The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →In March 2018, Fortnite players reported compromised accounts, unauthorized purchases and difficulty getting refunds. Epic Games acknowledged that some accounts had been compromised and said it was working with affected players, but it did not publish an independently verified victim count or refund success rate. A separate vulnerability disclosure in January 2019 concerned Epic’s web infrastructure; reporting said it had been fixed and found no indication it had been used to attack players.
What Fortnite players reported in March 2018
On March 14, 2018, Dark Reading reported that players had posted complaints on Reddit and Epic’s user forum about compromised accounts and refund difficulties. One player described unauthorized upgrades to a Save the World edition costing hundreds of dollars. Dark Reading, citing player posts, said Epic had issued some refunds.
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Those reports document complaints and examples, not an audited incident tally. The available reporting does not establish how many accounts were affected, total losses, who was responsible, or what share of refund requests succeeded. Epic told Kotaku, as quoted by Dark Reading: “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,”
What Epic said about account theft and scams
Epic’s warning focused on account theft and fraud associated with sites offering free V-Bucks or claiming to let users share or buy accounts. The company said it would never request a password by email, social media, or a non-Epic website: “Epic will never ask you for your password through email, social media, or a non-Epic website.”
#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
In its 2018 statement, Epic said it was checking leaked password dumps and proactively resetting passwords when it believed an account was affected. It also acknowledged that a manual process might 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 described in 2018, not a statement of current status.
A separate Epic web vulnerability was disclosed in 2019
On January 16, 2019, Check Point Research published “Hacking Fortnite Accounts”. Researchers described flaws in Epic’s web infrastructure involving cross-site scripting (XSS) and single sign-on (SSO) redirects. At a high level, their demonstrated attack path used a crafted link to expose authentication tokens, potentially allowing account takeover. Check Point said a victim did not have to enter credentials on a fake site for that particular method to work.
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
Check Point said it informed Epic and that a fix was deployed. Dark Reading’s January 18, 2019 coverage likewise reported that the vulnerabilities had been fixed and said there was no indication they had been used to attack Fortnite players. This was a distinct technical disclosure; the sources do not connect it to the account complaints reported in 2018. It also does not mean every suspicious link or compromised account involved this vulnerability.
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Epic’s current “Securing Your Epic Account” guidance, accessed September 30, 2026, recommends these steps. The support page does not show a publication date.
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
- Use a unique password. Epic recommends not reusing the password you use for other services: “We recommend using unique passwords as a way to protect your account.”
- Enable two-factor authentication (2FA). Epic lists email, SMS, and an authenticator app as 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 account associated with Epic and any linked gaming-platform or social accounts; otherwise, access to a linked account may put the wider account setup at risk.
- Do not share, buy, or sell accounts. Avoid outside offers promising free V-Bucks or other benefits, and do not enter Epic credentials on unofficial sites. Epic says real product offers should appear on the Epic Games Store or official Epic channels.
- Keep devices secure. Epic recommends keeping devices protected, including with updated antivirus software.
If your Fortnite account was hacked
Secure the email account tied to Epic and change the Epic password to a unique one if you can still sign in. Enable 2FA, review linked accounts, and contact Epic through its official support channels if you see activity you did not authorize or cannot access the account. If purchases are involved, ask Epic support about the specific transactions and available options. The 2018 reports do not establish today’s refund rules or guarantee that a particular purchase will be refunded; consult current official support for your case.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- 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
Rank #4
- 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.
