Kount Puts Mobile Users into the Shoes of Global Fraudsters

By July 4, 2014 TIGA News

Fraud and risk management leader uses game-based storytelling to educate on fraud 

 

Boise, Idaho, US,. and London, UK – Fraud and risk management technology leader Kount is flipping the script, putting potential victims into the shoes of global fraud networks to drive education and awareness through a new mobile game, Fraud Tycoon.

Developed through a partnership between Kount and game-based storytelling company PonyWolf, Fraud Tycoonis designed to educate everyone about the tools and techniques fraudsters use to commit crimes that impact businesses, consumers and our economy.

“Don’t be mistaken – this isn’t a ‘how-to guide’ for would-be fraudsters, but a wake up call for retailers and consumers alike,” said Don Bush, VP of Marketing at Kount. “Large criminal organizations are constantly looking for weaknesses in your payment systems. By putting users into the mindsets of these criminals, Fraud Tycoon provides a unique opportunity to create awareness of fraud through game-based storytelling. Our goal is to educate people about the evolving nature of fraud and what we battle every day to keep businesses and customers safe.”

Using puzzle-based gameplay, Fraud Tycoon takes users behind the scenes of criminal organizations that prey on online businesses that have vulnerable security. The game asks players to step into the shoes of a criminal and compete for the fake currency “Bytecash” to purchase stolen credit cards and actual fraud-enabling tools to build their criminal enterprise.

“Delving into the world of online fraud was an eye-opening experience. Fraudsters experience many of the same emotional states as gamers by accumulating risk while looking for reward,” said Michael Wilson, PonyWolf President and former Independent Games Festival Finalist. “The collection of tools, personal and financial information has a strong correlation to game mechanics found in popular mobile games. We wanted to show the hidden story of how a security breach is monetized without making it a training tool – and part of that is highlighting the addictive nature of risk and reward.”

As the trade association representing the UK video game industry with 250 members including the likes of Jagex, King and Rebellion, TIGA knows that gaming is big business. Association CEO Richard Wilson shared, “Fraud Tycoon is a novel approach to educating developers, digital publishers and players about the strategies that fraudsters deploy to commit crimes that hurt businesses, consumers and the wider economy. I hope that it will encourage more developers and digital publishers to ensure that they have effective defenses against fraudsters.”

Fraud Tycoon is free, with no in-app purchases or ads, through a sponsorship by Kount. Download the game on iTunes, Google Play or at www.fraudtycoon.com

About Kount

Kount helps businesses boost sales by reducing fraud. Its all-in-one, SaaS platform simplifies fraud detection and helps online businesses accept more orders. Kount’s turnkey fraud platform is easy-to-implement and easy-to-use. Kount’s proprietary technology has reviewed hundreds of millions of transactions and provides maximum protection for some of the world’s best-known brands. Merchants using Kount can accept more orders from more people in more places than ever before. For more information about Kount, please visit www.kount.com.

About Fraud Tycoon

Using puzzle-based gameplay, Fraud Tycoon takes you behind the scenes of criminal organizations that prey on online businesses that have vulnerable security. Developed in conjunction with fraud prevention company Kount, Fraud Tycoon asks players to step into the shoes of a criminal and compete for the fake currency “Bytecash” to purchase stolen credit cards and actual fraud-enabling tools to build your criminal enterprise. While the credit cards, identities and retailers are fictional, the elements of Fraud Tycoon are designed to educate everyone about the tools fraudsters use to commit crimes that impact businesses, consumers and our economy. www.fraudtycoon.com

 

Cookies

We use cookies on our site to track activity and visitor numbers - please help us by allowing us to use them on your visit.