Thousands of Xbox Live users have fallen victim to a phishing scheme perpetrated by online thieves.

The scam entailed sending emails to users directing them to a phoney website offering free Microsoft Points. To redeem the points, individuals were asked to enter confidential information, allowing the criminals to access their bank accounts.

Craftily, the criminals took only small amounts of money over a protracted period of time, making the theft hard to detect.

According to The Sun, which broke the story, gamers in 35 countries have fallen foul of the scam, with the average lost approximately £100 (around $155).

Have you been affected? Let us know in the comments below.

Posted: Nov 22, 2011 1:49 pm

Source: http://uk.xbox360.ign.com/articles/121/1213127p1.html