Dreamcast.com converted into phishing scam, Sega warns

63 Comments by James Ransom-Wiley Mar 10th 2008 6:05PM
Filed under: Hacks, Online

"Do you still own a Dreamcast?" asks dreamcast.com. By all appearances, the supposed official site of Sega's cherished console has received a legitimate update, exciting loyalists that have been anticipating the system's 10-year anniversary later this year. By clicking on the question, visitors are prompted to accept a user agreement for an @user.dreamcast.com email account (apparently tied to Gmail). Applicants must supply a console serial number, email address, and password before being granted a [serial number]@dreamcast.com Gmail address.

The thing is ... Sega no longer owns dreamcast.com. Oh dear. While we have yet to obtain an English language statement from Sega, Japanese news site Mainichi has confirmed that dreamcast.com is no longer owned by Sega and is using the official Dreamcast and company logos illegally. Additionally, the current dreamcast.com domain registration information is also fraudulent. Engadget Japanese reached out to Sega for further clarification, and a representative stated that Sega is considering "appropriate measures." As we wait for further information, please (please!) do not submit any personal information to dreamcast.com. You've been warned.

Read - Mainichi.jp [Japanese]

Tags: breakingnews, dreamcast, phishing, scam, sega

(Page 1) Reader Comments

Ghost_Crisis: Mar 10th 2008; 6:15PM

WHAT?!?!?!?! How DARE someone use my love of Dreamcast as a tool in some fiendish plot?!

I say we have a RAPE-PARTY for the guys who are responsible. And Michael Clark Duncan is invited.

Curtis the Claw Game Master V2: Mar 10th 2008; 6:15PM

I love my Dreamcast, I just started playing Shenmue yesterday.

Curtis the Claw Game Master V2: Mar 10th 2008; 6:35PM

On a side note, does anyone know where you can get the marraccas for Sabma de Amigo? I have the game but it sucks playing it with the controller.

Sean D.: Mar 10th 2008; 7:18PM

Funny, I just pulled my Dreamcast out of storage and hooked it up to the little tv on my workstation. Played some San Francisco Rush 2049, Ikaruga, Rez, Puyo Puyo Fever, and Marvel vs Capcom 2 this weekend! I had no idea how much I missed the thing.

After not using it for a year, I was amazed at how much better the graphics are on the DC compared to the PS2, and even to most games on the Wii (better Anti-aliasing)... That, and how awesome are Dreamcast games, play-wise anyway? It's definitely a system to keep around!

ssuk: Mar 10th 2008; 7:23PM

Pfft, Grandia II people. I started replaying this today. I love the game.

Tiptup300: Mar 10th 2008; 8:04PM

My 3rd disc was bugged. It wouldnt be recognized at all. Not a scratch on it. :( I never got the finish. *crys*

OMG, RYU FOR BRAWL DLC CONFIRMED!

SoulBlade: Mar 10th 2008; 8:05PM

I love the DC graphics. If you ever used the VGA adapter, its fantastic. I got it for college and played it on my monitor - Soul Calibur looked absolutely beautiful - its one of the best looking games period.

Joshua: Mar 10th 2008; 10:02PM

I just took my DC out of my closest solely to mess around in Shenmue a bit.

Playing through that games was truly one of the best experiences I've ever had in my life.

EMOruffino: Mar 10th 2008; 11:23PM

that game bored the shit out of me....

reppy: Mar 11th 2008; 1:36AM

Shenmue is EPIC. I played through most of it for the first time awhile ago. I'm near the end, just need to finish it. (Hard when I've got all these other games taking up my time!)

I wish there were more games like Shenmue.

DangerMouse: Mar 10th 2008; 6:16PM

lol. Amazing that they wouldn't at least renew it, regardless as to whether or not support for the system has ceased. How much is it a year, 100 dollars or something? At least have it redirect it to another sega site or something.

NATO_Duke: Mar 10th 2008; 6:22PM

Its like $10-30 a year generally. Very weird they didn't keep it.

Tiptup300: Mar 10th 2008; 8:07PM

Probably so people don't get excited. Remember that one time where they just redid the logo and everyone just flipped!

Mr Intel: Mar 10th 2008; 6:17PM

i have two one in my truck and one in the den alpha 3, MVC 1 and 2, ready to rumble 2 FTW

OneBornEveryMinute: Mar 10th 2008; 6:22PM

Too late. I gave dreamcast.com my CC number, my SSN, my pin number, my Mother's maiden name, and paid a $3000 processing fee.

How was I supposed to know???

DangerMouse: Mar 10th 2008; 6:29PM

All for a overrated system? That's commitment!

*flameshield activated"

colin: Mar 10th 2008; 6:49PM

it asked me:
"‚±‚Ì‚½‚ÑAƒZƒKŒöŽ®ECƒVƒ‡ƒbƒv‚Å‚ ‚éwƒZƒKƒ_ƒCƒŒƒNƒgx‚ÍA2008”N3ŒŽ31“ú‚ð‚à‚¿‚Ü‚µ‚ÄA‚·‚×‚Ä‚ÌƒT[ƒrƒX‚ðI—¹‚³‚¹‚Ä‚¢‚½‚¾‚‚±‚Æ‚É‚È‚è‚Ü‚µ‚½B"

how could i refuse putting my cc# in?

Moofree: Mar 10th 2008; 6:27PM

Good thing they shut the registration down before I registered :)

craig: Mar 10th 2008; 6:36PM

Over at DCEmus Forums They uncovered this scam days ago

check out the full info here --> http://www.dcemu.co.uk/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=96112

Brymo: Mar 10th 2008; 6:39PM

God I love the system.

rom: Mar 10th 2008; 6:39PM

It's a good thing I was too lazy to look for my Dreamcast!

Ranus Studios: Mar 10th 2008; 6:44PM

AHAHAHAHAHAHA

This is oddly funny.

I'm going to go play some DC now. Burned games, no doubt.

Curtis the Claw Game Master V2: Mar 10th 2008; 6:46PM

Haha I love that the DC plays burned games, it makes playing the unfindable DC games possible.

Tiptup300: Mar 10th 2008; 8:08PM

Haha and I love the fact that pirating games destroyed the dreamcast. I hate you people.

AirIntake: Mar 11th 2008; 12:59AM

No, pirating saved the DC from going into the closet sooner. I bought 11 games for it the year it was my primary system. 11 games/year is all any system can ask for, as far as I'm concerned. Pirating is what allowed me to enjoy my DC for years after there was no longer games available for sale in stores. I still download games I haven't tried yet and play them.

Curtis the Claw: Brawl Code 1075-0441-3284: Mar 11th 2008; 1:35AM

I didn't "pirate" dreamcast games until this year. I wouldn't call that pirating anyways, I can't find any DC games anywhere other than ebay and amazon. When DC games were in stores I bought tons. That is pretty much what I do with any system, when it is a current gen I buy lots and lots of games, than once the next gen is out I usually get a modchip or something for the older system so I can play anything I miss. I pay for enough games that it doesn't concern me one bit:)

AoE: Mar 10th 2008; 6:46PM

:'(

it appears we SEGA fans are here mostly to be made fun of/taken advantage of for our unwavering loyalty...

Jeff: Mar 10th 2008; 8:45PM

Er... yeah. =)

colin: Mar 10th 2008; 6:52PM

mark your calendars for 10/10/10! I just preordered @ the dreamcast website.

Jared: Mar 10th 2008; 6:57PM

How the HELL do you copyright an orange spiral? I'm off to get the rights on purple circles. You shall soon all pay me royalties!

sicsided: Mar 10th 2008; 7:08PM

purple and circles usually deal with the homosexual community. no lie.

ssuk: Mar 10th 2008; 7:21PM

It's the orange spiral + the "Dreamcast" text. It's clearly marked "™". So...

Jared: Mar 10th 2008; 8:20PM

If you'll read the article (!), they are talking about the site not being Sega's.

...as in UNofficial. Not real. Not to be believed.

If the spiral(without the words: dreamcast) was not protected, anyone in the world could slap that orange spiral on an old NES and sell you a nintendo 62.

wait in the car: Mar 10th 2008; 7:10PM

Thousands of fanboys have officially been pwned.

ssuk: Mar 10th 2008; 7:20PM

I unfortunately signed up to this, however if you read the aforementioned DCEmu.co.uk topic, you'll see I did a bit of leg work that proved the site isn't legit... Unfortunately my suspicions were only risen when I had completed the form. I'm not stupid, however. I never use the same password for different email accounts and know that my Dreamcast S/N is next to useless.

Anyone who signed up, just take into account that the scammers waited about 3 years to conduct this scam, the domain was registered July 2005, and expires July this year (under false registration details, no less). So your email accounts are probably not safe for any time in the near future if they stick to their wait-and-see tactics they've shown so far. Change your passwords.

deft: Mar 10th 2008; 10:10PM

Yeah, I also registered to that "site" but I don't think it will harmful, of course, if you took the necessary precautions.

timnc: Mar 10th 2008; 7:28PM

GAH... SEGA! What is wrong with you? You keep your domains FOREVER! They're so cheap.

Ethan: Mar 10th 2008; 7:32PM

This is almost as bad as the 30-is-clothes thing. We'll wander around like lemmings after our dreams.

RoboChamp: Mar 10th 2008; 7:36PM

Oh dear. They're fucked now. They messed with gamers on the internet. Dreamcast fanboys no less, they're already bitter! Hackers, do your thing!

DangerMouse: Mar 10th 2008; 8:23PM

Rule #1: Don't Fuck with the Internet.

jackbauer: Mar 10th 2008; 9:02PM

This is madness!

Lucky: Mar 10th 2008; 9:40PM

Madness? THIS. IS. TEH INTERWEBZ.

Batzarro: Mar 10th 2008; 10:17PM

This blue stinger is is gonna cause urban chaos! Defiling the Dreamcast makes you a tomb raider. The last revelation that we're about to get virtual. on Ontario. Tangram even shows and it makes me wanna start a project: justice.

(Quick, how many game titles are in the paragraph?

Someguy: Mar 11th 2008; 12:41AM

Someguy: Mar 11th 2008; 12:42AM

argh, i meant 5....

Jawsome: Mar 10th 2008; 10:35PM

Wow, how lame of Sega to dump the domain. Why not just pay the 20 bucks a year to keep it going or link to the main Sega site?

Roto13: Mar 10th 2008; 11:41PM

Bwahahahahahaha?

kevinski: Mar 10th 2008; 11:47PM

What I love is how popular the site was on digg. God, it just goes to show that the average digg user is just ridiculously gullible. Oh, how I loathe digg. Actually, I'm the same way about Slashdot, but there's pretty much no doubt in my mind that the average Slashdot user would've easily uncovered this, given the difference between digg and Slashdot users. They probably would've taken a shot at Dreamcast for including support for Windows CE, though.