High-profile FIFA Ultimate Team traders are being targeted by hackers who are draining their accounts of FIFA points and in-game currency.
A number of the most prolific FIFA Ultimate Team traders have taken to Twitter to not only reveal that they have been hacked, but also complain about EA’s handling of the issue.
Woke up this morning to see my account has also been hacked :) what a lovely start to 2022
— FG (@fut_fg) January 2, 2022
It appears many of the top 100 traders have been targeted, including current top Ultimate Team trader on PlayStation, FUT Donkey. The hackers are seemingly taking player gamertags from the in-game FIFA leader boards, and using this to file a support ticket with EA in an effort to gain access to the account. By pretending to be the account holder, hackers have been able to successfully persuade EA to hand over the associated email address and a reset password link, enabling the hacker to then rinse the trader’s account of currency.
People spam the livechat asking to change my account details until some incompetent advisor finally gave them the account pic.twitter.com/jqOoKKcv6s
— FUT Donkey (@FUTDonkey) January 5, 2022
FUT Donkey showed off the number of EA Customer Experience emails in his inbox, generated by numerous attempts to change the password. “People spam the livechat asking to change my account details until some incompetent advisor finally gave them the account,” they said on Twitter.
While traders such as Fut FG, FutGameBreakerZ, Bateson, and NickRTFM have all reported that they have been hacked, FUT Donkey has posted numerous tweets expressing their disappointment in EA’s security.
"I told EA live chat two times to add notes to my account to put that my account was being targeted by hackers and to not change any details, and they still did it," they said. "Nothing more I could have done and tbh I shouldn't have to do anything. It is basic security, disgusting stuff."
In addition, hackers who obtained FUT Donkey’s email address have also used it to sign up to a number of websites, including pornography, blockchain, and movie sites. Essentially, not only have they stolen items from their account, but are also harassing them with email spam.
“These guys are breaking GDPR laws and they don't care,” FUT Donkey said of EA.
In the wake of this, a change.org petition has been set up by Bobble Trading in an attempt to make concerns about security heard by EA.
For more from FIFA check out our FIFA 22 review and our story on the 30,000 players temporarily banned for an exploit.
Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer.