device and information at great risk of data interception. This can lead directly to identity theft.
By simply installing and subscribing to a Virtual Private Network (VPN) service, your connection will be encrypted wherever you go and your data more protected. As mentioned in Secure Thoughts’ review page, a VPN can also hide your IP address so you will be more difficult to track while gaming (which is especially important when playing Pokémon Go).
Think Twice Before Downloading Anything
As mentioned previously, there are a lot of websites that claim they can help you find and track rare Pokémon. Some of these websites can contain malware. It’s one of the simplest ways a hacker can take advantage of fans of the game, as many articles promote these sites and it’s easy to find links to them in the later Google search results or even on social media if you have friends who aren’t careful.
Though some of these websites may be legitimate, be careful when you’re browsing them. Be careful if they request you sign up for an account. Never hand over your login details for the account you use for your apps. Don’t do anything that could cause your data to become compromised.
There are also other Pokémon Go related websites that claim to have clients you can download to make the game compatible with your smartphone (if it isn’t already). These files could be malicious and infect your device with malware if you download them. Anything that is not coming directly from Niantic or Nintendo’s official channels can be risky.
To avoid any issues from these sites or downloads, install an anti-virus or security app on your devices. Besides protecting your device from malware, they often have anti-theft features that might come in handy since you’ll be on the go a lot with your devices while playing Pokémon Go.
Stay Up To Date
With Pokémon Go and any other app or program, it’s always a good idea to download updates as soon as they become available. Updates often contain patches to security vulnerabilities and a recent patch for Pokémon Go actually did fix some security issues that were originally present. It mainly addressed the issue of the user permissions players accept when downloading the app, which was causing players to inadvertently hand over their Google account information to anyone who had access to the game’s servers.
If your smartphone or tablet doesn’t automatically download updates as they become available, be sure to manually download any updates as soon as possible. A notification will often be sent to your device when an update is available for an app, but it would be a good idea to follow Niantic’s Twitter page or website for recent news as well.
Protect More Than Just Your Device
Another tip based in common sense is to just really be careful when playing Pokémon Go in general. There have been a lot of Pokémon Go players ending up in the news recently (and not in a good way), mostly because of a lack of good judgement. It may seem harmless to go looking for Pokémon, but walking around with your head completely in your phone is never wise.
Pay attention while you’re on the go playing and think twice about where you’re going (for example, one player got hit by a car while attempting to cross a highway to find a Pokémon). If there’s a gym or Pokémon located in someone’s yard, near a road or anywhere else that might be dangerous, just avoid it. You should especially avoid wandering around in peoples’ yards without permission. Trespassing is a serious offense that could end tragically (one player got shot while searching for a Pokémon in someone’s yard).
As always, it’s also best to be patient and wait to look at the game if you’re driving or walking across the street, etc. By doing so and also following the rest of the aforementioned tips, you should have no problem staying safe while playing Pokémon Go.
About the Author: Caroline is a technology writer and blogger for various websites. When she’s not busy blogging about entertainment and internet security, she’s on her smartphone or tablet enjoying Pokémon Go and a variety of other gaming apps.