Handling a Hack: Steps to Take After Falling for a Game Scam

Recently, I found myself entangled in a frustrating situation involving a classic scam, which I wanted to share to help others avoid the same fate. I’m sure many of you have heard of the infamous “Test my game” scheme, and unfortunately, I became a victim.

The Incident

I was contacted by two Discord accounts from my past, which I had known for years. Admittedly, I should have been more cautious, but my familiarity with them led me to let my guard down. They shared a link to a website where I could download a so-called “game” for testing. Regrettably, I fell for it and executed the file, only to later be approached by a third Discord account that displayed a screenshot of their access to my Google account.

Taking Immediate Action

In a stroke of luck, I had a spare notebook, so I promptly disconnected my main PC from the internet. I took additional measures by logging out of all other sessions on Google and Discord, followed by a thorough password reset across all my accounts. Since many of my passwords were saved via Google, it was crucial to ensure that my accounts were as secure as possible. I also activated two-factor authentication wherever feasible.

To further mitigate potential damage, I performed a clean installation of Windows 11 on my PC. While this removed the operating system from my main drive, I understand it doesn’t eliminate all risks, so I ran a full scan with Windows Defender immediately afterward and am currently conducting another scan to ensure nothing malicious remains. As an extra step, I plan to install both Avast and Malwarebytes to perform additional scans. For now, my PC remains disconnected from the internet.

Seeking Assistance

For anyone willing to analyze the potential malware from the incident, the file is located on oblivora.com. While I hope to avoid wiping all my drives entirely, I recognize that it may become necessary. If anyone has advice on recommended tools for a complete drive wipe, that would be greatly appreciated.

Reflecting on My Actions

Ultimately, I’m left reflecting on whether the steps I took were sufficient to remove the threat and safeguard my accounts. I’d love to hear from anyone with experience in handling similar situations. Did I miss anything crucial? How can I ensure that I remain secure in the future?

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. Let’s work together to empower ourselves against such scams in the future.