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As a streaming platform, Twitch is home to many different types of people with different intentions. While the majority of users are friendly and helpful, there are some harmful users looking to take advantage of others.
It’s important to be aware of these users and know how to protect yourself from them. Additionally, it’s important to be able to identify fake accounts, as these can lead to spam or other problems. By following these tips, you can stay safe and have a better experience on Twitch!
Harmful Users on Twitch
There are a few different types of harmful users that you may encounter on Twitch.
Trolls
The first type is the troll. Trolls are users who try to stir up drama or cause problems in chat. They may do this by making offensive comments, starting arguments, or harassing other users. If you come across a troll, the best thing to do is to ignore them. Don’t engage with them or rise to their bait. This will only fuel their fire and they’ll likely continue to bother you. If they’re really causing problems, you can report them to a moderator or Twitch support.
If they are appearing on your channel, you can ban the user from your Twitch channel.
Imposters
The second type of harmful user is the imposter. Imposters are users who pretend to be someone else in order to take advantage of others. For example, they may pose as a member of Twitch staff or a popular streamer in order to get access to private information.
They may also try to scam people out of their money by promising something that they can’t deliver on. If you come across an imposter, do not give them any personal information. You can report them to Twitch support so that they can be dealt with appropriately.
Fake Accounts
Another type of harmful user is the fake account. Fake accounts are usually created for the purpose of spamming or phishing. They may send out mass messages containing links to malicious websites or try to scam people out of their money.
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Fake accounts are usually easy to spot because they often have little to no activity on their account and may have a suspicious username or profile picture. If you come across a fake account, do not click on any links that they send you and do not give them any personal information. You can report them to Twitch support so that they can be dealt with appropriately.
How to Protect Yourself from Harmful Users
Now that you know about the different types of harmful users on Twitch, here are some tips on how to protect yourself from them.
Never give out personal information to anyone on Twitch, even if they claim to be a member of Twitch staff. Only give out personal information to people that you know and trust in real life.
Be careful about clicking on links that are sent to you by people on Twitch. Many fake accounts will try to scam people by sending them links to malicious websites. If you’re not sure whether or not a link is safe, you can ask a trusted friend or family member to check it for you.
If you come across a harmful user on Twitch, don’t hesitate to report them to a moderator or Twitch support. This will help to keep the community safe and enjoyable for everyone. If they are making you feel uncomfortable, report them even if they are not saying any banned Twitch words.
What to look out for
These are the usual things trolls and scammers use to convince people to listen to them.
No Sound
Often, this is used at the start of the troll and is said to be a consequence of a virus. Sometimes, the fact that there is no sound can be true. Make sure that there is sound on your stream before taking action.
System 32
This is usually telling people that System 32 is a virus and that you should delete it immediately. Trolls also spam ‘message deleted by system32’.
If you did not know, System 32 is the folder that keeps your Windows OS installation. If you delete this folder, you have practically deleted your computer.
Never edit stuff in this type of folder unless you are sure of what you are doing.
Destruction
Before you saw trolls raiding channels, you would hope that someone who was told to pour milk in their console’s fan vents would have thought this was a bad idea. Sadly, that isn’t true.
No matter who tells you it does, pouring rice into your hard drive does not stop a static sound. Please, make sure you know what you are doing before doing things to the inside of machines and ignore what they are saying.
Stream Key
Here we have the most common attack. Usually, someone will add you on Skype and ask for your stream key. Don’t give it to them. Otherwise, you may find something you don’t want being streamed to your channel. Instead, block them.
Usernames
Users often have offensive usernames and comments when they are trolling, usually racist ones. If you see a large number of offensive users gathering, be ready for what has been explained here.
Skype Details
Lot’s of people have Skype. But most don’t know how dangerous it can be. If someone is able to get your Skype Name, it is very easy for them to get your IP. This can then result in DDoS attacks (lots of traffic being sent to your IP that may result in your stream doing offline).
For protection, make sure to set up a proxy following this existing guide on protecting yourself. You may also get random friend requests from people who claim they are Support Staff. Twitch never offers assistance over Skype and you should therefore not comply.
Staff or Admin Impersonation
The main way trolls get people to listen is through pretending to be Staff. The only way a user can be considered Official is if they have one of these badges to represent what they do. You can also use the existing Twitch ban checker.
If their type is “user”, they are not official. Some people often mistake @TwitchSupport Volunteers and other users for an official representative of Twitch, they are not. In addition, do not give impersonators moderator powers.
Some streamers do this and then anyone that tried to stop the streamer pouring cereal in a disc tray would be banned instantly.
Wrapping Up
We hope you enjoyed this article and that it has helped you in some way. Remember, if someone is trying to scam or troll you, the best thing you can do is report them and move on. Do not engage with them as it will only make the situation worse.
Stay safe and happy streaming!