‘Watch The Odyssey for free online’: scam targets film fans with fake streaming sites
Fraudsters are exploiting demand for The Odyssey, the summer's most anticipated cinema release, by setting up fake streaming websites that lure fans looking to watch it online for free. Victims who sign up are asked for personal and bank details supposedly to activate a "free trial", but no film exists on the site and their financial information is instead passed to criminals, who may also target them with further phishing attempts or malware.
The scam campaign group BeStreamWise says fraudsters routinely exploit excitement around big film, TV and game releases, with fake sites appearing via pop-up adverts, search results or links from other websites, and bolstered by fabricated reviews and ratings. Cybersecurity firm Kaspersky notes that some fake sites offer dubbed versions tailored to a visitor's location and typically ask for an email address and name before requesting bank details. Experts advise treating any site offering a still-in-cinemas film as a red flag and using only official streaming services to avoid financial loss or malware infection.
- Fake streaming sites exploit The Odyssey's popularity to steal bank details
- Sites use fake reviews, pop-ups and dubbed versions to appear legitimate
- Experts urge using official services only for new cinema releases
New here? Start with this
The Odyssey is Christopher Nolan's big-budget adaptation of Homer's epic, widely tipped to be one of the year's most anticipated cinema releases. Its huge popularity has made it an obvious target for online fraudsters, who set up fake "streaming" websites promising fans a chance to watch it for free before it is available anywhere else.
These sites typically ask visitors to enter personal details and bank information to unlock a supposed free trial, but there is no film to watch. Instead, the data is harvested by criminals, who can use it for financial fraud or to send further scam messages and malicious software. Scam-awareness groups such as BeStreamWise and cybersecurity firms including Kaspersky have been tracking this type of fraud, noting that fake sites are often promoted through adverts, search results and fabricated reviews to appear convincing.
The story matters because it highlights a recurring pattern of criminals exploiting excitement around major entertainment releases to trick the public, putting both people's money and personal data at risk. It also serves as a reminder that any website offering a film still showing exclusively in cinemas should be treated with suspicion, and that official, licensed streaming services remain the safest way to watch new releases online.