If you have received a SMS or email notifying you that your Netflix account has been suspended (with phrases like “Your subscription has expired” or similar) for a payment problem, be very careful: you have most likely ended up in the sights of an online scammer. In fact, in recent months, scammers have been exploiting the name of the famous streaming platform to start a massive phishing campaignaimed at stealing credentials and financial information from unwitting users. Through SMS or false e-mail apparently official, these attackers could direct you to websites that perfectly imitate Netflix’s, tricking you into entering your data. The consequences can be nothing short of disastrous: from the theft of the account, which could be put up for sale on Dark Webto the possible fraudulent use of your credit cards. To defend yourself, the first thing to do is never open attached links: In fact, Netflix never asks for payments through third-party websites.
How the Netflix scam works
Phishing is one of the most common techniques in the cyber scam scene, and Netflix scam is perpetrated precisely through this mechanism. Netflix, with its over 280 million subscribers worldwide, represents a potential opportunity for cybercriminals, who often exploit well-known and trusted brands to trap their victims, inducing them to carry out actions hastily by triggering the latter’s minds. reasoning like: «If it’s Netflix (or any other famous service) asking me, then I can trust it».
The scam messages that play on the sense of urgency joined toreliability of the brand used as a vehicle for the scamconstitutes a real dangerous mix which could induce users to quickly resolve the alleged problem which would lead (according to criminals) to the suspension of the service, in this case Netflix. By clicking on the link provided in the SMS or email, the user would land himself on one fake login pagedesigned specifically to look identical to the Netflix original. Once you enter your credentials, they end up directly in the hands of scammers. And if asked to update your payment method detailsyour credit card information could be stolen and used for illicit transactions if you provide it clearly.
The scam often continues with a request for a immediate payment to reactivate the account. In addition to your credit card details, scammers may offer you to use Netflix gift cardstransforming their value into direct profit for them. The Compromised accounts are then put up for sale on the Dark Weba “hidden” portion of the Internet where illicit (and otherwise) goods and services are exchanged, in many cases using cryptocurrencies to ensure anonymity.
How to defend yourself from the Netflix scam
For defend yourself from the Netflix scamit is essential to keep your eyes wide open and remember that requests that appeal to urgency and danger could be clear signs of a possible scam. Cybercriminals, in fact, usually appeal to feelings of this type to induce users to carry out actions that are part of their criminal plans and which would only benefit the latter.
Therefore, never click on suspicious links in SMS or emails. If you have doubts about the legitimacy of a message, access your account only by directly typing the official Netflix address into your browser or using its official app. If compromised, immediately change your password and disconnect any unrecognized devices from your account. This is a particularly important action to do in the case of Netflix, considering the fact that (at least at the time of writing) the service It does not integrate a two-factor authentication systemthat additional security measure that would prevent scammers from accessing your profile even if they obtained your credentials. Another thing you can do is use the [email protected] address to report the incident to the online streaming giant and contact the authorities, such as the Postal Police, if you have already been affected by the Netflix scam.
