Xbox live can be a good place to have some fun and meet people in different areas of the world, but with this ability also comes some risks that most people aren't prepared for.
There are many scams that people can use to take advantage of your of your video gaming experience.
People need to be aware of these risks so that they can protect themselves from potential scammers and contribute to getting the scammers banned from Xbox live or even arrested.
One of the most common scams and probably the easiest one to do can leave you without your Xbox live account.
It is an easy way for the scammer to score a free Xbox live account by promising you a free account.
This is how it works; the scammer spams his friends list with a message that says he can get you a free Xbox live account or Microsoft points with a generator, all he needs is your e-mail address and the password.
Most people with a free e-mail account wouldn't care if their hot mail or yahoo account was compromised and would willingly hand out the information.
But, the people who have the e-mail account linked to their Xbox live account may end up compromising both.
Once the scammer has your e-mail and password all they have to do is go to account recovery on Xbox live, type in the information you gave them and they have your account.
Only one problem though, you can still access your account.
To remedy this, the scammer goes on-line to your e-mail account and changes the password.
Now you have lost your e-mail and Xbox live accounts.
Now the scammer has access to your account, but that's not all.
They also have access to all of the information that comes with owning the account.
This means that they have your address, phone number and most importantly your credit card information (if you used a credit card to purchase things over live).
The scammer can use your credit card to buy as many Microsoft points and Xbox live accounts as they want.
Needless to say this leaves you with a big ordeal on your hands.
So, don't let some harmless gaming turn into a huge hassle.
Keep your information in your possession and avoid the scammers.
If you come across someone doing this on-line just submit a player review for tampering or something else that could contribute to getting them banned.
If enough people submit reviews action will be taken by Xbox Live's moderators.