Netflix has issued a warning to customers, with another scam doing the rounds online.
Some customers have been receiving fraudulent emails that look as if they were sent by Netflix, with the messages designed to trick the recipients into clicking a malicious link and handing over their login details and payment information.
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“Dear customer, during the regular maintenance and verification processes, we have detected an error in your account,” one such email, which was spotted by the Irish Sun, reads. “If your account information is not updated within 24 hours, your ability to access your account will be restricted.”
This is a phishing scam, and we’re constantly seeing new ones appear. A quick Twitter search shows us just how convincing − but also laughably amateurish − scam messages can look:
If you get this email this is a scam. Do not click on any links. This did not come from @netflix pic.twitter.com/O4pONycKZ6
— Ronnie Seneque (@Ronnieseneque) June 9, 2019
So I have a Netflix account but not on this email address and I dont pay this amount a month so I guess another scam going around #Netflix pic.twitter.com/vcCFi8iMmX
— Stephen Keogh (@Stephen61153145) June 14, 2019
I’m sure it’s not new, but it’s the first time I’ve gotten a Netflix-pretending phishing email before. Look at the quality! pic.twitter.com/YZGUN2CMIU
— Brad Peters (@b_rad_peters) June 10, 2019
@netflix enjoy getting fake Netflix spam…. love the bottom line of the email pic.twitter.com/f0xRCIeiHj
— Andrea Neutzling (@AMNEUT) June 17, 2019
Many users have grown wise to such tactics, but a particularly well-designed phishing email can be difficult to spot. Fortunately, Netflix has a list of guidelines that should help you stay safe online:
- Never enter your login or financial details after following a link in an email or text message. If you’re unsure if you’re visiting our legitimate Netflix website, type www.netflix.com directly into your web browser.
- Never click on any links or open any attachments in an email or text message you received unexpectedly, regardless of the source.
- If you suspect an email or text message is not from Netflix, do not reply to it.
- Instead, Netflix says you should forward the message to phishing@netflix.com, and then delete the email.
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However, if you’ve already clicked a malicious link in a scam email and entered your details, these are the steps you need to take:
- Change your Netflix password to a new, unique one.
- Update your password on any websites you used the same email and password for.
- Contact your financial institution if any payment information was entered, as it may have been compromised.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.