Kobe Bryant Dash Cam Video Scam: How it Works
The death of Kobe Bryant shocked a whole world. The former NBA star died after a horrifying helicopter crash in California, along with other 8 people including his daughter Gigi. While we will leave the info about the accident to the major media channels, we have to warn you about a sneaky scam that has surfaced in the last 24 hours.
Cybercrooks took advantage of the tragic event by creating the typical celebrity hook – in this case, a promised video claiming to be from dash cam inside the helicopter right before the crash. The title and the thumbnail are tempting to click on. However, if you want to see it there is a fake video player displayed on your screen, along with an "Adobe Flash Update Required" notification. The pop-up asks you to download the updated sotfware in order to watch the dash cam clip.
Clicking on the "Install" button will place a malware on your computer – specifically, a keylogger. This malware program gathers your information by recording your keystrokes (passwords, account numbers). However, it could be any other virus that is being planted on your device, so beware. One of the worst malware out there is the Koobface worm, which has earned scammers income mainly through pay-per-install malware.
Alternatively, instead of inviting you to update the Adobe Flash player, scammers may ask you to provide different personal information, such as your cell phone number for a fake promotion. You will automatically be registered for Premium Texting, which means you will receive periodical texts for which you have to pay $2/ piece until you opt out.
Ignore and choose to follow the Kobe Bryant news only on legitimate media channels. For example, watch the video below to see footage from the accident scene as featured on ABC:
Kobe Bryant Helicopter Crash Scam: How To Report
Warn your family and friends about the Kobe Bryant Video Scam by sharing it on social media using the buttons provided. You can also officially report the scammers to the Federal Trade Commission using the link below:
How To Protect Yourself More
If you want to be the first to find out the most notorious scams every week, feel free to subscribe to the Scam Detector newsletter here. You'll receive periodic emails and we promise not to spam. Last but not least, use the Comments section below to expose other scammers.
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