US computer infections will jump 30 per cent on Oscar’s night making it the biggest day for cyber crime so far this year.

That’s according to Alvin Estevez, the cofounder, president, and managing director of the Enigma Software Group, who warned users in a guest post on Forbes.com.

Cyber criminals take advantage of the huge upsurge in web searches and interest in the event by spamming out emails and links with titles including actors, actresses, and nominated films.

Users hungry for info on these topics click on the links, and are subsequently infected – or at least told they are.  

It’s around that point pop ups promising to clean up the infections appear, and if hapless web surfers take this offer up they are prompted to enter their card details.  

A similar surge was clocked at last year’s Oscar ceremony.

The ‘scare ware’ tactic has been used around various other big ticket events, and throughout the year by creating links with highly searched terms and celebrity names.