Torrentfreak reports on a new P2P scam involving elusive DomPlayer software which steals your money trough hotline phone calls or infects you with malware.
It all starts when someone downloads a TV show (very often an aXXo fake) via BitTorrent. When the file is played, a message appears:
This video can only be played in DomPlayer, Visit Download.Domplayer.Com
On arrival, the user is greeted with a nice shiny site to distract them from the fact this is an elaborate trick based on DRM’ing previously-free media and forcing users to take steps to unlock it.
This is where DomPlayer differs from the other malware media players Torrentfreak reports on. The site claims: “DomPlayer is 100% clean, no bundled software!” At this stage, it doesn’t appear to install any intrusive adware etc on the host PC - there is a different trick up this 945K installer’s sleeve.
When it’s run, it’s believed the software locates the user, directs him to a telephone hotline appropriate to his country and instructs him to call it via cellphone. The call leads to the 'activation' of the DomPlayer software but ends up costing the user money.
If the user is in a country ‘unsupported’ by DomPlayer’s payment system, he will be directed to the 3WPlayer site where he can install 3WPlayer and a load of malware onto his PC, completely free of charge.
Although fake aXXo releases are known to be a frequent target of this scam, other media is also affected so many file-sharers find it prudent to check the comments on the site before they download a torrent.
