Although they have raised the price of their subscription at a fairly regular rate, Netflix’s goal is not to steal money from its users. However, there are scammers pretending to be Netflix to do just that. Recently, these scammers have started communicating with users who claim that their account information is out of date and that they must log in to update it or their membership will be canceled.
What is the Netflix text scam?
The Netflix texting scam generally involves false claims that users need to renew their memberships. Once logged in, these scammers often request some kind of personal information. It can be anything from your Netflix password to your credit card information to your bank account number. According to the Netflix website, the company never asks users for this information.
Netflix also claims that it will never request payment through a third-party provider or website. The site indicates that if the URL you receive in a text or email message is unfamiliar to you, you should not click on it. If you have already done so, you should refrain from entering your information on the site that opens. As the site points out, scammers cannot get any information from you unless you provide it to them.
What should you do if you receive a suspicious email or text message?
You can prevent your own information from being stolen by refusing to fall for scams, but you can also ensure that the scams do not affect other people. Netflix asks you to forward the text or email message to [email protected] and then delete the message. That way, the Netflix team can track down the text and work to determine where it originated.
What should you do if you have already fallen for the scam?
If you have already clicked on a suspicious link or offered personal information about yourself, there are still steps you can take to mitigate the situation. First, you need to change your Netflix password and make sure the new password is strong and unique to Netflix. You should also update your password on any other site where you use the same email and password combination.
If you entered any financial information such as a credit card number or a bank account number, you should also contact your financial institution to inform them that your information may be compromised. In general, these steps can help you avoid the worst consequences. Netflix encourages users to prevent fraud before it occurs, however, by following the security procedures outlined above.
As Internet scams continue to get smarter and more widespread, there are a number of general safety rules that all Internet users must adhere to. You should never send personal information by email, and you should always check the URLs in the emails or text messages you receive to make sure they look the way you expect.
Netflix email and texting scams are just two examples of the ways hackers try to get your information. If you’re smart, you can make sure they leave empty-handed.
