Fraudulent websites that claim to offer early access to Grand Theft Auto VI are taking hundreds of dollars in cryptocurrency from victims and giving them nothing in return.
Research by Malwarebytes discovered that these scams started just a few days before Rockstar Games started taking official preorders. The fake websites look like high-end video game stores, with slick graphics, artwork with a Vice City theme, and GTA 6 logos.
One of the websites asked for $250 in BTC, USDT, or Ether for something called “VIP Digital Access,” according to Malwarebytes’ security expert Stefan Dasic. After payment, victims received instructions to enter their transaction ID to “unlock” a download that does not exist.
Rockstar, the developer of GTA 6, has announced that official preorders will commence on June 25 through authorized digital storefronts and select retailers. According to a recent X post by the corporation, GTA 6 is scheduled to launch on November 19, 2026, and there is no early access program.
Why is GTA 6 a prime target for crypto scammers?
Over 465 million copies of Grand Theft Auto have been sold throughout the globe. Publisher Take-Two Interactive said that GTA 5 sold more than 225 million copies. Grand Theft Auto V was released in September 2013, more than 13 years before the next mainline entry in the series.
Take-Two’s stock dropped 18% after Rockstar pushed the release date from its original Fall 2025 window to November 2026, as Cryptopolitan reported in November 2025. As of today, the company’s stock (NASDAQ: TTWO) has gained 2.25% and trades at $244.95 according to Google Finance data.
The huge crowd of GTA 6, long wait times, and frequent changes to the release plan have made it ideal for scams. The fake GTA 6 website does not raise red flags because gamers are familiar with legitimate early access programs, beta tests, and founder editions.
How the crypto payment trap works
Cryptocurrency is an important piece to the GTA 6 scam. Credit card payments can be reversed through chargebacks, but Bitcoin and Ethereum transactions cannot. Once funds leave a victim’s wallet, there is no fraud department to contact, and there is no reversal or recovery.
TRM Labs’ Chainabuse data shows that reports of generative AI scams increased 456% between May 2024 and April 2025. Chainalysis has found that ~60% of deposits flowing into known scam wallets now involve operations that use AI tools, a sharp increase from the prior year, as Cryptopolitan reported in May 2026.
The GTA 6 scam sites use many of the same psychological levers identified in AI crypto fraud, such as urgency (“before everyone else”), scarcity (“exclusive”), and professional design that mimics legitimate commerce. The difference is the hook. Instead of fake trading bots or deepfake celebrity endorsements, scammers are exploiting one of the most anticipated entertainment releases in history.
Malwarebytes warns that any website claiming to sell, distribute, or unlock GTA 6 before its official launch is not authorized by Rockstar. The company is offering preorders only, not early access.
Gamers should purchase exclusively through authorized retailers and digital storefronts. Any gaming offer that requires crypto payment warrants extra scrutiny. Rockstar Games and Take-Two Interactive will use their official websites and social media accounts to make any formal announcements.