How do you use analytics to identify and prevent fraud and cheating in mobile games?

1 Define fraud and cheating

Fraud and cheating are not the same, and they require different approaches to detect and prevent. Fraud is any activity that causes financial loss or damage to the game developer, publisher, or platform. For example, fraudsters can use fake installs, click spamming, or in-app purchase refund abuse to steal ad revenue or game currency. Cheating is any activity that violates the game rules or design intent, and affects the game experience or performance. For example, cheaters can use speed hacks, aimbots, or modded APKs to gain an edge over other players or bypass game content. You need to define what constitutes fraud and cheating in your game, and set clear policies and consequences for them.

2 Track relevant metrics

Analytics can help you track and measure various metrics that can indicate fraud and cheating in your game. For example, you can monitor user acquisition, retention, engagement, monetization, and feedback metrics to spot any anomalies or patterns that deviate from the normal or expected behavior. You can also track specific game events, such as level completion, item usage, score achievement, or leaderboard ranking, to identify any suspicious or unrealistic actions. You need to define your key performance indicators (KPIs) and benchmarks, and use analytics tools and dashboards to visualize and analyze your data.

4 Implement security measures

Analytics alone are not enough to prevent fraud and cheating in your game. You also need to implement security measures to protect your game data and code from unauthorized access or manipulation. For example, you can use encryption, obfuscation, or tamper detection techniques to prevent hackers from reverse-engineering or modifying your game files. You can also use authentication, verification, or authorization methods to prevent bots, fake accounts, or stolen accounts from accessing your game. You need to follow the best practices and standards for security, and update your game regularly to fix any vulnerabilities or bugs.

5 Take action and communicate

Analytics can help you identify fraud and cheating in your game, but you also need to take action and communicate with your users. For example, you can use analytics to inform your decision-making and strategy for dealing with fraudsters and cheaters, such as banning, warning, or educating them. You can also use analytics to communicate with your users and inform them about your fraud and cheating policies, prevention methods, and reporting options. You need to be transparent and consistent with your actions and communication, and maintain a fair and fun game environment for your users.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?