Cybersecurity experts have warned Netflix users that an SMS phishing campaign is being used to steal account and credit card information. Hackers send these phishing SMS, claiming that the person concerned has not paid for their subscription and that their account will be suspended soon. New York Post reported.
“These text message scare campaigns targeting Netflix customers have become ubiquitous and never ending, but they vary in size and scope,” said security firm Bitdefender.
“NETFLIX: There was a problem processing your payment. To keep your services active, sign in and confirm your credentials…” reads one such warning. There is a link that takes viewers to a website that looks identical to the Netflix platform and asks for their credit card number and login details.
These stolen credentials are sold to underground rings on the dark web.
Netflix’s lack of two-factor authentication protection has allowed the scam to spread more easily in as many as 23 countries, including the US. The streaming platform is vulnerable to spear phishing because it relies solely on usernames and passwords for security.
Netflix said in a statement about the text message scam: “We will never ask you to enter your personal information in a text message or email. We will never request payment through a third-party vendor or website. If the text message or email links to a URL you don’t recognize, don’t tap or click on it.”
If you’ve already clicked on one of these links, the streaming giant suggests changing your Netflix password to a new one that’s strong and unique. It also suggests that you update your password on other websites or apps where you have used the same email address and password combination.
Bitdefender, a cybersecurity company, advises users to avoid opening suspicious links and go to websites manually instead of clicking on links without verifying to avoid falling into scams.