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Barbie fans have been warned not to try and illegally download the movie as scammers are using it to steal your information.
McAfee, one of the biggest cybersecurity firms in the world, has flagged to users that people are using social media, emails and websites to send out ‘phishing’ links.
Phishing links, by definition, are a type of coding and online scam hidden in what appear to be legitimate links.
However, once clicked, it allows pirates to access your personal information – which may or may not include passwords, credit card information or malware to disrupt your computer further.
In the case of the Barbie movie, scammers convince you they’ll be giving you a download or viewing link to the movie, before sweeping in and swiping your personal details.
Steve Grobman, Chief Technology Officer at McAfee warned: “Cybercriminals are always on the lookout for opportunities to make phishing and other scams more attractive and believable.
“They often leverage popular and well-publicized events such as movie premieres, concerts, or sporting events to trick users into clicking on malicious links.”
With Barbie becoming a record-breaking movie in its opening weekend alone, it’s no surprise that phishers are trying to cash in on the film’s success.
While there are plenty of clips for you to watch in order to whet your appetite, it’s the far safer option to wait for the film to hit streaming services, if you can’t make it to the movies.
Barbie swept the box office this weekend, earning $155m in North America and $337m globally.
It’s the second biggest opening of all time – beaten only by 2019’s Avengers: Endgame which made $357million globally.
The film’s success was spurred on by the unofficial double bill with Christopher Nolan’s epic biopic Oppenheimer.
The two blockbusters sparked a rush of fans online, who combined the two to create a full-day event dubbed ‘Barbenheimer’.
In turn, Oppenheimer earned $174million globally.
