The Last of Us HBO Cybercriminals Scams Phishing Kaspersky
Image: Push Square

Cybercriminals are capitalising on the explosion of interest in The Last of Us, following the release of HBO’s critically acclaimed show. Naughty Dog’s survival horror is one of the biggest brands around right now, and it’s proving fertile ground for felons looking to phish personal information from unsuspecting fans.

Cyber security company Kaspersky has highlighted two scams, one involving a fraudulent website where The Last of Us: Part II is alleged to be available to download. The “game” – only officially released on PS4 thus far – serves as a gateway to get malware on unwitting gamers’ devices. “Users will not know that something is wrong because it may not cause any visible harm while silently doing its job,” the organisation explained.

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Another website promises a prize draw for a PS5 and a copy of The Last of Us: Part I to play on it, in return for users entering their credit card credentials to cover a “commission fee”. Of course, there is no such console, and the phishers are merely operating the page in order to dupe unknowing fans into sharing sensitive data.

All of the above should serve as a reminder to remain vigilant online. Cybercriminals use popular products, properties, and brands to entice unaware individuals into either installing dodgy software or parting with important information. Remember, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is – and never share your personal data online.