14 DAY TRIAL // Security researchers warn that cyber criminals are exploiting people's interest into Pottermore, the Harry Potter fan website scheduled to open later this year.
Pottermore is expected to sell Harry Potter e-books and audio books, as well as provide fans with additional content including interactive experiences.
The site was entered limited beta on July 31 with the first one million registrants receiving early access. It is expected to open for the general public on October 1st.
But as with many services that chose to open on an invitation-only basis, such as Google+, cyber crooks were just around the corner ready to trick people.
According to Christopher Boyd, a senior security researcher at GFI Software, there are several types of scams going on right now centered around Pottermore early access.
One involves scammers selling Pottermore accounts on eBay for as much as $100 per account. These offers are usually bogus and even if they weren't, people should not pay so much for a service that will be available soon anyway.
Another type of scams are taking place on YouTube where fake videos claim to offer beta access to Pottermore, but ask users to participate in survey first.
These so-called surveys are actually affiliate marketing offers that can have significant costs associated with them. Some of them subscribe people to premium SMS services for a monthly fee.
The third type of scams involves the distribution of fake antivirus programs, also known as scareware. They are promoted through fake links promoted among Pottermore search results through techniques known as black hat SEO.
Unfortunately younsters are most vulnerable to these scams. "If your kids are happily babbling on about the joys of Pottermore, it may well be worth sitting down with them and pointing out the types of shenanigans they need to avoid," the GFI security expert advises.