SECURITY experts have issued a warning over a dangerous online scam offering free copies of the year’s most sought after game.
Cyber crooks are hoping to trick gamers into handing over their data in exchange for a download code for Cyberpunk 2077, which is out this week.
They’re carrying out the hoax through phoney websites, according British cyber security firm Kaspersky.
Anyone who follows the instructions on one of the sites runs the risk of surrendering their computer logins or bank details to crafty hackers.
“We found several websites supposedly giving away Cyberpunk 2077,” Kaspersky researchers wrote in a blog post on Monday.
“Alas, visitors are sure to be disappointed, or worse.”
Cyberpunk 2077 features the voice and likeness of Matrix star Keanu Reeves and is tipped to be one of the biggest games of the year.
There’s a lot of buzz surrounding the sci-fi shooter ahead of its release on Thursday, and it appears scammers are looking to take full advantage.
According to Kaspersky, people hunting for Cyberpunk downloads on search domains like Google are at risk of landing on a dodgy scam site.
The websites they found are all very similar, with URLs containing words such as PC, games, and download.
Users are directed to a convincing installer page for the game, but ultimately, are led through a series of pointless “install actions”.
These actions require the user to fill out endless surveys which at no point lead to the user getting a working download code for the game.
Many of the sites also request a phone number and e-mail address.
“That contact information is the likely target of the attack; contact information is useful for spamming,” researchers wrote.
Once the user has handed over their details, they are given a fake download key for the game that ultimately doesn’t work.
In some cases, the victim is sent to another website to complete even more surveys.
While landing your email and phone number in a spam database may sound fairly harmless, similar scams have taken far more from victims.
“For example, instead of a survey, the cybercriminals might ask for money in exchange for the key,” Kaspersky said.
