Think a free Steam game from a "mutual friend" sounds harmless? Think again. Fraudsters are infiltrating gaming and NFT communities by posing as friendly players, then luring victims onto malicious servers where wallets, NFTs, and accounts are drained.

How such an attack might look:

🎮 Lurking for trust - Attackers quietly join Discord groups, watch conversations, and learn inside jokes to blend in before making a move.

🕵️ Fake mutuals - They impersonate a friend’s contact or pretend to share interests (like NFTs you hold) to seem legitimate.

🎁 Free game bait - A gifted Steam code or cheap "beta game" becomes the hook. Accepting feels safe — but that’s the trap.

🖥️ Trojan servers - Joining their game server can install hidden malware, giving them full access to your device, passwords, and wallets.

💸 Wallet drain & identity theft - While you’re distracted playing, they’re emptying your crypto and hijacking your accounts.

The scale is real. Victims have reported losses in the six-figure range, like the NFT artist who lost $170K after joining a "mutual friend’s" server. Malwarebytes and others confirm these scams are spreading, often using Discord as the entry point^[ref].

🚨 How to protect yourself?

- Don’t accept random Steam codes or "try my game"^[ref] offers, even from supposed mutuals.

- Verify identities through trusted channels before installing software or joining servers.

- Use 2FA across Discord, Steam, and email.

- Keep crypto off your gaming rig, use a hardware wallet, a clean laptop, or at least a separate partition/VM for finance.

Community admins: warn members, limit permissions, and be proactive with scam alerts.

Fraudsters know gamers and NFT collectors are generous and community-minded. That’s exactly why they exploit kindness. Stay cautious — your next "gaming buddy" could be playing for your wallet, not for fun.