Nintendo Account credit card fraud spikes in Japan

Have your credit card linked to your Nintendo Account? Remove it, or add two-factor authentication to protect yourself.

Hackers are breaking into Nintendo Accounts and stealing credit card info, leading to fraudulent charges and hijacking of sensitive data, Nintendo Japan reports. We're not sure if this is just isolated overseas in Japan or of it's more widespread, but the millions of people staying at home worldwide due to COVID-19 are prime targets for theft. Gamers are more eager to buy digital games from the eShop, and that means using credit and debit cards.

Nintendo obviously doesn't want you to remove your credit card from your Nintendo Account--then you'd be less likely to make impulse buys--but it does encourage two-factor authentication. It's a pretty simple process and involves installing Google Authenticator to generate a random code every time you want to access your account info or make a purchase.

If you purchase a lot of stuff digitally, keep an eye on your finances every day just to make sure, especially if you buy from the PS Store. Everyone remembers the infamous 2011 PS hack, and the last thing anyone needs right now is to be out of money.