Leo ignored the warning from his browser. He even disabled his antivirus, just as the "Installation Guide" in the folder told him to do. "Antivirus software often flags cracks as false positives," the text file claimed. Leo believed it.

If you actually want to try the service safely, ExpressVPN offers legitimate ways to test their features without risking your data to malware:

"Typical," Leo muttered, thinking the crack was just a dud. He closed his laptop and went to bed.

Leo sat in his darkened room, the glow of his monitor illuminating a frustrated face. He wanted to watch a show locked in another region, but his budget was tight. He didn’t want to pay for a subscription; he wanted a shortcut.

: You can sign up for a plan on the ExpressVPN website and get a full refund if you aren't satisfied within the first month.