While some gamers are mourning the GTA 6’s old release date passing by (May 26), there are others who are being lured into scams. Rockstar Games has yet to release its most anticipated games ever, and there’s no official public beta either. But scammers have decided that this is the perfect time to start hunting impatient fans.
The report from NordVPN’s Threat Intelligence team found that cybercriminals are exploiting massive interest around Grand Theft Auto VI with fake installers, bogus beta access, Android adware, and phishing pages. This arrives as the studio is expected to kick off pre-orders for the game, which is currently set to debut on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and Series S on no
How do these scams work?
The most common scam seems to be around fake early access. NordVPN says scam sites are promising exclusive beta keys for PS5 and Xbox Series consoles, then pushing users through forms, bot checks, paid subscriptions, or potentially unwanted apps.
There is also a fake Android app floating around under the name “GTA 6 Beta,” which uses Rockstar-like branding and an intro video, but there is no actual game inside. Instead, it serves full-screen ads and redirects users toward subscription traps or more malware that is hidden behind fake verification steps.
Fake repacks are even worse
Despite there being no official timeline for the PC port, these bad actors are using piracy and repack sites as a platform to catch unsuspecting prey. This includes fake versions of popular websites like FitGirl, DODI, and ElAmigos. One sample that was detected earlier this month was hiding a malicious file in the background, with the victim only seeing a normal installer up front.
So the best advice is just to ignore anything that seems too good to be true. There is no “public beta”, “PC beta”, or “mobile beta” out there. Avoid clicking on any link that isn’t on the official Rockstar, PlayStation, or Xbox websites if you need more info about the game.
