“Any site claiming to sell GTA 6 early access is not authorized by Rockstar Games and should be treated as fraudulent unless Rockstar announces it through official channels,” Stafan Dasic, senior malware research engineer at Malwarebytes, wrote in a blog on June 23.
Fake GTA 6 pre-order websites and their pitch
As Rockstar Games prepared to open pre-orders on June 25, scammers began surfacing polished, professional-looking websites that promise early access to Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6). The illicit offers range from standard pre-orders to “VIP early access,” and typically instruct victims to pay a few hundred dollars in cryptocurrency, enter a payment code and — allegedly — unlock the game. The sites are designed to make payment feel smooth and legitimate, but the operators do not represent Rockstar Games and do not provide any genuine access to the title.
Why these scams are appearing now
Malwarebytes’ Stafan Dasic told Infosecurity that hype drives opportunistic fraud: “From my experience, there is always a rise of scams when something gets hyped in the media. So, I predict we will definitely see more and more GTA 6-related scams and phishing pages (possibly stealing logins/key activations).” The risk is amplified by the long wait players faced between major releases — Dasic noted a 13-year gap between GTA 5’s 2013 release and the new game — creating demand that fraudsters exploit with urgency-focused tactics.
Cryptocurrency payments and limited victim recourse
The scam flow typically ends with victims sending cryptocurrency. Because those payments move outside traditional banking rails, there is frequently no fraud department to reverse the transaction. The source notes that “there is usually no way to get your money back” when payments are made in cryptocurrency, in contrast to bank or card payments where formal dispute mechanisms exist. Victims who pay these sites receive no legitimate access in return.
The takedown problem: hosting companies in the middle
Dasic said whether scam pages get removed “all depends on the hosting company, as sometimes they respond to the abuse reports and sometimes they don't.” That places hosting providers in a gatekeeper role: responsiveness to abuse reports determines whether fraudulent pages remain live long enough to bilk more victims. The source does not identify specific hosts, but underscores that takedown outcomes vary.
Malwarebytes’ simple safeguards for gamers
Malwarebytes recommends that gamers trust only official Rockstar announcements and avoid unsolicited links. The firm also urges account security hygiene, specifically enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) on gaming accounts to reduce the damage phishing pages can do if they capture credentials. The piece reiterates that the only legitimate channels for pre-orders are Rockstar Games and authorized retailers such as the PlayStation Store or Microsoft Store. The game itself is scheduled for launch on November 19, 2026.
What this means for gamers, hosting companies, and authorized retailers
- Gamers: Expect increased phishing and faux storefronts tied to the June 25 pre-order window and the November 19 launch. Follow Malwarebytes’ guidance — trust Rockstar’s official channels, avoid unsolicited links, and enable 2FA on gaming accounts to limit exposure.
- Hosting companies: Will receive abuse reports alleging fraud and will be the deciding factor in whether individual scam pages stay online; responsiveness varies and determines how long fraudulent offers remain available to victims.
- Authorized retailers (PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store): Remain the only legitimate pre-order outlets named in the advisory, and their official storefronts serve as the baseline against which suspicious offers should be judged.
Dasic’s warnings close the loop on motive and method: the combination of a highly desired release, polished scam sites, smooth cryptocurrency payments and tactics that create urgency makes this a fertile environment for fraud. With pre-orders opening June 25 and a predicted rise in related scams, the immediate, concrete choices are simple — trust Rockstar’s official channels, avoid unsolicited links, enable 2FA — and for hosting firms, answer abuse reports promptly. How hosting providers choose to act will determine whether these early scams are a short-lived nuisance or a persistent problem through to the game’s November 19, 2026 launch.
Original story: Infosecurity — GTA 6 Scams Emerge as Pre-Orders Open
