How No Way Home Is Being Used to Scam Spider-Man Fans

Cybercriminals are taking advantage of the hype surrounding the release of Spider-Man: No Way Home to phish for credit card data. Here's how.

December 2021 marked an exciting time for Marvel fans and movie buffs with the release of Spider-Man: No Way Home.

While the movie made a record-breaking debut, it also brought a dark twist for its die-hard fans, as cybercriminals started exploiting the hype around Spider-Man to scam them.

It's no secret that cybercriminals are always on the lookout for blockbuster releases to bait innocent fans. So how were the fans scammed with the release of No Way Home? And how can you stay safe from such scams?

How Cybercriminals Preyed on the New Spider-Man Movie

As reported by The Hindu BusinessLine, the cybersecurity firm Kaspersky observed increased activity before the movie's premiere and warned that cybercriminals would use this opportunity to carry out online scams.

"With the excitement surrounding the release of the newest Spider-Man film, the inattention of thrilled viewers is being abused by cybercriminals. The premiere of 'No Way Home' is no exception but an attractive lure to spread threats and phishing pages."

Needless to say, on the pretext of the premiere of No Way Home, a vast number of fake pages sprouted online, and emails with phishing links started circulating everywhere.

The main targets were the die-hard Spider-Man fans desperate to get an early sneak peek. When asked to register and enter their credit card info through dubious links, several innocent fans complied. And their excitement quickly turned into despair when their credit cards got charged with no access to the movie whatsoever.

Cybercriminals also used unofficial fan arts of the Spider-Man actors to lure fans towards these phishing pages. To make matters worse, the fake movie downloader on these phishing pages also downloaded and installed unwanted programs such as malware and Trojans on the victim's devices.

Tips to Avoid Falling Victim to Similar Scams

If you suspect that you have fallen victim to this latest scam, then call your bank immediately and deactivate your credit card. Also, keep an eye out on your online transactions over the next few weeks to make sure there is nothing fishy going on.

And to keep you protected from potential future scams, we have compiled a list of tips for you:

• Stay alert while being online.
• Do not click on links that promise free movie downloads and trailers, even if you get tempted to do so.
• Do not provide any personal information online unless you are sure about the website's authenticity.
• Always use official and trusted websites to watch and download movies.
• Make sure you have robust anti-virus and anti-malware protection installed.
• Keep your computer and devices up to date with all the current vendor updates.
• Invest in a VPN. Using a VPN for online communications can help avoid detection from harmful scammers and third parties.

Be extra vigilant with what you do online, especially during times of high profile movie releases, as is the case with Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Let Common Sense Prevail

Besides the aforementioned tips, common sense always prevails when it comes to avoiding these types of scams.

Keep yourself up to date on the type of tactics cybercriminals use to target victims and the latest vulnerabilities affecting people around the world.

Most importantly, never ignore cybersecurity and let high emotions and excitement get the better of you.

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