The Barbie movie, starring Margot Robbie, was released on Friday. (Image: Instagram)
A slew of Internet scams have surfaced, including fraudulent dubbed downloads of the movie that install malware, Barbie-related computer viruses, and bogus videos that claim to offer free tickets but redirect to information-gathering websites using spyware
Are you one of those who want to see the mega blockbuster Barbie on your laptop or phone in Hindi or Tamil? Stop clicking every link you find online if you don’t want to fall victim to the latest malware campaign.
Computer security company McAfee has discovered 100 new cases of malware with Barbie-related file names in the past three weeks. While a majority are in the United States (37%), there are also cases in Australia (6%), the United Kingdom and India (both 5%), as well as France, Japan and Ireland. According to the data, India is among the top three countries with similar incidents.
According to McAfee, scammers hope to monetize the blockbuster as Barbie makes her big-screen debut. A slew of Internet scams have surfaced, including fraudulent dubbed downloads of the movie that install malware, Barbie-related computer viruses, and bogus videos that claim to offer free tickets but redirect to websites that collect personal information using spyware.
Steve Grobman, Chief Technology Officer at online security company McAfee, said: “Cybercriminals are always looking for ways to make phishing and other scams more attractive and credible. They often use popular and well-publicized events such as movie premieres, concerts or sporting events to trick users into clicking malicious links.”
McAfee has noticed multiple cases of malware activity in India trying to trick people into downloading the ‘Barbie’ movie in different languages. By visiting the link, victims are asked to download a .zip file containing malware. Investigators also found that malicious campaigns targeted Hindi and Tamil speaking users.
FOR BARBIE TICKETS
The researchers also discovered several bogus and dangerous videos that tricked people into downloading a file full of malware in exchange for Barbie tickets. Once downloaded, the malware, known as ‘Redline Stealer’, steals personal information, credentials and other information from devices.
In addition, you can also find a video in which fake Barbie tickets are pitched on YouTube via a link. News18 found that the video, which was posted on July 19, has been viewed more than 15,000 times to date. The description section says that “one ticket to hit movie barbie please” and includes the fake link.
McAfee said: “Historically, major media events of any kind lead to a plethora of online scams. We can point to scam sites linked to the Super Bowl in the US, cryptocurrency scams capitalizing on hit shows like Squid Games, and the merchandise and streaming scams popping up during FIFA’s Men’s and Women’s World Cup.”
Whether it’s Barbie or Oppenheimer or any other movie, McAfee’s team of researchers urged internet users to follow a few basic, but important, steps to protect themselves from online movie scams.
This includes sticking to trusted retailers and streamers, buying tickets from the theater chain or a reputable ticketing app, avoiding sloppy looking sites, scrutinizing deals, promotions and freebies, as well as using comprehensive online security software.
