Recovery scams
How account recovery scams work
The most common way a bought account disappears is the original owner asking the game company to give it back.
5 min read · updated October 16, 2026
The basic trick
A seller hands over an account, gets paid, then contacts the game's support claiming they were hacked. Because they created the account, they can often prove original ownership with old receipts, emails or creation details.
Warning signs
Slow down if you see any of these:
- The seller asks you to confirm the order immediately, before you have secured the account.
- The seller wants to move payment off the platform for a discount.
- The recovery email cannot be changed or the seller keeps 'needing' access.
- The listing is far cheaper than similar accounts with no clear reason.
How to protect yourself
Keep every message on the E4U order chat, secure the account fully before confirming, and never pay outside the platform. Payment made through E4U stays held during the review window, and a problem raised in time freezes it.
Also check the game company's own rules on account transfers. Some publishers do not allow them, and that risk sits outside any marketplace.