Fraudulent websites mimicking official storefronts appeared days before Rockstar’s June 25 preorder start, exploiting demand for Grand Theft Auto VI with irreversible Bitcoin, USDT and Ether payments.
Fake websites promising early access to Grand Theft Auto VI are collecting cryptocurrency from buyers and delivering nothing, according to Malwarebytes. The cybersecurity firm said the scam pages appeared a few days before Rockstar Games began official preorders and were designed to resemble polished gaming storefronts, using Vice City-style artwork and GTA 6 branding. One site requested $250 in BTC, USDT, or Ether for so-called “VIP Digital Access,” Malwarebytes security expert Stefan Dasic said, then directed buyers to enter a transaction ID to unlock a nonexistent download. Rockstar has said official preorders begin June 25 through authorized digital storefronts and select retailers, while a recent X post from the company said GTA 6 is due to launch on November 19, 2026, with no early access program. Malwarebytes said the scam works especially well because crypto payments are generally irreversible, unlike card payments that may be disputed through chargebacks, and because gamers are already used to legitimate early-access and beta-sale models. The report also tied the tactic to broader crypto fraud trends, citing Chainabuse data from TRM Labs showing generative AI scams rose 456% between May 2024 and April 2025, while Chainalysis found about 60% of deposits to known scam wallets now involve operations using AI tools.