June Wan/

ChatGPT is one of the hottest topics right now due to its ability to answer basically any question you have in a conversational manner. Because of this, it was only a matter of time before scammers tried to exploit it for their own benefit. That time has come.   

A fake ChatGPT-branded Chrome extension made its way to the Chrome Web store and caused some damage for installers, according to Hacker News. 

Also: ChatGPT's most lauded capability also brings big risk to businesses

The "Quick access to ChatGPT" extension claimed to do exactly that, grant users a shortcut to accessing the chatbot. It also had the ability to hijack Facebook accounts. 

The extension, which was promoted on Facebook, would harvest cookies and Facebook account data once someone clicked to install. Then once an account was hijacked, it would be use to promote the malware to expand its network, according to the report. 

The extension received 2,000 installations per day from March 3, 2023 until it was taken down from the Chrome Web store on March 9, 2023. 

Although this specific extension was taken down, you should still be careful when installing Chrome extensions as these types of impersonating scam extensions are not uncommon. 

Also: 3 Google Chrome extensions to boost productivity I'd never heard of before

Last year, five different malicious Google Chrome extensions affected 1.4 million users. Two of those extensions were impersonating Netflix Party, the old name for Teleparty, an extension which lets you watch streaming content with your friends at the same time. 

With ChatGPT's notoriety continuing to grow, it's likely that more scams of this nature will come up -- so be on the lookout. 

See also

How to use ChatGPT to write Excel formulasHow to use ChatGPT to write codeChatGPT vs. Bing Chat: Which AI chatbot should you use?How to use ChatGPT to build your resumeHow does ChatGPT work?How to get started using ChatGPT

• How to use ChatGPT to write Excel formulas
• How to use ChatGPT to write code
• ChatGPT vs. Bing Chat: Which AI chatbot should you use?
• How to use ChatGPT to build your resume
• How does ChatGPT work?
• How to get started using ChatGPT