Here Come the 'Star Wars' Scams: Don't Fall for ThemCybercriminals are using 'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker' as bait by creating fake websites that claim to offer free access to the film. But in reality, the websites try to trick you into handing over your credit card information.

By狗万滚球app

This story originally appeared onPCMag

NurPhoto | Getty Images

Desperate to watch the newStar Warsfilm? Don't get too desperate. The movie, which opens tomorrow, is the latest pop-culture phenomenon to be exploited by cybercriminals to trick people into installingmalwareor handing over credit card information.

Antivirus provider Kaspersky Lab has already uncovered more than 30 fake websites and social media profiles that pretend to be official movie accounts. The scam works by offering users free streaming access toStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,but only if they first register with the fraudulent site by typing in their credit card information.

"To further support the promotion of fraudulent websites, cybercriminals also set up Twitter and other social media accounts, where they distribute links to the content," Kaspersky Lab said in a Thursdayreport.

In addition, the company has noticed cybercriminals trying to exploit the film by spreading malicious torrents and files that claim to offer the movie. So far, Kaspersky Lab has detected 65 malicious fake copies of the film infecting 83 users.

"It is typical for fraudsters and cybercriminals to try to capitalize on popular topics, and 'Star Wars' is a good example of such a theme this month," said Kaspersky Lab security researcher Tatiana Sidorina in the report.

Related:10 Star Wars Quotes That All Entrepreneurs Should Take to Heart

Indeed, hackersroutinelyuse pirated copies of popular TV shows, such asGame of Thrones, as a way to fool users into installing malware. In some cases, the hackers can place the malicious code inside a Trojan application or shortcut within a torrent disguised to contain the pirated episode.

According to Kaspersky Lab, Star Wars has become a popular lure as well. This year, the company detected 285,103 Star Wars-related malware infection attempts on users, who were trying to watch the sci-fi series. The infection attempts amount to a 10 percent rise from last year.

You can find the scam Star Wars sites with a simple Google search, using keywords like "star wars the rise of skywalker free download." The scam sites probably won't fool Star Wars fans, who will want to watch the new film in theaters anyways. Nevertheless, certain markets such as Vietnam and The Philippines won't get access to the film until early next year. Others may prefer to pirate the movie rather than pay for tickets.

Related:Star Wars: The Last Jedi Has Some Important Business Insights for Entrepreneurs

Wavy Line
Michael has been aPCMagreporter since October 2017. He previously covered tech news in China from 2010 to 2015, before moving to San Francisco to write about cybersecurity.

Editor's Pick

Related Topics

Business News

'Treat People the Way You Want to be Treated': Pilot Goes Viral For Rant Directed at 'Selfish' Passengers

The American Airlines pilot wasn't tolerating any unruly behavior.

Business News

'Life of a Girl Dad:' Mark Zuckerberg Rocks Face Gems and Beaded Bracelets at Taylor Swift Concert

The Facebook founder attended the economy-boosting "Eras" tour with his daughters.

Business News

Chinese Zoo Denies That Bear in Enclosure Is Really a Human in Costume

The bear has created a frenzy on social media.

Money & Finance

Want to Become a Millionaire? Follow Warren Buffett's 4 Rules.

企业家是不能过度指狗万官方望太多a company exit for their eventual 'win.' Do this instead.

Devices

3 Things Businesses Should Remember When Handling Used Consumer Electronics

Most businesses rely on electronic equipment, but not enough know how to handle and dispose of it properly.

Growing a Business

How I Bootstrapped to $100 Million Without Venture Capital Funding

How I grew my business without any VC funding — and how you can, too.