TenZ impersonation giveaway scams lead to Valorant account theft

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Publish Date: May 7, 2024

A new set of Valorant giveaway scams has harnessed the power of Tyson “TenZ” Ngo for the power of evil.

Valorant players have reported a new scam promising players free skins in exchange for just a little bit too much personal information. While already suspicious, multiple giveaways falsely appear to be endorsed by professional player TenZ, one of the game’s most iconic faces. These scams can allegedly lead to accounts being stolen, but are there any actual giveaways hidden behind them?

Players began reporting the scam on social media claiming to have found TikToks that advertise a collaboration between Riot and TenZ. The videos claim that players can get free skins by handing over their account information. These are all clearly scams, and neither Riot nor TenZ are involved in any official giveaway. Fans who fell for it have reported losing their accounts.

This isn’t the first time a scammer has used a pro player to appear legitimate. In March of 2024, a YouTube channel impersonated Max “Demon1” Mazanov and ran fake giveaways.

Any Valorant skins giveaway featuring TenZ is a scam

TenZ is not hosting a free Valorant skin giveaway, and anything claiming otherwise is a scam.

Valorant does not allow skin transfer or trading, and Riot seldom gives away free cosmetics except on special holidays. The company directly distributes these rare freebies to fans’ inventories, eliminating the need to share account information.

If Valorant fans see these scams, the best thing they can do is report them and their creators and move on. Users have reported seeing these scams on YouTube, TikTok, and even Twitch, all of which feature TenZ.

It’s worth noting that TenZ does host real giveaways on occasion. To celebrate the launch of his personal collection, the hotshot gave away 10 free Starlight Pro models through his official social media. Unless TenZ himself announces a giveaway, it’s safe to assume it’s a scam. If you’re not sure about a giveaway from a content creator, always back out if it involves handing over your account information.