If you’ve searched for a free copy of The Odyssey online, here’s a red flag worth knowing. The movie isn’t available to stream or download legally anywhere yet. So anything claiming to be a free copy right now is almost certainly fake. Researchers say hackers are using that exact bait to infect people’s computers.
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey hit theaters last month and quickly became one of the biggest movies of the year. Since it isn’t out digitally, plenty of people have gone looking for illegal downloads to watch it at home. Scammers spotted that demand within hours of the movie’s release, according to Malwarebytes and Bitdefender, and built fake download pages around it.
How the scam works
Some of the fake sites show a pop-up claiming your browser is missing something and needs a fix. Clicking the fix button doesn’t repair anything. It routes you through ads that can lead to fake browser extensions, tech support scams, or more malware.
Other sites offer a file that looks like the movie but is actually a program in disguise. It comes with a fake video-player icon to make it look harmless. Once opened, it can install malware that steals saved passwords, banking details, and browser data.
Bitdefender’s research points to one specific culprit behind many of these fake downloads. It’s malware called Lumma Stealer, built to grab exactly that kind of sensitive information and send it back to attackers.
Researchers say this is a repeat playbook. Criminals used the same trick last year with fake copies of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning. It works because criminals don’t need to hack anything. They just need people searching for a movie that isn’t legally available yet.
The easiest way to protect yourself
Stick to real streaming services and skip pirated download sites altogether. If a “movie” file asks you to install something, fix your browser, or run a program to watch it, close it immediately. That’s good advice any time a prompt looks off. Scammers have recently used fake hotel Wi-Fi sign-in pages to steal logins the same way. A real movie file opens in a video player. It never needs your permission to run as a program.