Russian service asks Pokemon Go players for vigilance amid threats

MOSCOW, Jul 19 (PRIME) -- The Russian communications service has called on players of popular mobile game Pokemon Go to be vigilant to avoid criminals, the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology, and Mass Media said in a Facebook post on Tuesday.

“Specialists of company Proofpoint, which deals with information security, have issued a warning that fraudsters distribute catalogues of applications and repositories malware versions of the Pokemon GO game via third parties,” the service said.

“As the game is not officially available to users worldwide, many gamers want to get access to it earlier than the release in their area by downloading programs from other sources. They are used by perpetrators distributing virus DroidJack. It catches control over a device, steals personal data and tracks movements.”

Scavenger hunt mobile game Pokemon Go is currently available in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and Germany. The game’s application is free for downloading, but contains pay options. It offers users to train their Pokemons -- the word originated from “pocket monsters” -- in real environment via augmented reality and look for creatures of other players.

The game will be officially launched in Russia soon.

“(U.S.) criminals saw a potential opportunity in this for robbery: they placed so-called Lure Modules, which raises chances of appearance of pokemons in a particular location within the nearest half an hour in various spots, and set an ambush. According to the police, four men with fire arms were detained,” the service said.

“We ask players to be more cautious and sometimes get attention away from gadgets and inform their kin of their location.”

Maxim Chernin, general director of insurance company of bank Sberbank, Sberbank Life Insurance, which earlier offered free insurance policies to Pokemon Go’s players, said the insurer has already received several thousands of applications.

The insurer wants to draw young people’s attention to insurance through the mobile game, he said.

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