'The Odyssey' streaming scam could steal your bank info

Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey" is one of the biggest movie releases of the summer. You have been hearing about it for months, but maybe you have not made it to the theater yet. Then an ad pops up promising you can watch "The Odyssey" online for free. The site looks polished. Reviews make it appear legitimate. Better yet, you can supposedly start watching within minutes.

There is one catch. You need to create an account. Then the supposedly free service asks for your credit card information to activate a trial. Enter those details, and you could soon discover there was never a movie waiting for you. The real purpose of the site was to get your financial information.

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Security researchers say scammers are taking advantage of the enormous interest surrounding "The Odyssey," which Universal Pictures released in U.S. theaters in July. Here's how these fake streaming traps work and what you can do to avoid getting caught in one.

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Cybercriminals have created fake websites that claim to let you stream "The Odyssey" online for free. Some sites appear through online ads or search results. Others can be reached through questionable streaming and piracy sites. The pages can look surprisingly convincing. According to reports citing Kaspersky researchers, scammers have created versions in different languages. Some even advertise dubbed versions based on the visitor's location. Fake reviews and ratings help make the service look trustworthy.

When you try to play the movie, the website asks you to register. You may first be asked for your name and email address. Eventually, the site requests your bank card information. It claims the information is needed to activate a free trial. There is no free movie. Instead, you have handed sensitive information to people who may use it for fraudulent transactions or other scams.

The Federal Trade Commission has specifically warned that websites offering free movies and TV shows can infect computers with malware. The agency says criminals use malware to steal personal information and commit fraud. That can include login information for online accounts. The FTC also warns that malware can steal usernames and passwords as well as bank account numbers.

That makes a fake movie site more than an annoyance. Clicking the wrong download or following a bogus instruction could put information stored on your device at risk. We've seen this playbook before when we previously reported on how hackers use free streaming movies to lure people toward malware. We also covered how illegal movie downloads can hide dangerous malware. Scammers keep recycling the same strategy whenever a major release creates enough interest.

There is another reason to be careful when searching for copies of "The Odyssey" online. Cybersecurity company Malwarebytes found scams targeting people searching for pirated copies within hours of the movie's release. Researchers found cloned piracy sites displaying fake browser warnings. Other scams offered movie downloads that were actually Windows executable files disguised as video files. One fake warning claimed the browser was missing a component and encouraged visitors to click a button to fix it.

There was no missing browser component. According to Malwarebytes, clicking the button could push visitors into a malvertising network. Where they ended up could vary depending on the advertising campaign running at that moment. Researchers also found a supposed Odyssey movie download ending in .exe. That is a huge warning sign. An .exe file is a Windows program, not a video. If a website says you need to install software or fix your browser before watching a movie, leave the site.

Criminals understand timing. When a movie becomes a cultural event, millions of people start searching for it. Some want to know when it will arrive on streaming. Others hope they can find a free copy. That creates an opening for scammers.

A fake website does not have to convince everyone. It only needs to catch the person who is excited enough to click before checking where the movie is actually available. Fake reviews make that easier. So does a professional-looking video player. We saw a similar tactic during the Barbie craze. CyberGuy reported on scammers using the movie's popularity to steal bank information from moviegoers. The next bait could be whichever movie or show everybody is talking about next.

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A slick website does not prove you are dealing with a legitimate streaming service. Start with availability. If a movie has only recently arrived in theaters, be suspicious when an unfamiliar website suddenly claims you can stream it for free. Universal Pictures currently lists "The Odyssey" as a theatrical release. Next, look closely at the website address. A scammer may use a domain that resembles a familiar streaming service. A small spelling change or an unusual domain ending can be easy to miss when you are moving quickly.

Do not rely on reviews posted on the streaming site itself either. Reports about "The Odyssey" scam say fake ratings and reviews were used to make fraudulent pages appear legitimate. You should also be wary when a website promises something for free but suddenly needs your credit card. Legitimate companies can require payment information for free trials. The difference is that you should already know and trust the service before handing over your card.

We reached out to Universal Pictures for comment about the fraudulent sites targeting "The Odyssey" but did not hear back before our deadline.

A few extra seconds of checking can save you from a much bigger headache later.

Strong antivirus software can help detect malicious downloads and warn you about dangerous websites. That protection becomes particularly valuable when a scam starts with an innocent-looking search or advertisement. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.

Use established streaming platforms or check the movie studio's official website to see where a film is available. If you have never heard of the streaming service, investigate it before creating an account.

Do not enter payment information simply because the page says it needs to verify your account. Open a new browser tab and research the service independently.

Look carefully at the domain before entering personal information. Do not assume the first search result or a sponsored result is automatically legitimate.

A streaming site should not require you to install an unfamiliar program to watch a movie. Be especially careful with .exe files. Malwarebytes found one being disguised as a supposed Odyssey movie download.

If you create an account on a fraudulent website and reuse a password from another service, scammers may try those credentials elsewhere. Use a password manager to create and store a unique password for every important account. Then turn on multi-factor authentication wherever it is available.

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I think movie scams work so well because they arrive at exactly the moment we are looking for something. You already want to see the film. Then somebody puts a shortcut in front of you. That is where a little skepticism pays off. "The Odyssey" may be the bait this summer, but criminals can use the same idea around the next blockbuster. A few minutes of entertainment are never worth giving a stranger access to your credit card or computer. I would much rather wait for a movie to reach an official streaming service than spend the next few weeks disputing charges or changing compromised passwords. When "free" entertainment asks for your financial information, the price can become very real.

Would a professional-looking streaming site with convincing reviews ever persuade you to enter your credit card for a movie you have been dying to see, or are you now too suspicious to take that chance? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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