McAfee Report: Popular Personalities Exploited in Online Scams

How Fraudsters Exploit Famous Names to Spread Malware

McAfee, the leading provider of online security, has revealed its annual report, shining a light on the personalities whose names are most frequently hijacked by scammers to deceive unsuspecting users into downloading malware or visiting insecure websites. Notably, Ryan Gosling, a Canadian actor, has secured the top position on this ranking, with Elon Musk also prominently featured. This disclosure forms part of McAfee’s ongoing dedication to raising awareness about online security risks and identifying the notable individuals misused by cybercriminals.

A novel report from McAfee Labs discloses celebrity names that are most frequently exploited by scammers—and ‘Barbie’ star Ryan Gosling leads this year’s list. https://t.co/GF7EJ8V1lQ

— Fast Company (@FastCompany) October 27, 2023

Months later, the interest in Gosling is still high, partly because of his portrayal of Ken in the movie, which even earned him a place on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In an interesting turn of events, Ken and Barbie costumes have emerged as the most sought-after Halloween outfits in 2023, further bolstering the actor’s online visibility.