Runescape Creators Take Up Cudgels Against Phishing Thieves

The creator of the popular online game Runescape has launched a counter offensive attack against the ‘e-thieves’ who are rampantly plundering Runescape user accounts.

Jagex, the company behind Runescape, is now working together with UK Police National e-crime unit and FBI to bring the offenders to justice as a result of which a 23 year old British male was arrested from Avon and Somerset on November 24 on charges of phishing in order to dupe Runescape users into revealing account information.

Apparently the e-thieves, after obtaining the account information, used to ransack the user’s account, remove the items of the characters and sell them off for Runescape Gold along with rare virtual items. Runescape Gold is then traded in the game or is sold for real cash. The current rate of exchange is ₤6 for 2M Runescape Gold.

Mark Gerhard, chief executive of Jagex, expressing his displeasure, told BBC that some of the people leading these ‘phishing’ operations have been identified and will soon get what they deserve. Commenting on the arrest in Avon and Somerset, he said that it was the result of a long term investigation to catch the people behind the ‘phishing attacks’.

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Security experts believe that the number of e-thieves stealing virtual goods is growing at an alarming rate.