Multiple Warnings From UK and US Commissions Point to Netflix Phishing Scam

• Phishing scammers send email to Netflix users, asking for an “update” of their payment information.
• The scammers seem to be the same who targeted UK users back in September.
• The FTC warns about the dangers and educates people on how to identify scammers and phishing efforts.

Users of Netflix in the US have received fraudulent emails lately that claim the need to update the payment details in order to lift an account holder. According to a relevant warning issued by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), these messages are fake and only aimed at stealing the users’ personal information and login credentials. This happens in the hope that the person who is giving out the requested information is using the same login credentials on multiple platforms including the bank or PayPal accounts, and thus allowing the scammers to steal money.

As the warning points out, the scammers may also try to install ransomware or other similar products in your system, holding you and your data hostage in order to acquire more gains from the whole scheme. Due to the fact that the language used in the emails is British English, the trade commission believes that the scammers behind it are the same that the UK’s Action Fraud Alert services had issued a warning about a couple of months back.

Both warnings urge users to be extra careful when receiving such emails, check the validity of the claims, thoroughly read the content in order to ensure its legitimacy, and finally report any fraudulent messages to the authorities. Usually, scammers use bad grammar or spelling or don’t bother to include specific details like your name or account ID in their message. The FTC has even developed a short quiz game to help people identify and recognize phishing scammers, so if you haven’t taken it yet, go ahead and do it now.

If you want to stay safe against phishing attacks you may start by applying some common anti-phishing practices that will keep your money and data where they belong. For example, never use the same email/password combination across multiple platforms, as the loss of them will result in the attacker gaining access to various aspects of your online presence. Moreover, opt to use two-step authentication where available, and regularly check the account activity to identify any inexplicable logins from remote locations. If you want to achieve the above check out our list of top 5 password managers for 2018.

Have you ever received a phishing email during claiming that your Netflix account is on hold? Let us know what your experience with such scammers is in the comments below, and don’t forget to also share your thoughts on our socials, on Facebook and Twitter.