A recent email scam is targeting about 110 million Netflix subscribers. The new scam is to make people think something is wrong with their account. Subscribers are threatened that their service will be suspended or closed unless they update their personal information. The email is not from Netflix, and subscribers should know that it is a scam to trick people to give their credit card information, according to Deadline.
The email
The email is disguised as if it is coming from the 20-year-old movie streaming service. However, it is not an official correspondence from the company.
Subscribers are advised not to click on links that lead to a fake Netflix page the scammers have set up. A quick way to tell where the email is actually coming from is to hover the mouse over links to make sure they are legitimate. The fake page wants information that will cause a lot of problems for those who log in and supply the requested information.
This is not the first time Netflix subscribers have been targeted. Earlier this year, an email was sent with the same instructions as this recent email. Those with accounts were directed to update their billing information.
Identifying the scam
The scam was called to the public's attention last week by Mailguard. The Australian tech privacy company gave details of the scam and posted a screenshot of the email.
It has the subject line that reads: "Your suspension notification." The phishing email includes fake Netflix images to make it seem like the email is real. Images of some of the most popular movies are displayed such as "The Crown," "House of Cards" and "Stranger Things."
Like most online companies, Netflix has a help page that gives safety and security tips.
One thing Netflix emphasizes is that it will never ask for personal information to be sent in an email. The company made a statement that it takes subscribers' accounts seriously, and it will continue to take measures to recognize fraudulent activity to keep all accounts safe. Additionally, Netflix suggests that if anyone has been adversely affected by the email scam to contact the customer service of the company or visit the company's security section on its help page.
Why do you think Netflix's subscribers are easy targets? It could happen to any company, but it has happened to Netflix twice in just one year. Perhaps it has something to do with the streaming media and video-on-demand service having over 109.25 million registered members worldwide.