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In March 2018, Fortnite players reported compromised accounts and unauthorized purchases, prompting Epic Games to acknowledge account takeovers and say it was helping affected users. The reports did not establish an official victim count or guarantee refunds. A separate vulnerability disclosure in January 2019 concerned Epic’s web infrastructure; it should not be treated as the cause of the 2018 complaints.
What Fortnite players reported in 2018
On March 14, 2018, Dark Reading reported complaints posted on Reddit and Epic’s user forum about hacked accounts and difficulties obtaining refunds. One player described unauthorized upgrades to a Save the World edition costing hundreds of dollars. Dark Reading also cited player posts indicating Epic had issued some refunds.
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Fortnite eGift Card | $25.00 | Buy on Amazon |
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Epic acknowledged that some accounts had been compromised and said it was working with affected players. In a statement to Kotaku quoted by Dark Reading, the company said: “We are aware of instances where users’ accounts have been compromised using well-known hacking techniques and are working to resolve these issues directly with those players affected,”
These were user reports and company comments, not an independently audited incident tally. The available reporting does not establish how many accounts were affected, the total losses, who was responsible, or what share of refund requests succeeded.
#1 Best Overall
- Redeemable on accounts in the United States and in U.S. Dollars.
- Gift card must be redeemed at EpicGames.com/redeem. This gift card WILL NOT work if redeemed directly on a console device (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, etc.)
- If you play Fortnite experiences on a console device, you need to link your Epic Games account to your console account(s) so items purchased at Fortnite.com/item-shop appear across all of your linked accounts
- Requires internet connection, valid Epic account and prior acceptance of the terms
- Redemption: Online
What Epic said about account theft and scams
Epic’s 2018 warning focused on credential theft and fraud associated with sites promising free V-Bucks or offering to share or sell accounts. The company warned: “Epic will never ask you for your password through email, social media, or a non-Epic website.”
Epic also said it was checking leaked password dumps and proactively resetting passwords when it believed accounts were affected. It cautioned that its manual process could miss accounts, said it was working to automate the checks, and planned to enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) “in the next few weeks.” That was a plan stated in 2018, not a current announcement.
Rank #2
- Redeemable on accounts in the United States and in U.S. Dollars.
- Gift card must be redeemed at EpicGames.com/redeem. This gift card WILL NOT work if redeemed directly on a console device (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, etc.)
- If you play Fortnite experiences on a console device, you need to link your Epic Games account to your console account(s) so items purchased at Fortnite.com/item-shop appear across all of your linked accounts
- Requires internet connection, valid Epic account and prior acceptance of the terms
- Redemption: Online
A separate Epic account vulnerability disclosed in 2019
On January 16, 2019, Check Point Research published a report on vulnerabilities in Epic’s web infrastructure. Researchers described an attack path involving a crafted link, cross-site scripting (XSS), and single sign-on (SSO) redirect behavior that could expose authentication tokens and potentially enable account takeover. In their demonstration, a user did not have to enter credentials into a fake website.
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Check Point said it notified Epic and that a fix was deployed. Dark Reading’s January 18, 2019 coverage likewise reported the flaws had been fixed and found no indication they had been used to attack Fortnite players. The disclosure is distinct from the 2018 account complaints; the available sources do not connect the two.
Rank #3
- An Epic Games account is required to redeem an Epic Games Store Card code
- If playing on a console platform (PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, Nintendo Switch or Mobile) you need to link your Epic Games account to that gaming platform (one time) to redeem your gift card code
- The 16 digit code on the back of the card WILL NOT work if redeemed directly through your gaming platform (PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, Nintendo Switch, Mobile, etc.)
- Note: Nintendo devices do not support Fortnite Shared Wallet, so V-Bucks purchased using your account balance will not show up on your Nintendo device. However, if you purchase items in the web Item Shop — or another platform where you play Fortnite — those items will be available in your Locker across all platforms.
- Redemption: Online
The practical distinction is that some account theft involves tricking people into giving up credentials, while the 2019 report described a flaw in the account platform’s web behavior. It does not mean every suspicious link compromised an account, or that the disclosed flaw explains the earlier reports.
How to secure your Epic Games account now
Epic’s current account-security guidance, accessed September 30, 2026, recommends using a unique password for each service, enabling two-factor authentication (2FA), protecting the email and other accounts linked to Epic, and avoiding account sharing and suspicious external offers. It also advises keeping devices protected with updated antivirus software. Epic says genuine product offers appear in the Epic Games Store or on official Epic channels.
Rank #4
- Redeemable on accounts in the United States and in U.S. Dollars.
- Gift card must be redeemed at EpicGames.com/redeem. This gift card WILL NOT work if redeemed directly on a console device (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, etc.)
- If you play Fortnite experiences on a console device, you need to link your Epic Games account to your console account(s) so items purchased at Fortnite.com/item-shop appear across all of your linked accounts
- Requires internet connection, valid Epic account and prior acceptance of the terms
- Redemption: Online
- Use a unique Epic password. Do not reuse a password from email, social media, or another game service. Epic says, “We recommend using unique passwords as a way to protect your account.”
- Turn on 2FA. Epic lists email, SMS, and an authenticator app as second-factor options. Its guidance explains: “Two-Factor authentication allows you to require a code from a device you own before you can log in, this makes it much more difficult for someone to gain unauthorized access.”
- Secure the accounts connected to Epic. Protect the email address used for Epic and any linked gaming or social accounts with strong, unique passwords and available two-factor protections.
- Ignore outside offers that ask for access. Do not share or sell accounts, provide credentials to a third-party site, or trust promises of free V-Bucks from unofficial sources.
- Act on suspicious activity. If you see unfamiliar changes or purchases, secure your email and Epic credentials and contact Epic through its official support channels. The 2018 reports do not establish a current refund policy, eligibility rules, or response time.
Refunds for unauthorized Fortnite purchases
The 2018 coverage described some player-reported refunds alongside complaints about refund difficulties. Those accounts do not establish a present-day refund policy or guarantee that a particular charge will qualify. For a current unauthorized-purchase issue, consult Epic’s official support information and provide the account and transaction details it requests.
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Best Value
- An Epic Games account is required to redeem an Epic Games Store Card code
- If playing on a console platform (PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, Nintendo Switch or Mobile) you need to link your Epic Games account to that gaming platform (one time) to redeem your gift card code
- The 16 digit code on the back of the card WILL NOT work if redeemed directly through your gaming platform (PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, Nintendo Switch, Mobile, etc.)
- Note: Nintendo devices do not support Fortnite Shared Wallet, so V-Bucks purchased using your account balance will not show up on your Nintendo device. However, if you purchase items in the web Item Shop — or another platform where you play Fortnite — those items will be available in your Locker across all platforms.
- Redemption: Online
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
