Netflix viewers have warned of a’scare fraud that could steal credit card information.
Tech experts are warning Netflix subscribers of a “very large” cyber scam in which thieves steal critical financial information by sending phony communications.
“These SMS scare campaigns targeting Netflix customers have become ubiquitous and never stop, but they vary in size and scope,” warned security firm Bitdefender, per tech site Cybernews.
The latest digital ploy, which began in September but is still common, involves attackers sending bogus SMS texts to Netflix members informing them of problems with their accounts.
Another popular bootleg message notifies customers of a “failed payment.”
These messages contain links to phishing websites that capture “login credentials, personal information, and credit card details,” according to Bitdefender.
The stolen credentials are found on the dark web, where they are sold to various criminal organizations. The messaging disguise, which spans 23 nations, including the United States, is aided by the fact that Netflix lacks two-factor authentication measures.
Rather, the streaming platform relies exclusively on user names and passwords, rendering it vulnerable to spearphishing.
According to the tech experts, the scams succeed by instilling “a sense of urgency that requires immediate action,” and “losing access to Netflix because of a missed payment might fit the definition of an emergency for a lot of people.”
Fortunately, customers can easily identify these digital infiltrators.
For starters, Netflix never contacts its clients via SMS, as huge companies do not offer customers links that require verification.
To avoid being duped by criminal actors, Bitdefender advises clients to avoid opening suspicious links and to manually enter in websites rather than clicking links without validating them.
