The newest victims of an online hoax are people who want nothing more than access to a special new Harry Potter website.
With the book and movie series finally wrapped up, JK Rowling needs some way to continue paying for her mansion and otherwise luxurious lifestyle.
So coming soon, a new website called Pottermore will be available to general users. For now, though, it’s a highly restricted site that isn’t yet ready for public consumption.
That hasn’t stopped some of the early users from selling their accounts on Ebay…including many people who don’t really have an account.
These online accounts are selling for around $100, which is almost unheard of for mere log-in credentials to a website. Ebay does actually prohibit sales of online accounts, but because there is no specific trigger word and that particular item isn’t as big a red flag as, say, selling a human organ, many “illegal” auctions still end up running their course.
And that’s just scratching the surface. Scammers are also targeting Harry Potter fans for phising exploits and spewing out malware. In other words, fans should be extra careful when looking up unofficial Potter stuff online.
The Pottermore site will eventually play home to the e-book versions of Harry Potter’s several-year run of novels as well as a spot for new and exclusive Harry Potter content. There is no specific time frame for when the site is expected to go live for all users.
