Cyber scam alert! ‘The Last Of Us’ scam spreading fast, can cause money loss

If you’re binge-watching the Last of Us show and planning to play the game, this warning could be for you. The Last of Us is a popular post-apocalyptic action-adventure video game that came out in 2013. The game, known for its story and character driven approach, has received many accolades ever since it was released. But now, the same game has been turned into a TV series and people who aren't even familiar with the game are enjoying the hauntingly beautiful story. Although the game was launched as a PlayStation exclusive, Sony released it for PCs later so that a larger audience could enjoy the game.

However, those planning to play the game are in for a shock as a new cyber scam is doing the rounds which targets people who are turning to the Last of Us Part II game on PC after watching the show. In case you didn’t know, the Last of Us Part II has not been announced for PC yet. According to a report by Kaspersky, a phishing and malware injection scam is doing the rounds on websites which offer PC downloads for Last of Us Part II. However, instead of the game, a malicious file installs on your PC.

Phishing attack

Moreover, Kaspersky experts also discovered a phishing site that offers an activation code for “The Last of Us” on PlayStation. Users are asked to choose one of the gifts that they will receive together with the game. Then, Users are prompted to enter their credentials and bank card data to pay a commission fee. As soon as the data is entered, the phishing attack takes place and the money is stolen from the account.

What do Kaspersky experts say?

Olga Svistunova, security expert at Kaspersky said, “Curiously, now instead of offering pre-access to the series, cybercriminals have chosen a different path and are distributing malicious files under the guise of a game. This shows that gamers, especially the new ones who don't yet know enough about cybersecurity when playing, are among the main target audience for cybercriminals, and they will come up with more and more ways to exploit them. Be alert and check if your coveted game is available on the platform offered, download games only from official app stores and don’t forget to use a trusted security solution.”