I’m a hacking expert – list of celebs most likely to be used for scams includes two Barbie stars
GADGET users have been warned over 10 celebrities that hackers commonly use to scam victims.
Cyber-criminals often steal the likeness of celebs to trick you into handing over money – and some are more favored than others.
The warning comes in an official McAfee security memo seen by The U.S. Sun from the company’s chief technology officer Steve Grobman.
Hackers take advantage of the fact that “celebrity news and entertainment of part of many people’s daily lives,” according to Grobman.
“People are putting speed and convenience over their own online protection by clicking on pop ups and other suspicious links that promise celebrity-filled content.
“We also know people are seeking out free content, such as movie downloads, which puts them at risk.
“If it sounds too good to be true, it deserves a closer look.”
Here’s the official McAfee “hacker celebrity hot list”:
- Ryan Gosling, critically acclaimed actor and star of this summer’s hit film, Barbie
- Emily Blunt, critically acclaimed actress and star of this summer’s hit film, Oppenheimer
- Jennifer Lopez, pop culture icon, critically acclaimed singer, actress and producer
- Zendaya, critically acclaimed actress and singer
- Kevin Costner, critically acclaimed actor and director, and star of the hit series, Yellowstone
- Elon Musk, business magnate and tech entrepreneur
- Al Roker, TODAY’s weather man, author, and journalist
- Margot Robbie, critically acclaimed actress and star of this summer’s hit film, Barbie
- Bad Bunny, critically acclaimed singer, and the first non-English language singer to be named as Spotify’s most streamed artist of the year
- America Ferrera, critically acclaimed actress and noted supporting star of this summer’s hit film, Barbie
Grobman warned that hackers are now turning to artificial intelligence to create even more convincing scams.
He said users need to be particularly aware of deepfakes, which use AI to create a fake likeness of someone else – like a celeb.
This could be used to trick you into investing money into a fraudulent scheme – or handing over cash to a celeb that you think you’re chatting with.
“Consumers need greater awareness of the world we’re living in, thanks to the advancements in artificial intelligence,” Grobman said.
“AI has changed the game, and cybercriminals can now create very sophisticated scams at scale using the latest AI tools, and what better hook for them than celebrity news and information.
“To keep people safe online and help protect their privacy and identity, consumers need to stay vigilant and think twice before clicking.”
McAfee is urging users to avoid illegally streaming or downloading suspicious files – sticking to well-known and legitimate sites instead.
If you receive any unsolicited emails asking for info like your email, credit card or address, it’s best to just ignore it.