The Last of Us fans warned of scam cyberattacks
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Hackers always capitalize on the latest trends in hopes of stealing data and money, and the craze surrounding The Last of Us is no different.
The Last of Us is HBO’s TV adaptation of the PlayStation game of the same name and has been a huge hit with fans and critics alike. TV program is real.
However, security experts are now warning of multiple scam campaigns currently active that are taking advantage of the success of the series to try to trick victims.
Active campaigns
Based on the data of cybersecurity researchers Kaspersky, a report from VPNOverview.com found that in one campaign the crooks are trying to deliver malware, and in the other – phishing for bank details and other identity (opens in new tab) and financial data.
To infect people with malware, attackers built websites promoting the PC version of “The Last of Us Part II” – for download. In reality, The Last of Us is a PlayStation exclusive, meaning it’s never been available for PC. The developers are currently working on a PC remake of the original game, which should hit stores in March 2023.
In the second campaign, victims received an email (or visited a malicious landing page) with an activation code for the game on PlayStation. The code is advertised as part of a gift, such as a PlayStation 5 console or a $100 gift card. To receive the gift, victims are asked to pay a commission, which requires them to provide their login and credit card details. The attackers would then use this data and steal the money from the victims.
Gamers are often targeted by malware, not only because of their purchasing power, but also because many games come with in-game currencies and rare items that can be sold for a hefty sum in the secondary markets.
As usual, the best way to protect against these scams is to use common sense – if something is too good to be true, it probably is.