Streamjacking Scams On YouTube Leverage CS2 Pro Player Championships to Defraud Gamers

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Bitdefender Labs is warning the Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) community that scammers are exploiting esports events such as IEM Katowice 2025 and PGL Cluj-Napoca 2025 to defraud gamers.

By hijacking YouTube accounts to impersonate professional players like s1mple, NiKo, and donk, cybercriminals are luring fans into fraudulent CS2 skin giveaways that result in stolen Steam accounts, cryptocurrency theft, and the loss of valuable in-game items.

How the Scam Works

According to Bitdefender Labs researcher Ionuț Băltăriu, who discovered and analyzed the scams, cybercrooks follow this pattern:

1. YouTube Account Takeover – Scammers compromise YouTube accounts with existing subscriber bases, and strip away any original branding or videos.
2. Impersonating Professional Players – The hijacked channel is rebranded to mimic a well-known CS2 player, such as Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyljev, Nikola “NiKo” Kovač, or donk.
3. Malicious Livestreams—The attackers launch a fake livestream, looping old gameplay footage of the impersonated player to make it look like they are actively streaming.
4. Fake CS2 Skin & Cryptocurrency Giveaways – A QR code or a fraudulent link is displayed on the stream, directing viewers to a website that falsely promises free CS2 skins or cases or cryptocurrency rewards.

5. Fraudulent Login & Crypto Deposit Prompt – Victims are either:

• Asked to log in with their Steam account, supposedly to claim skins, resulting in stolen inventories.
• Encouraged to send Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies to a designated wallet under the guise of receiving double the amount back.

6. Account & Crypto Theft – Once logged in, victims unknowingly grant access to scammers, allowing them to steal valuable skins and items. If cryptocurrency is sent, it is immediately transferred to scammer-controlled wallets.

7. Fake Community Posts & Comments – To further add a sense of legitimacy to the scam, fraudsters may post about the giveaway in the community tab and disable comments except for their own misleading messages.

Crypto-Based Scams in CS2 Esports

In addition to Steam account hijacking, scammers exploit crypto-doubling scams, where victims are asked to send Bitcoin, Ethereum, or other digital assets in exchange for "double the return." Screenshots reveal fraudulent sites claiming to be associated with CS.MONEY or pro player sponsorships, falsely advertising multi-million-dollar prize pools.

Key Red Flags in Crypto Giveaways:

• Promises to double or triple your crypto deposits – these are always scams.
• Requests to send crypto first to participate in a giveaway.
• No verifiable affiliation with legitimate esports teams or tournament organizers.

Events Used for Scam Traction

Scammers strategically launch these fraudulent streams during major esports tournaments to maximize visibility and engagement. The two most significant events currently being exploited are:

• IEM Katowice 2025 – One of the most prestigious CS2 tournaments, attracting millions of viewers.
• PGL Cluj-Napoca 2025 – Another high-profile CS2 event, further extending the scam's reach.

How Gamers Can Stay Safe

Scammers, tactics are evolving to exploit the hype surrounding major esports events. Whether they are stealing Steam inventories or cryptocurrency deposits, their goal is always financial gain at the expense of unsuspecting players.

If there’s one thing gamers should remember is that in the world of CS2 and esports, nothing valuable comes for free!

To avoid falling victim to these scams, stick to these best practices:

1. Verify the legitimacy of YouTube channels: Check if the channel has other videos besides the giveaway livestream. Look for recent uploads or community interactions from the real player.

2. Avoid interacting with suspicious links: Never click on links in restricted comment sections, where only the source channel can post comments. Be cautious of QR codes that redirect to external websites. Use Bitdefender Scamio to scan QR codes and verify their safety before interacting.

3. Be skeptical of "Too Good to Be True" offers: If an offer sounds too generous, it’s likely a scam. Legitimate CS2 giveaways are rare and hosted by official esports organizations. Never send cryptocurrency to "unlock" rewards—this is a common scam tactic.

4. Secure your Steam account

• Enable Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator – This adds a layer of protection, requiring mobile confirmation for logins and trades.
• Activate Steam’s Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)  to help prevent unauthorized access to your account.
• Review recent login activity – Check for unusual sign-ins that might indicate unauthorized access.

5. Use Bitdefender Scamio and Link Checker: With our scam-detection tools , gamers now have an extra layer of security to protect themselves from fraud, whether they’re checking QR codes, verifying links on Discord, or scanning for scam sites before clicking.

• Bitdefender Scamio can verify suspicious links before you click on them, helping you avoid fraudulent giveaways. Scamio works seamlessly on Discord, making it an excellent tool for gamers to check links shared in gaming communities.
• Bitdefender Link Checker can analyze links in real time, preventing access to phishing sites designed to steal Steam credentials or crypto wallets.

Here’s what Scamio had to say about one of the giveaway websites we shared:

6. Report suspicious activity and livestreams: If you come across a fraudulent stream or hacked channel, report it to YouTube immediately. Warn other players by posting about scams in gaming communities and forums.

Gaming Content Creators: Don’t Let Hackers Hijack Your Channel!

Scammers are actively targeting YouTube creators, including those streaming esports, CS2, and other popular titles. A single phishing attempt can lead to account takeovers, fraudulent livestreams, and financial losses from stolen revenue.

With Bitdefender Security for Creators, you get AI-driven threat protection designed for YouTubers. Keep your channel, audience, and earnings safe from cybercriminals looking to exploit gaming communities.

Stay ahead of the hackers and Get Bitdefender Security for Creators today!