Epic Games vs. Fortnite Cheaters: Lawsuits, Bans, and the Scams Targeting Kids

In July 2025, Epic sued two cheaters and forced them to publicly apologize on YouTube before receiving permanent bans . One had carried out DDoS attacks against content creators; the other was caught selling and using cheats. In March 2025, Epic sued Isaac Strock of Illinois for unlawfully acquiring and reselling hundreds of Fortnite accounts via Telegram .

Most recently, on July 31, 2026, Epic confirmed another lawsuit against a cheat seller who partnered with Blurred.gg, admitted to selling cheat software, and was "barred from selling cheats in the future" . This case involved Direct Memory Access (DMA) cheating hardware — a more sophisticated category of cheat that operates outside the game's software .

Earlier precedents include Epic suing YouTuber Brandon Lucas ("Golden Modz"), who had 1.7 million subscribers, in 2018 , and settling with a 14-year-old cheat seller in 2019 .

The phishing epidemic targeting players

While Epic fights cheaters in court, a separate threat has been growing: phishing scams targeting Fortnite's massive player base. According to a 2025 security audit, over 4,700 active phishing domains were found targeting Fortnite players — more than any other single video game .

One of the most prevalent scams is the "free V-Bucks generator." These fraudulent websites, YouTube videos, and social media posts promise free in-game currency. Players who enter their credentials or download software end up having their accounts stolen . The sites often display fake progress bars ("Generating V-Bucks... 47% complete...") before requiring "verification" through surveys or app downloads — which install malware or premium SMS charges .

In July 2026, Malwarebytes documented a live scam offering a "$50 fake superhero collaboration" and a "locker value calculator." Both redirected users to fake Epic Games login pages designed to steal credentials. As Malwarebytes noted: "If a website promises free V-Bucks, cash, or a tool to calculate your locker's value, then asks you to log in with your Epic account to get it, it's not run by Epic" .

McAfee reported attacks targeting users who log in via third-party providers such as Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Nintendo, or Sony. A malicious link leads to a fake login page that captures the account .

Why Fortnite is a persistent target

Fortnite's unique combination of demographics and economics makes it a goldmine for scammers. A 2019 survey found that 53% of U.S. children aged 10–12 played Fortnite weekly, along with 33% of teens aged 13–17 . Millions of minors fill its servers every month, and they are less experienced at spotting scams .

The game's cosmetic economy amplifies the risk. V-Bucks, purchased with real money, buy skins, emotes, and Battle Passes — items that carry significant social cachet. As one safety guide notes, "cosmetic items carry significant social cachet in the game's culture, creating real social pressure to spend" . This turns player accounts into valuable assets worth stealing and reselling. The BBC reported in 2018 that hackers as young as 14 were earning thousands of pounds a week by stealing Fortnite accounts and reselling them on black markets .

Fortnite is free to play, so the player pool is enormous — there is no purchase friction separating scammers from targets. Cheaters also know that high-skin accounts resell for real money . On top of that, scammers easily reach children through YouTube, TikTok, Discord, and other platforms where Fortnite content is ubiquitous .

Practical steps to stay safe

Security experts consistently recommend a few basics: never enter your Epic Games credentials on third-party sites; purchase V-Bucks only within the official Fortnite store; enable two-factor authentication on your Epic account; and use a unique, strong password for your email account as well . As Epic itself has warned in emails to players: "Beware of scam sites offering things like free or discounted V-Bucks. The only official websites for Fortnite are fortnite.com and epicgames.com" .