- How to Identify Netflix Scams
- Best Ways to Protect Yourself When Using Netflix
- What to Do If You’re If You’ve Fallen for Netflix Scams
- Common Netflix Scams to Look Out For
- Frequently Asked Questions
Netflix scams are becoming increasingly popular, thanks to the significant number of subscribers the streaming service has. Impersonators use suspicious emails, fake texts, and web pages designed to look like the real Netflix to trick you into providing your personal information. Since scammers find new ways to deceive you, you must stay aware and educate yourself on what scams look like, how to beat them, and how to protect your Netflix account.
How to Identify Netflix Scams
Scammers try hard. However, there are several ways that you can identify a Netflix impersonator.
- Look at the sender’s address to see if it looks fake. Emails from Netflix should come from an @netflix.com address.
- Think about what the email or text is asking for. Netflix will not ask you to provide personal or financially sensitive information via email or text.
- Look for spelling and grammatical errors (and typos) within the message. These are all signs of a scam.
- Check the URL for any links they're asking you to click on. Legitimate Netflix URLs will have "netflix.com" as the primary domain.
- Check the logo and design. If there are any inconsistencies with branding, such as a blurry logo, off-center alignment, or strange colors (e.g., using yellow instead of the Netflix red), it is likely a scam.
Best Ways to Protect Yourself When Using Netflix
If you are a Netflix subscriber, you can keep some best practices in mind to safeguard against people impersonating Netflix.
Don't Click Links
First and foremost, proceed with caution anytime you receive a Netflix email or text requesting personal information. Do not click any links or respond to the message in any way. Instead, go to Netflix.com and contact Netflix directly to confirm if they are attempting to reach you.
Install Anti-Virus Software
If you want some extra protection, just in case you do accidentally click on a fraudulent link or open an attachment, you should have up-to-date virus protection installed on your computer. This will not only protect your computer and files from Netflix scams but any virus that could potentially infect your device.
Change Your Password Regularly
Not only should your Netflix password be strong and unique, but you should try to change it regularly. This way, even if scammers gain access to your account, it will only be temporary until you change your password again.
Netflix doesn't offer two-factor authentication for your account, so it's essential to keep your login information safe and don't use the same password that you use for any other of your accounts.
Log Out Of Shared Devices
If you log into your Netflix account on a shared device, make sure you log out once you're done. Otherwise, whoever uses the device after you will be able to get full access to your Netflix account.
What to Do If You’re If You’ve Fallen for Netflix Scams
Here’s what you should do if you believe you’ve fallen victim to a Netflix impersonator.
Report Netflix Scams
If you believe you received a fake Netflix email or text message, forward it to [email protected], then delete it from your phone or inbox.
Reporting Netflix scams won't help you recover your account or protect your information, but it will alert Netflix and help them combat scams in the future.
You can also report any kind of Netflix fraud to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Update Your Netflix Password
If you shared your login information by typing it into a fake Netflix web page, you should go to Netflix.com and change your Netflix password immediately.
If you use the same username and password combination for any other accounts, you should change your login credentials for those also. It's best practice to use a unique password for each of your accounts.
Secure Your Passwords
Take the hassle out of remembering dozens of passwords by using a password manager like LastPass (which has a free version). You'll be able to access all of your login information on all of your devices in a secure folder that only you can unlock.
Contact Your Bank or Financial Institution
If you provided your financial information to the Netflix impersonator, you should immediately contact your bank or financial institute. If you shared your checking account information, for example, call your bank. If you provided your credit card number, contact your credit card provider’s fraud department.
Make Sure Your Netflix Email Wasn't Changed
If you think your Netflix email was changed without your consent, you may have already been scammed. Contact Netflix for help changing your email address back.
It's important to verify links and contact details to beat imposters.
Educate Yourself On How to Stay Safe Online
To avoid future online scams, including Netflix scams, make sure you stay up-to-date on all of the latest scams and know how to keep yourself safe when using online apps, reading emails, using social media, and even surfing the web.
Common Netflix Scams to Look Out For
If you’re a Netflix subscriber, you want to enjoy your service without having to worry about being scammed. To help put your mind at ease, keep a lookout for some of these common Netflix scams.
Fake Netflix Emails
To gain access to a password-protected Netflix account, scammers often send emails with Netflix branding designed to make you think it is a genuine Netflix email.
The emails usually have a link designed to make you think you are going to the Netflix website. Even after you click the link, you land on a Netflix lookalike site. Scammers cleverly make the site look as legitimate as possible, so you feel safe entering your login email and password. In some cases, they can prompt you to include your billing address information and credit card details.
An email scam from 2020 had a sender who posed as Netflix Support with an email titled “Notice of Verification Failure.” The email claimed that the Netflix subscriber had a billing issue that needed to be resolved within 24 hours to prevent their account from being canceled.
Texts from Netflix Impersonators
Scammers also use text messages as a means to collect your Netflix account or personal information. Like the email scams, the texts often threaten you, saying you will be unable to access your account (e.g., the account will be locked or canceled) unless you click a link to update your information.
A recent text phishing scheme falsely alerted Netflix subscribers that their accounts had invalid payment information. It urged them to click the link to prevent their Netflix account from being locked.
Free Netflix Scam
If you get an email or text message offering free Netflix for a year, this is a scam. This is not a legitimate offer from Netflix and is a phishing attempt by scammers. If you sign up for this offer, you'll be giving up your personal information and credit card information to fraudsters.
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