With less than two weeks to go until GTA 6 launches on November 19, many players can’t wait and want to experience it early—some are even looking for a chance to play it for free—and hackers have seized on this mindset to act early. According to the latest investigation by security firm Netcraft, a batch of fake GTA 6 websites has already appeared online, using claims such as free download, leaked full version, and early play to lure players into clicking. The installers they offer unsurprisingly contain Trojans, and some even require users to pay $100 in cryptocurrency after downloading before they can “activate” it. Players really need to be extra careful.
Free GTA 6 downloads are a trap! Security firm uncovers fake websites spreading trojans and demanding cryptocurrency payment to “unlock” them.
Netcraft In a research report published on November 3, domains first appearing between July 1 and October 27 that are themed around GTA 6 were compiled, revealing four major types of scams.
The first is “fake GTA 6 leaked versions.” These sites all use the CyberLeek name, claim to have obtained the complete game, and direct players to download an installer. According to Netcraft, during the investigation there were 121 newly registered domains with “cyberleek” in the name, 100 of which were registered in August—exactly when the leak was at its peak.
Note: CyberLeek is the big-name leaker who began leaking GTA 6 gameplay footage on August 18. He only released videos and images, not a downloadable game, and scammers are using his fame to make fake files look like genuine leaked versions.
For example, gta6cyberleek[.]com. The website imitates Rockstar’s official style and advertises free downloads; the button provides GTAVI.exe. Netcraft submitted it to VirusTotal for scanning, and 34 of 68 engines flagged it as a threat, mostly categorized as a trojan:
Another case is cyberleek[.]click. It claimed that with the “Cyberleek Launcher” you could download the full leaked version, and emphasized that there was “no malware or viruses,” but the launcher was flagged as a threat by 18 of 62 engines, and after downloading it demanded a payment of $100 in cryptocurrency to activate the game. This domain is currently disabled:
However, these 121 domains also include fan sites, merchandise sites, and even meme coin websites, and not all of them have been confirmed to be scams.
The second method is “fake early access and pre-order websites.” GTA 6 does have pre-orders open, but the official announcement only covered the console version on November 19, while scam sites sell things that don’t exist, such as early play, a PC version, and universal codes.
For example, gta6underground[.]com, using the Rockstar brand, launched a “Pre-Release Program,” claiming priority downloads and adding $500,000 in in-game currency, and offered a 2.4GB pre-release-access.exe (the link is no longer valid, so its contents cannot be confirmed). Another website, gta6[.]exposed, sells a serial key for $199 that is “universal across all platforms, including PC,” accepting only cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Monero. Fake Rockstar pre-order stores have also appeared in Brazil:
Netcraft believes that these kinds of websites don’t need any sophisticated programming—a sufficiently polished pre-order page plus a familiar payment process is enough to make people want to open their wallets.
The third tactic is “fake Android and iOS mobile versions.”
Rockstar has never announced an Android or iOS version, but searching for “GTA 6 APK” or “GTA 6 Mobile” still turns up a bunch of download pages. gta6thapk[.]com offers a “GTA.VI.8.0.9.Beta” APK and even instructs users to enable “Allow installation of apps from unknown sources”:
After Netcraft actually downloaded it, no VirusTotal engine detected malware at that moment, but GTA 6 has no mobile version at all—this file cannot be legitimate, and a clean scan at one point in time doesn’t mean it’s safe.
Another gta6world[.]live lists iOS, PC, and Android versions; clicking “Unlock Access” brings up a “human verification” prompt that asks you to complete a gift card giveaway or sign up by entering personal details.
The fourth tactic is the “free game code and verification” trap.
These websites claim to give away free serial codes, pre-order codes, or in-game currency, on the condition that you first fill out a survey, download an App, or register an account; the pages also feature countdown timers and remaining quantities to create a sense of urgency.
For example, mygta6[.]icu shows “Only 43 of 300 sets left” and waits until half the code is revealed before asking you to complete at least two tasks; gta6keycodes[.]com says “126 sets left today” along with a 15-minute countdown; gta6bonuses[.]com offers you a choice of 250,000 to 10 million GTA$:
A common way these content-locking websites make money is by earning a commission for every person they get to complete a survey or sign up; the personal information entered may also be resold, and of course, they won’t actually give you the serial number in the end.
In addition, based on registered domains, Netcraft speculates that after the November 19 launch, scam themes may shift from “getting you the game early” to “giving you an edge in the game,” for example:
- Free GTA$ and Shark Cards: Shark Cards are GTA Online’s official in-game currency top-up cards. These types of sites may directly ask you to enter your Rockstar, PlayStation, or Xbox account password to “claim rewards,” and domains such as gta6sharkcard[.]com have already been registered.
- Account phishing: directly stealing Rockstar, Microsoft, or Sony accounts; if you reuse passwords, other accounts can also be compromised, and if a credit card is linked, it may be fraudulently charged.
- Cheating tools and mods: Cheats and mod menus have long been common channels for distributing malware.
So how can players avoid being scammed? Netcraft has compiled several red flags that should make you close the webpage as soon as you see them:
- I need you to sideload and install the APK.
- Downloading a launcher or EXE file from a domain unrelated to Rockstar
- Requires payment in cryptocurrency to “activate” the game.
- You need to complete the task and questionnaire before you can see the serial number.
- Requires connecting a cryptocurrency wallet to claim GTA-themed tokens.
Source: KOCPC Chinese